Generales

Every day, hundreds of medical students doing clinical rotations show up at the facilities of the University Health Services, UdeA's main clinical rotation site.

Every year, about 10,000 medical students rotate through various medical facilities served by the UdeA Health Services. About 70,1 percent of them are students from Universidad de Antioquia.  

Services such as emergency medicine, surgery, diagnostic aids and cardiology, among others, are among the most highly requested elective rotations.

The coordinated efforts between the academic community and the University Health Services provide UdeA medical students with a solid background in areas including research, knowledge management and innovation.

Dr. Martha Ramirez, current director of the University Health Services, has the goal of transforming UdeA Health Services into the University Hospital, an effort that will also benefit students from partner universities and enhances the University participation in innovation and knowledge management networks both nationally and internationally.

According to UdeA’s Teaching and Research Office, “the various University departments are increasingly using the University Health Services as their healthcare provider. On the other hand, patients and their families are aware of the importance of having well-trained practitioners to assist in the treatment and recovery of patients”.

At present, the University Health Services has a number of existing agreements with 12 local universities and 9 employment training agencies. The School of Medicine at Universidad de Antioquia provides the largest number of residents including graduate students, physicians, surgical instrument technicians and pre-hospital care staff, followed by the School of Nursing, the School of Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, the School of Nutrition and Dietetics, the School of Dentistry, the School of Public Health, and the School of Microbiology.

Likewise, students from other UdeA departments such as the School of Engineering, the School of Communications, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Economics, the School of Agricultural Sciences, and the School of Education, also do their internships at the facilities of the University Health Services.   

Between 2011 and 2015, a total of 47,609 students (33,380 UdeA students) did their rotations at this University unit.     

“My rotation in the emergency room has been an enriching experience. Caring for highly complex patients is a challenge you must face during your medical training. However, the University Health Services Department provides ongoing clinical support and supervision in the recovery of patients, not to mention the valuable support of the administrative staff,” says Susana Hoyos, a senior medical student currently doing her clinical rotation at the University Health Services.  

International students

Since 2012, the University Health Services Department welcomes international students who wish to do their clinical rotations at its facilities. Asmus Hillebrand, a German student currently doing a 3-month clinical elective in Orthopedics says “the kind support of the faculty and patients allows us to learn more easily and implement the skills acquired in college, which is something you can't afford in Germany due to a number of restrictions”.   

More medical students choose the University Health Services as the site to do their clinical electives, therefore, this department provides internship opportunities for medical students from other universities in the form of clinical rotations, residencies and graduate programs.

Promoting research, innovation and development as a way to ensure high quality and safe patient care, and provide students with socially responsible hands-on training has always been the hallmark of UdeA and the University Health Services.