Travel Grants

The University of Mississippi Medical Center Medical Scholars Travel Award is awarded annually to rising fourth-year medical students or residents in good academic standing. The purpose of the award is to challenge students or residents to reach their highest academic potential and to improve international relations and awareness through medicine.

The Medical Scholars Travel Award will provide travel funds for recipients to visit medical centers of distinction around the world or to participate in an international academic medicine experience of significance. Interested students or residents should submit a proposal to Dr. Lyssa Weatherly, assistant dean for student affairs. Applicants will propose a visit to a specific medical center or participation in an international experience to include demonstration of the subject's importance. The letter of intent also should describe learning objectives, length of stay and proposed budget.

Travel may vary from two to four weeks. A letter from the candidate's residency program director should be submitted on behalf of the candidate if they are a resident. All travel arrangements must follow the UMMC travel policies. Upon completion of the travel, the recipient will give a brief presentation during a Grand Rounds forum to describe his or her experience. The residency program director chairman of applicable department must give approval if academic credit is given for participation in the Medical Scholars Travel Award.

The Medical Scholars Travel Award selection committee is appointed by the vice chancellor for health affairs. The selection committee will review all proposals to determine one or two recipients per year based on availability of funding. Proposals are due March 30 for awards presented by June of the academic calendar year for use during the following academic year. For more information, contact Dr. Lyssa Weatherly at (601) 984-5012 or Dr. Marion Wofford at (601) 984-6850.

Thomas J. Brooks Jr., MD, Endowed Fund in Preventive Medicine

The Thomas J. Brooks Jr., MD, Endowed Fund in Preventive Medicine was established in 2008 to honor the first chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine. The fund is used to support projects which, through education and educational travel, may attract medical students into careers in preventive medicine, epidemiology, and public health. For example, funds may be used to cover:

• Support for final-year medical students who have been accepted into the Epidemiology Elective Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Funds will cover the costs of round-trip transportation to the student's assigned CDC facility and living expenses.
• Attendance at the annual EIS Conference at the CDC in Atlanta every April.
• Travel and fees associated with an approved overseas (developing country) elective, such as health volunteer work with the Omni Med program in Uganda.

CDC Epidemiology Elective Program

This is a six- to eight-week rotation for senior medical students which provides an introduction to preventive medicine, public health and the principles of applied epidemiology. Participants learn through hands-on experience working on a current public health project and are mentored by experienced CDC staff. During the elective, participants may:

• Participate in the surveillance of public health problems.
• Analyze public health data for new disease risk factors.
• Work in the field investigating an outbreak.

Omni Med

Omni Med, a private, non-profit organization, has developed a model in which U.S. health volunteers train Ugandan community health workers (“VHTs”) in several areas of primary care and prevention, such as malaria, maternal-child health, sanitation and clean drinking water. Volunteers complete a comprehensive online training course that provides: an orientation to the Mukono District; full preparation to train VHTs; health and safety issues; and a broad-based understanding of global health inequality. Most volunteers will remain in country for one month.