U.S. medical student voice in international health education: Results and analysis from a national survey

International health (IH) experience in medical education plays a vital role in the maturation of future physicians, as previous studies have demonstrated the benefits in cultural competency, disparity awareness, and career plans. Over the past ten years, interest and subsequent growth in IH experience and infrastructure have been significant in U.S. allopathic medical schools. However, limited evidence exists reflecting the barriers students face in accessing these opportunities, and such studies were hindered by small sample size and selection bias. Such knowledge is crucial in creating more supportive, sustainable and comprehensive IH programs. In order to guide future IH efforts, an anonymous, online survey was created, containing questions about student demographics, curricular topic preferences, experiences abroad, domestic obstacles, institutional support, and career goals. Fifteen allopathic medical schools participated; schools were both private and public, and all regions of the country were represented. All students at the participating medical schools were invited to complete the survey, which yielded roughly 1500 responses. Clear national trends emerged in curriculum topic preference, future career plans, and barriers encountered. Data demonstrate financial constraints and time being the major barriers to IH experiences. In schools that do not provide financial aid for international experiences, students indicated that availability of subsidized federal loans would increase the likelihood of an IH-related experience. Further results and potential policy applications will be discussed in the presentation.