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The Medic's Guide Book

BARBADOS:
QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, Bridgetown, Barbados . Tel:- 001 246 429 5112. Fax:- 001 246 429 6738
To do an elective here, contact: The Faculty of Medical Sciences, Queens Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown Barbados. The hospital is linked to the University of West Indies, and so medical students are very welcome there. Elective students come and go all the time in all of the different specialities. Barbados is especially popular with German medical students. The level of teaching is excellent (though you have to hang around) and there are many clinical signs to see. The hospital is a teaching hospital and is the only public hospital available to the people of Barbados.
The hospital is quite basic. But they have a CT scanner, and all other basic investigations were available.
The language spoken is English, although it is very difficult to understand.
The University provides accommodation for $500 (Barbados dollars) per calendar month. The accommodation was of a very high standard.
The social life is, as is expected in the Caribbean, excellent. Drinking on the beach was a favorite, and there are several night clubs around. It is very easy to get around Barbados with the bus service, and it is relatively safe to go out at night.
Update kindly provided by Jenny Travis

BOLIVIA:
Hospital Materno-Infantil, Trinidad, Bolivia
This is a 30 Bed (half obstetric, half children) hospital in a small town (Trinidad). Trinidad is in the tropical lowlands of Bolivia, on the edge of the Amazon. It's all Spanish speaking - no English speaking staff hence fluent Spanish is a ust, There are two visiting consultants, 4 Residents / Regs. No accommodation, but easy enough - and cheap - nearby. Social life limited, but great way to see South American life. Good access to the jungle etc.
(kindly submitted by Dr Alistair Steel)

LESOTHO:
St James' Mission Hospital, P.O Box 3,Mantsonyane 150, Lesotho - a seventy bed hospital. This is a friendly english speaking hospital that has a number of out reach clinics reached by 4x4. It is a three hour drive from the capital, Maseru. The village of Ha Toka is only ten minutes walk away. Common problems are TB, HIV and Obstetric complications - kindly supplied by Gavin Wooldridge

TANZANIA:
OCEAN ROAD HOSPITAL, Ocean Road, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Built initially by and partially funded by the Germans, it is a specialist cancer centre, the only one for the 20,000 cases of cancer/year in Tanzania.

THAILAND:
BUMRUNGRAD HOSPITAL, 33 Suhhumvit Soi 3, Klong Toey, Bankok 10110, Thailand. Tel: (00 662) 6671000 Fax: (00 662) 6672525. This is recommended as Bangkok's finest private hospital. It has excellent teaching, resources and healthcare. It is centrally located and because of it international reputation, many there speak English.
(Kindly submitted by: Lorna Burn)

TRINIDAD:
PORT OF SPAIN GENERAL HOSPITAL Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies. Tel: 1 809 623-2951 
UPDATE: The Hospital is certainly an interesting experience. There is no air conditioning other than in A&E so most of the building has open sides to allow some kind of ventilation. However even in July (during the cooler period of the year) it reaches temperatures of 40C and with the humidity in the mid 90s this can be less than pleasant without AC! The Nephrology department of the hospital is particularly interesting as the low budget of most of the patients here means that patients who in the UK would be on dialysis are still being managed with drugs. This make do mentality and lack of equipment means that the doctors are particularly resourceful and we were impressed at their ability to come up with alternative treatment solutions. There is plenty to do in Port of Spain and the surrounding areas. Public transport is cheap and enormously easy to work out - it is also the best way to get around as driving can be somewhat hair-raising! We spent our weekends seeing loads of Trinidad, from the beaches at Las Cuervas and Blanchisseuse to the waterfalls at Paria and Maracas Valley. The rainforest is not to be missed as there are so many different types of birds, plants and animals that you'll never get the chance to see in the wild anywhere else. We were lucky enough to see humming birds tree frogs turtles and land crabs as well as having the dubious pleasure of coming across a deadly Fer de Lance snake and the frankly terrifyingly large Chevron Spiders! As for the city itself, the usual cinemas are available for a very low price and there is also a zoo, local food such as doubles and roti are delicacies I miss and bizarrely Coca-cola is incredibly cheap compared to UK prices. Carib - the local beer is also something not to be missed and the cheap prices can make for interesting times. Chaguramas is host to several clubs which are great fun, I particularly recommend Pier One on a Thursday night, Salsa night and also free drink all night after an admission fee of about £8!We had a great time in Trinidad I'm not sure we learned too much in the hospital but as far as experiencing other cultures and a different way of life, this is the way to go!
Update kindly supplied by: Laura Johnstone

U.K.:
Derby City General Hospital, Uttoxeter road, Derby, Derbyshire, England, DE22 3NE (Kindly submitted by: Dr Z. Khan)