Per year more than 13‘000 medical students from around 104 countries participate in a clinical exchange with SCOPE. There, they discover a new healthcare system, get to know foreign cultures and get the opportunity to expand their medical abilities. Of the 13‘000 students mentioned, around 100 students are from Switzerland.

During this 4 week internship you will work hand in hand with a local doctor in a hospital setting. Depending on the department, your tasks and responsibilities during the working day may vary but you will receive the unique opportunity of profiting from this intercultural exchange. Discover a new healthcare system, explore a new culture and learn new things for life.

“It‘s not a month in a life but a life in a month“

A clinical exchange with SCOPE is available for every medical student after finishing their 3rd year of studies. Therefore you can apply at the end of the second year.

We also offer a Research Exchange – SCORE for medical students in the first and second year of their studies.

*Please note that internships in Switzerland are often of high quality in comparison to other countries. Depending on the hosting country, the tasks and possibilities for students might be more limited than in Switzerland but the insight into a foreign healthcare system is incredibly valuable!

A travel abroad, the preparation as well as the time during the internship all require meticulous communication. Due to this, swimsa exchanges requires good English language skills from all our outgoings (higher than B1). They must be shown at the time of registration through either an English certificate or confirmed by a high school diploma (Matura).

We distinguish between unilateral and bilateral exchanges. During a bilateral exchange/contract another student from the hosting country has the opportunity to visit Switzerland while you go abroad. If only you go to the hosting country it is called an unilateral exchange/contract. The type of contract you receive (uni- or bilateral) will be clarified during the IFMSA August Meeting. Our influence on this is very limited. As a general rule of thumb, contracts with European and central/south American countries are bilateral in nature. Contracts with African or Asian countries are rather unilateral.

The costs are composed of the following:

• • An exchange fee (460 or 225 CHF)
  • Blue fees/exchanges fee (30 CHF)
  • Green fees/Ecological fees (30 CHF)
  • A report deposit (80 CHF)

You can get the following reimbursements at the end of your exchange:

• • For writing an A4 experience report and filling out the evaluation form within 30 days after your exchange: 80 CHF
  • For the proof, that you travelled to your exchange without the use of planes: 25 CHF (one way) / 50 CHF (both ways)*
  • If before or during your exchange you have been engaged either within swimsa exchanges** or as a swimsa internal: 50 CHF***

*Only applicable if the first condition is also fulfilled, so a report was written. If you use a plane to get to your exchange, swimsa exchanges will donate the 30 CHF to myclimate.ch.

**Only if recognised by the current swimsa exchanges team.

***According to the definition made by the EB (Executive board) at the time of registration, as well as the following EB (active during the exchange).

swimsa exchanges is part of the international exchanges program of IFMSA and is subject to their terms and conditions. To have efficient ways of communication as well as minimize the workload of everyone involved, strict international communication guidelines have been introduced.

In short, we know that you cannot wait to go on your exchange and want to know everything there is to know about your hosting country. But it is prohibited for you to directly write to the NEO or LEO of your desired country! The NEOs and LEOs of swimsa exchanges are in close contact with the Exchange Officers around the world and will gladly help you with any inquiries.

The application for the exchange season from April XX to March XX+1 opens in March XX-1 and closes at the end of May XX-1.

If you have any more questions please see either the FAQ section or take a look at the example of Max Muster!