Health, Off Campus Study, Claremont McKenna College

Study Abroad: Health Issues

Study abroad can be stressful, both physically and mentally. A healthy mind and body are essential to a successful study abroad experience.

Before You Leave

Before you leave, you should have a complete physical as well as dental checkup. Be sure to have your doctor write out any standard prescriptions which you use with both brand and generic names. This includes your eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions, allergy medicine, and asthma medicine. You should take an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses with you. If your medical plan and your host country regulations allow you to do so, take enough prescription drugs with you to last the entire stay overseas. Make sure it is legal to bring your medication into your host country. Pack them in clearly marked bottles and have the prescription with you in case a customs officer requests it. You may also make arrangements for getting a new supply while on site.

Advice on how to handle HMOs that refuse to give more than 3 month's supply of a medication:

Medications in different countries (even when generic and/or brand name is the same) are not necessarily constituted in the same way, which can cause medical complications for those who switch.
Doctors in some countries are loath to prescribe medications for certain conditions (especially psychiatric or behavioral conditions or eating disorders), so a student who does not bring a sufficient supply may not be able to obtain it locally.
While customs officials may be unlikely to confiscate medications, in some cases they are legally obliged to do so if there's no accompanying documentation, and in other cases may have the discretionary power to do so.
Even if a shipping company will send medication, it can be held up (sometimes indefinitely) at customs, and if refrigeration or other environmental conditions need to be maintained for the integrity of the medication, students can run into serious problems.

Students whose medical problems are not easily recognized (such as diabetes, allergic reaction to antibiotics or bee stings, heart conditions, or epilepsy) should consider obtaining a medic alert ID tag. This tag is internationally recognized. Check with your doctor or hospital to learn how to obtain a medic alert ID tag.

Immunizations

Your routine immunizations should be up to date. In addition, certain countries require particular immunizations, such as yellow fever, cholera, or proof of freedom from tuberculosis or AIDS for entry into the country. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta (404-332-4559 or http://www.cdc.gov) also has recommendations for travel immunizations and malaria prophylaxis for every area of the world. These recommendations might include vaccination against hepatitis A and B, typhoid, rabies and an anti-malarial medication depending on your travel itinerary and living circumstances. Some vaccinations need to be given in a sequence well before departure. Plan accordingly.

The incidence of tuberculosis is higher in many other parts of the world than in the United States. We recommend a tuberculosis screening test before traveling and upon return to the USA.

It is important to note that the range of counseling services available to students at CMC will not be available overseas. Many insurance policies, if they reimburse for counseling services at all, may not do so for services provided overseas. For your safety and well-being, it is vital that you inform your program provider of any physical, emotional or psychological difficulties or special needs you have.