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Strengthening Travel Medicine Competence: 22 FK Unair Undergraduates Begin Travel Medicine Elective Study at FK Unud
Strengthening Travel Medicine Competence: 22 FK Unair Undergraduates Begin Travel Medicine Elective Study at FK Unud
Twenty-two undergraduate students from the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (FK Unair), have commenced a Travel Medicine elective study program at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana (FK Unud). The students were welcomed by the FK Unud Travel Medicine Unit during an orientation session held at the Dr. A.A. Made Djelantik Meeting Room, FK Unud Sudirman Campus, Denpasar.
With its dynamic tourism sector and high volume of international tourist mobility, Bali offers a compelling learning environment for gaining a practical understanding of travel medicine. Travel medicine encompasses more than just pre-travel health; it addresses various health issues that may arise during or after a trip—ranging from infectious diseases and tourist safety to the challenges of providing healthcare to patients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
These are the insights the 22 FK Unair students will gain during the elective study program at FK Unud. Through a curriculum combining academic activities and field experience, students will observe firsthand how travel medicine principles are applied in the context of Bali as a major international tourist destination.
The FK Unair students were welcomed by the Coordinator of the FK Unud Travel Medicine Unit, Dr. Cokorda Agung Wahyu Purnamasidhi, S.Ked., M.Biomed., Sp.PD., FINASIM, FISQua, along with the unit's team. In his remarks, he outlined the scope of travel medicine and provided an overview of the activities the students would undertake during the program.
The subsequent proceedings were officially opened by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Planning—who also serves as the Acting Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Information—at FK Unud, Prof. Dr. I Made Ady Wirawan, S.Ked., M.P.H., Ph.D. In his remarks, he noted that the participation of FK Unair students in this elective study program strengthens the academic atmosphere and fosters inter-institutional collaboration, while also providing students with the opportunity to gain learning experiences beyond their home campus.
To kick off the academic program, students attended a "Medical English" briefing led by Dr. Made Januarbawa, M.M. This session equipped them with English-language medical communication skills that are highly relevant to providing healthcare for international tourists.
In the practice of travel medicine, communication ability goes beyond mere language proficiency. Healthcare professionals must be able to accurately elicit information regarding complaints and travel history, explain health conditions in accessible language, provide education, and establish effective communication when interacting with patients from diverse countries and cultural backgrounds. Through this session, students gained an understanding that communication competence is a crucial element in ensuring the quality and safety of healthcare services for tourists.
The FK Unair Travel Medicine elective study program at FK Unud will feature a variety of activities designed to allow students to bridge the knowledge gained in the classroom with real-world healthcare and tourism scenarios in the field.
It is hoped that the experience gained during this elective study in Bali will broaden the students' perspectives on the role of healthcare professionals in addressing health challenges amidst the ever-increasing global mobility of people.
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UDAYANA UNIVERSITY