As a student doctor (and potential student doctor) you have developed skills and acquired knowledge that can benefit many people around you, you do not have to travel to the other side of the globe to have a positive impact! It is amazing the opportunities you have as student doctors to support the health of our local community and other communities around the world. A medical elective placement is part of almost all medical degrees around the world, and once you have found what you would like to spend your time doing, the next step is to source some funding!
How are you going to raise the money for this!?
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Search for grants, bursaries (and low-interest loans) offered by your medical school, college, university, local authority, charities, businesses, etc.
2. Go Fund Me – although, to really get people (and strangers) to part with their hard earned money, you really need to:
a. Clearly layout the purpose of your fundraising and show a breakdown of your costs
b. Justify why you are deserving of their donation.
c. Explain how this experience will truly benefit not just yourself but the community you are going to help.
d. Demonstrate your own personal efforts to raising money i.e. part-time work, etc.
e. Consider, the evidence will you be able to share with your supporters, i.e. a written report, weekly blog post, pictures and videos, etc. See this as a ‘thank you’ for their support.
3. Part-time work for several weeks/months.
4. Create an eBay account an sell unwanted items and new products.
5. Auction or sell you gifts/talents/skills with in your community (i.e. family, university, church, etc); i.e. put on a small talent show; offer to baby sit, do household chores; cake sales, car boot sales, etc. for an hourly wage.
These are just a few of our suggestions; please help others out by commenting in the comment box below if you have any other ideas too! If you have instructions or a secret formula, even better! Lol
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Medics’ Inn
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