International Student Humanitarian Grant Program

The Urology Care Foundation (UCF) International Student Humanitarian Summer Grant Program supports medical students who will travel to and complete humanitarian work specifically in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The grant(s) will be given to an AUA Medical Student member who will pursue humanitarian efforts which advance public health and/or quality improvement initiatives in the provision of urologic care for this underserved population.

The duration of each student humanitarian project is 6-8 weeks during the summer, typically between the awardee's first and second year of medical school.

Program Details & Eligibility

General Experience. Students will participate in a global health program in San Fernando, Trinidad, gaining experience with both urologic conditions and a publicly funded healthcare system. The San Fernando General Hospital is the major tertiary health facility in the region. Students will work with various urology teams in inpatient and outpatient settings and may observe surgeries and procedures.

Mentor. The student will work under the supervision of Dr. Satyendra Persaud. Dr. Persaud is a Lecturer at the University of the West Indies and is the current program director of the urology registrars in Trinidad. He is an Honorary Consultant in urology at San Fernando General Hospital. He is also the current president of the Caribbean Urology Association. Dr. Persaud completed his residency at San Fernando General Hospital in Trinidad and a Stone/Endourology fellowship in the United Kingdom from 2016 – 2018. He has numerous publications and has won numerous awards for his research.

Research Expectations/Opportunities. Primary areas of study at San Fernando include kidney stones and prostate cancer. Dr. Persaud is actively involved with the Afro-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) group on several projects and is compiling data on the availability of cancer-related resources in Africa and the Caribbean.

Expectations/Opportunities. Primary areas of study at San Fernando include kidney stones and prostate cancer. The student will pursue humanitarian efforts advancing public health, while also experiencing rich, immersive exposure to the practice of urology in a Caribbean setting.

Grant Payment. The International Student Humanitarian Grant pays the amount of $4,000 which will be paid in March/April for the current summer program. The grant is to be used to cover travel, housing and incidental expenses, with the remaining funds provided as a stipend for the student.

Eligibility. UCF encourages diversity among applicants. Student applicants must be attending an accredited medical school in their first or second year, within the geographic Sections of the American Urological Association.

Applicants must submit the following materials:

1. A personal Statement of Interest (500-1,000 words or no more than two pages) explaining why you are motivated to serve and what outcomes you expect from the program
2. At least one letter of support from your current Medical School Program Chair/Director or mentor
3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae

All materials must be sent by email in PDF format to the UCF Project Coordinator at jrobinson@auanet.org.

Applications for this 2025 program are open until December 13, 2024.

Read the Program Details & Application Information.

Please read the Terms and Conditions.