Testimonials
Feedback for the electives has always been very positive. Here is what some of the students had to say:
Melloney Johns (St Georges, Oct 2008) A particular highlight of my stay here has got to be the Outpatient clinics on Mondays and Thursdays. We have seen so many clinical signs and such a variety of patients -- it has been truly fascinating.
Chloe Walsh (Imperial, Oct 2008) The placement here has been a great experience. Out-patients clinic is really interesting, with lots of opportunities to see signs uncommon in the UK. There has also been lots of excellent teaching. I enjoyed going to the villages to see how the tribal people live and appreciated all the extra things such as visiting the tea plantation and "cooking lessons" (i.e. eating lots of yummy food)!
Caroline Hill (Bristol, Oct 2008) An interesting and enjoyable placement
Vicki Donkin (Sheffield, Sept 2008) Everyone is so committed to the hospital and so keen to help: meeting them made us understand the importance of the project and the good it has done/ is doing! The teaching was excellent and I've had the opportunity to suture and assist in surgery -- which I loved!
Richard Hastley (Brighton and Sussex, Sept 2008) The work here in Gudalur has been eye opening and truly inspirational: the dedication of all the staff in hospital and out in the field is second to none!
Revi Jassal (Brighton and Sussex, Sept 2008) The time spent in Gudalur has been an invaluable experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the elective. I have met so many fantastic people who are so dedicated to providing such a great service to the local people; I feel so privileged to have experienced the good work that is being done here.
Beth Barrett (Kings College London, Sept 2008) What can I say about the hospital? It is brilliant! I loved the fact that we were given the opportunity to be in it as much or as little as we liked. I have learnt more in clinic here with Dr. NK, Shyla and Premila than I think I ever have sitting in on clinics in the UK.
Sobitha Sathianandan & Reshmi Raychaudhuri (Imperial, August 2008) This elective has been an amazing experience. Over the last month we have renewed our passion for medicine, faced with the incredible enthusiasm and commitment of the Doctors we have worked with.
Anna Morris (Warwick, March 2008) Thank you to everyone at the hospital, and the support staff, for their friendliness, teaching, advice, and willingness to spend time arranging activities of interest for us at very short notice.
Jennifer Morgan (Warwick, March 2008) Thank you for such an amazing elective, so much more so than I was expecting!
Gaj Sivadhas (St George's, University of London, January 2008)
This elective was brilliant. Loved the mix of clinical and community medicine. The location was ideal, serene, tranquil and very spiritual. The doctors here were very friendly knowledgeable and above all exceedingly helpful. They explained the patient's problems to us and translated where necessary.
Bethan Davies (St. George's, University of London, January 2008) I've had a brilliant experience; everyone has been extremely friendly and welcoming and made my stay very enjoyable. It has been a unique opportunity to work with the Adivasis and learn about healthcare in a completely different context. I also especially enjoyed learning about the political and cultural aspects of the area and how ACCORD came to be founded.
Serena Sodha (UCL, January 2008) The doctors have been really brilliant, not only teaching us extremely well, but also including us in social occasions like dinners at their house, pongal etc. which have been really lovely. I'm very sad to leave! The experience has surpassed my expectations and is one that I will remember always.
Georgia Belam (UCL, January 2008) I'm certainly glad that you decided to run the MSE program. It's a real privilege to be able to come and see this wonderful unique program and to see how the adivasis live.
Alice Knowles (Imperial, October 2007) Wonderful food, amazing scenery, some of the most friendly people I have ever been lucky enough to spend time with, all this plus a fascinating insight into medicine in India and the world of the NGO. I had no idea that there were so many people out there who were so devoted to helping others. I wish I was back there now, I fully intend to visit again when I have completed my training.
Michael Partridge (Edinburgh, October 2007) My five weeks in Gudalur could not have been better.
Anna Tilley (Imperial, October 2007) I have had a wonderful elective here that has exceeded all my expectations. Thank you everyone!
Chris Campbell (Peninsular, September 2007) In ASHWINI, they put together an excellent package, including teaching sessions, clinical skills sessions, out patient clinics, ward rounds, theatre sessions, field visits as well as fun things like a trip to a tea factory! However, the timetable is really flexible and you can do on-calls, audits etc. The week in Mysore was very good, and we had lots of free time to explore it in between visiting projects. Again, the accommodation is excellent and the food second to none! There is plenty of flexibility to travel before and after the elective, as well as at the weekends, we went to Jungle Retreat on safari and to Ooty (a large-ish town). I would strongly recommend this elective to anyone who wants a safe, well-organised and enjoyable elective.
Luke Ferrari (King's College London, September 2007) The teaching I received, formally and on ward rounds or in clinic was of the highest calibre and it was interesting to learn about, see and manage patients with conditions that are less common or not at all seen in the UK. Of the routine days, I most enjoyed the on-calls, as this was when I was responsible for managing patients and delivering babies: I delivered two healthy babies, a boy and a girl... For me, India was a great opportunity to experience the limitations of developing world medicine, both as a visitor to high altitude and as an observer of a wholly different culture. I know that my confidence in clinical medicine has improved, sometimes through necessity rather than choice, and I hope to carry this with me throughout my future training.
Colin Chu (Oxford, March 2007) The hospital and the whole ACCORD project are both truly inspiring and it was fascinating to see just how health provision differed. The clinical skills of the doctors, and the teaching we received, was exceptional. It was essentially a month of one-on-one consultant teaching seeing some incredible cases, from TB to Ricketts, pyloric stenosis to hydrocephalus to unbelievably loud mitral stenosis...
Rebecca Phillips (Brighton and Sussex, Sept 2006) The hospital didn't have most of the equipment and even blood tests usually used in an outpatient clinic. I had to rely mainly on my history taking and clinical skills alone and I feel this greatly improved my clinical mind
Louise Shovel (UCL, Sept 2005) The course content more than lived up to my expectations. I loved every second of my time here and I've not only learned loads but also been lucky enough to meet probably the nicest bunch of people I shall ever meet...It was great the way we got shown how to do procedures and then got the chance to do it ourselves. We will now go back to England with self-confidence, clinically, that we didn't have before. Field visits were great fun- they are one of the things that made this placement extra special.
Rebecca Hope (UK, Aug 2005) I felt this elective was truly the 'holistic' elective- where else would you cover not only a vast range of medicine and surgery but also public health, development, economics trade politics and a fair amount of cooking, music and massage thrown in for good measure!
Simon van Lieshout (Edinburgh, Aug 2005) Everything I hoped for and far more- professors and consultants for teachers, opportunities to practise clinical skills, a good variety of cases.
Kevin O'Brien (Ireland, Aug 2004) In my opinion, GAH offers the broadest educational experience possible -- from an introduction to Adivasi life, to the management of a hospital with limited resources, and from a crash course in the part played by global economics in healthcare to tasters of Indian cooking lessons and yoga. ... Thanks a million for everything!