Health & Safety

 

personal safety

When overseas, avoid demonstrations and other situations that may become unruly or where anti-American sentiments may be expressed.

Consider taking a self-defense class before leaving campus: (LINK to info – forthcoming)

Tell a friend what your plans are, let people know when they should expect you back.

avoiding theft:

Be wary of how you hold your purse or handbag.  Keep it in front of you and make sure that your purse or bag is fully zipped.

Be wary of where you keep your wallet – a back pocket is exactly where thieves expect it to be. 

Avoid wearing conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry.  Do not become an easy target for thieves!

Avoid placing your purse or bag on the back of your chair or at your feet while in a public place this is an easy target for robbers.  Keep a foot or a leg within a strap so that no one can snatch your bag and run off with it.

Take extra caution while using internet cafes.  Since these places are frequented by Americans, robbery is also common.

Many travelers invest in money belts to wear under their clothes as a hard-to-reach place for large amounts of cash and your passport. 

Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas or on any forms of public transportation.

Keep a close eye on luggage while on a train, especially overnight trips.  Try to keep your bag with you at all times (even in bed!)

Locks for zippers can be a good deterrent

health insurance at home & abroad

All students are enrolled either in the HTH worldwide health plan, or through a program provider such as CIEE or IFSA-Butler for international health insurance for the duration of their study abroad program. The Global Education Office recommends that students also retain at least one policy of domestic healthcare coverage in addition to the international coverage for the same duration. This will insure that students are covered from the moment they enter the United States in the event that they need to return before a program’s end.

check-ups

We recommend that all students get standard check-up exams prior to studying abroad.  This includes physicals, dental and vision check ups.  Be sure to schedule these appointments well ahead of your departure in case there is a need for follow-up (i.e. a cavity that needs to be filled).

Resources

Vanderbilt Student Health Center  (615)322-2427                    www.vanderbilt.edu/student_health

Call to schedule a 30 minute appointment at least four weeks before your departure date.

Vanderbilt Travel Health Clinic  need phone number

http://www.vanderbilttravelclinic.com/

medications

If possible, bring enough medication (prescription or over-the-counter) with you to last the entire semester.  It is not possible to send medication through the mail and you should not plan to do so.  Bring original prescription documentation with you as well.

If you cannot secure enough medication to last your entire time abroad, talk to your doctor ahead of time.  It may be necessary to visit a doctor in your host country to get a new prescription written (foreign countries cannot honor American doctors’ prescriptions) and this may be facilitated with information from your regular doctor. 

Before leaving the United States, check whether or not your prescription or other drugs are controlled substances in your study abroad country.  You can do this at the Medical Library on campus or ask your doctor or pharmacist for other resources.  Students enrolled in HTH have access to an online database of drug information once they have registered on the HTHStudents website.

It’s a good idea to know the generic names of drugs.  Often, brand names are not international, i.e. Tylenol is known as acetaminophen outside the U.S.  This information can also be accessed in the Medical Library, through a doctor or pharmacist, or through HTHStudents.com. 

Do not take any drugs out of their original packaging.  Combining many types of pills into plastic bags or one bottle easily looks suspicious to security and customs officials.

Once you have checked the legality of your medications, do bring supplies with you, especially if a certain medication works well for you.  The exact same formulation may not be available or not available at all.  Obtaining medication overseas often requires a trip to the pharmacy and a conversation with a pharmacist, even for over-the-counter drugs. 

center for disease control information

All students should read the U.S. Department of State and Centers for Disease Control Information about their destination country or region. 

U.S. Department of State

This government website issues consular info for every country with specific information regarding the political and safety considerations.  The Department of State will also issue travel advisories and warnings in the event of a heightened security situation.The Department of State also offers a number of publications for students traveling abroad.

You may want to consider registering with the local U.S. Embassy.  By registering with the embassy, you can be more easily contacted in the event of an emergency at home or assisted in case of an emergency abroad.  Registering also facilitates the replacement of your passport if it is lost or stolen. 

Centers for Disease Control

This is also a government website which issues information valuable to travelers regarding the health considerations of world regions.  Here you will find information regarding common travel ailments and area-specific advice.  While this site will recommend vaccinations based on destination, you should talk to your health care professional about what is best for you.