India – At a Glance
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
Experiences and Advice from
working abroad in India
Presented by Sonal Shah
Med II
sonal.shah@osumc.edu
India – At a Glance
Tamil Nadu, India
India is a country about 1/3 the size of the United States
located in South Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal and the
Arabian Sea
Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it
supports over 15% of the world's population with 1.1 billion
people.
Almost 33% of Indians are younger than 15 years of age.
Religion and language are major determinants of social and
political organization in India today. The government has 28
different states and recognizes 18 languages as official;
Hindi is the most widely spoken, although English is also a
nationally recognized language.
Although 82% of the people are Hindu, India also is the
home of more than 126 million Muslims--one of the world's
largest Muslim populations. The population also includes
Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis.
Tamil Nadu - India
Tamil Nadu or "the land of
Tamil" is the southern-most
state of India.
Tamil Nadu is nestled in
the southern Indian
peninsula, on the shores of
the Bay of Bengal and the
Indian Ocean.
The state has a population
of over 55 million people.
The national language is
Tamil.
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
The third largest city of the state, Coimbatore is
one of the most industrialized cities in Tamil Nadu.
Its population is over 9 million people.
Coimbatore is known as the textile capital of South
India or the Manchester of the South.
In addition to the textile and textile machinery
industry, Agriculture however remains the major
occupation. The rich fertile soil and tropical climate
is excellent for the growth of millet, paddy, cotton,
tea, oil seeds and tobacco.
Coimbatore is known throughout the state and
country as a whole for its prominent educational
institutions, one of which being PSG educational
group.
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PSG & Sons Charities
PSG Hospitals
The PSG system of education was created in 1926, in
response to the realization that illiteracy caused stagnation,
insulating the people from the progressive changes taking
place all around and left them poor and uninformed.
Today PSG has 23 educational institutions across
Coimbatore. A 1000 plus faculty work to fulfill the learning
aspirations of over 16,000 students. In order to enable
students to pursue their choice of vocation, the group also
runs a host of training and research institutes. The PSG
educational institutions and its allied schools of practical
learning have contributed immensely to creating a ready
intellectual resource pool in Coimbatore.
The PSG group of institutions caters to almost every branch
of academic interest, from medicine to its allied sciences,
from engineering to information technology and from arts to
sciences.
PSG Hospitals’ state-of-the-art facilities
make the 800 bedded institution a multispecialty health care center in Coimbatore.
The hospital caters to every arena of
medical care.
As part of its services to the community, it
also runs separate clinics to look into
aspects like Diabetes, Asthma, Pediatrics,
and Geriatrics.
Areas of Specialty
Cardiology
Cardiothoracic
Surgery
Dermatology
ENT, Head, & Neck
Gastroenterology
Internal Medicine
Nephrology
Neurology
Neurosurgery
Our Experiences at PSG
Obstetrics &
Gynecology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedic Surgery
Pediatrics
Plastic/Reconstructive
Surgery
Psychiatry
Pulmonology
Surgery
Urology
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The PSG Program
3 week program
Week 1 – The focus was on Public
and Community Health.
Week 2 & 3 – The focus was on
Clinical Medicine.
Karadaivavi Rural Health Center
Directed by Dr. Rajkumar
Community and Public Health
Karadaivavi Rural Health Center
Vedapatti Rural Health Center
Shanti Ashram
PSG Urban Health Center/Well Baby
Clinics in Urban Slums
Karadaivavi Rural Health Center – Dr. Rajkumar
Development of
self-sustainable
village health
centers
Well children
checks-ups from
local schools
Cervical cancer
screening and
treatment program
Karadaivavi Rural Health Center
Karadaivavi Rural Health Center
School Children
Wellness Checkups
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Vedapatti Rural Health Center
Vedapatti Rural Health Center
24 hour Clinic
Immunizations
Vocational
Training
Vocational Training Center
Shanti Ashram was
founded in 1986 by Dr. M.
Aram and Mrs. Minoti
Aram. Since its inception, it
has sponsored a wide
range of innovative
programs inspired by the
teachings of Mahatma
Gandhi and serving 26
villages of the Perur Block
in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
The principal feature of the
Ashram's activities has
been the direct and
proactive involvement of
the village communities
themselves in its programs.
Village immunization clinic
Programming at Shanti Ashram
Participatory Agro-Forestry Program
Bala Shanti for Children
Women’s Development
Community Health
Peace Education & Inter-faith
Collaboration
Youth Leadership
Bala Shanti Program for Children
Bala Shanti Program for Children
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Urban Health Center
Well Baby Check-ups
in Urban Slums
Week 2 & 3 – Clinical Medicine
Rotations at PSG Hospitals
Shadowing doctors in a different
specialty each day (morning rounds,
out-patient clinics, etc.)
Observing surgery (cardiothoracic,
orthopedic, obstetrical, etc.)
Observing outpatient procedures
(colonoscopy, echocardiograms, etc.)
Daily Life in Coimbatore
Urban Health Center
Well Baby Check-ups
in Urban Slums
Daily Life in Coimbatore
Accommodations - the PSG Tech College
campus in the Guest House Annex
5 minute walk to the hospital complex
Dining hall in the guest house that provides
all meals
Work schedule 8am-4pm Monday-Friday
with weekends free
What to Bring
Snacks!
Day bag - to carry all of your belongings
with
Writing Utensils and a Notebook
Books for pleasure reading
First Aid for USMLE
A deck of cards
Camera (and an electrical adaptor if you
have a digital camera to charge it with)
Hand sanitizer
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Money
1 USD = 45 Indian Rupees
There are plenty of ATM machines in
Coimbatore, in fact a couple right outside
of the hostel.
Withdrawing money from the ATM will give
you the best conversion rate and will also
save you the hassle of going to the ForEx
to exchange travelers checks.
The cost of daily living in India is very
inexpensive, so take that into consideration
in budgeting your trip.
Things to Get Used To
Squatty potties (if you need t.p. –
bring it!)
Bucket baths
Lots of mosquitoes – bring repellant!
Hot weather – bring sunscreen and
stay hydrated!
India is crowded and chaotic!
Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
What to Wear
Shoes – bring flip-flops to wear in the hospital. Closed toed
shoes or dress shoes are not needed.
Clothing made of LIGHT material. Bring clothes that dry fast
if they get wet (in the rain, or in laundry).
Bring only 5-6 pairs of clothes at most! There is an
opportunity to do laundry. Pack light!
Women – Do not wear pants or sleeveless shirts! Wear long
skirts that come down to your ankles and t-shirts that are not
very fitted or tight. You can buy Indian clothes when you get
there that you can also wear, that are comfortable, and light
in material.
Men – Do not wear shorts! Wear polos and khakis to the
hospital.
Bring a sweater or sweatshirt – nights can get chilly.
Bring an umbrella! It’s monsoon season in India during the
summer, so always be prepared!
Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
Sight seeing within
Coimbatore (temples,
mosques, churches)
Shopping
Exploring
Social Activities with the
doctors and staff members
of PSG
Around Coimbatore – talk
to Dr. Prasanna Kumar –
Director of the Blood Bank
and Professor of
Pathology. She will give
you great advice on
weekend trips you can take
while in Coimbatore.
Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
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Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
Starting from the Beginning
Getting to India - Visas
Things to Do – In and Around
Coimbatore
Starting from the Beginning
Getting to India – Plane Tickets
If you intend on going to India this summer, start
looking for plane tickets NOW and intend on
buying one by the end of April at the latest.
This is peak season for traveling to India, and the
longer you wait, the less availability there will be
and the more expensive it will be as well.
Tickets range from $1500-1800.
You will most probably need to fly into a major
international airport in larger cities such as
Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, or Chennai, go
through customs, collect your baggage, and then
get on a domestic flight to Coimbatore.
Passport – If you do not have a passport, apply for one!
Visas – you will need to get the Tourist Visa for India that is
valid for 6 months. The cost is $60.
You must fill out the application that is available online, and
mail that in with your money, and passport. Once your
application is processed the Indian Consulate will mail back
your passport with your visa.
The process can be lengthy! Make sure to send in your
visa application with plenty of time to spare to allow for
possible delays.
For more information and the visa application visit:
http://www.indiacgny.org/php/siteMap.php?linkid=4
Starting from the Beginning
Preparing for Your Trip
Vaccinations
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Rabies
Typhoid
Boosters for Tetanus-Diphtheria and Measles
Malaria
To protect against Malaria – take Malarone – an
antimalarial drug combination.
Malarone is started 1-2 days before travel to India.
It is continued ONCE A DAY for every day you are in the
Malaria endemic area.
It is continued until 7 days after leaving the Malaria zone
Make sure to see your doctor to get a prescription that will
cover you for the entire time you are traveling.
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While in India - Travel
India is very easy to navigate these days. Transportation
has improved so much and has become easily accessible
to all. There are two main ways in which you can travel
safely and easily.
Flying – India has several airlines that offer inexpensive
flights throughout cities in India. You can book and pay for
tickets online.
Jet Airways - http://www.jetairways.com/Cultures/enUS/HomePage.htm
Air Deccan - http://www.airdeccan.net/airdeccan/home.asp
Trains – Indian Railways connects the most cities together
and runs extensively throughout all of India. If you plan on
traveling by train, make sure to book your ticket for a First
Class AC – 2 tier cabin.
Indian Railways - http://www.indianrail.gov.in/
Wrapping it Up….
Traveling in India
If you needs tips or advice
on traveling in India feel
free to ask me or Greg
Comfort (Med II). Greg
traveled throughout
Northern India in the state
of Rajasthan by himself for
3 weeks and he traveled
mostly by trains. You can
send him an email at:
gregory.comfort@osumc.edu
QUESTIONS?
Working in India was one of the
best experiences I have had in my
life. It made medicine tangible
and real. The experience at PSG
was one that opened my eyes
about how health care varies from
country to country and from urban
to rural areas. It allowed me to
understand people’s perceptions
of health, and what sorts of
infrastructure are needed within
society to deliver adequate health
care to all.
I wish you all the best of luck in
traveling and working abroad. I
know the experience, no matter
where you go will be equally
rewarding.
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