For me issues of basic human needs are now intertwined with economic, political, and social conditions. A preliminary meeting is held in February for all interested participants. The application procedure and selection process is explained at that time. All students who apply are interviewed by a faculty committee. Selection criteria include the student's academic record, clinical performance, and the service they have undertaken in the large community.
Every student submitting an application is interviewed.
The Externship Program has a significant impact on the lives of its alumni. Former externs now pursuing a variety of medical specialties reported in a recent survey that their field experience had sensitized them to their global responsibilities as physicians and to their ethical duties to their patients. This realization enables me to deal with my patients with a more thorough understanding of how government programs, their personal economic conditions, and the social structure in which they live all affect the delivery of health care. It has helped me know the entire patient, not simply the illness. Alumni indicated that they continue to be involved in human rights activities, educating their colleagues, publishing articles, and volunteering both domestically and abroad.