SNO Exchange
The SNO Exchange is a program offered to SNO students in conjunction with the TUFH Annual Conference since 2017. The SNO Exchange program provides SNO Students with the opportunity to participate in health system placements in another country, usually on another continent, by the co-hosting university of the TUFH Annual Conference. The SNO Exchange has been in collaboration with GEMx, a service of ECFMG, in the past years. The Exchange Students are fully funded by ECFMG/FAIMER to attend the site visit and the TUFH Annual Conference which includes travel, accommodations, and conference registration.
About The 2020 SNO Exchange
Now in its fourth year, the SNO Exchange Program consists of a digital exchange and a site visit. The SNO Exchange Program will for the first time consist of a digital collaboration between 40 international and intersectoral students in the next 6 months and conclude with a two-week on-site visit at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City by the four SNO Exchange winners and other self-funded students. The site visit will take place in Mexico City, Mexico in September 2020.
The topic of the 2020 SNO Exchange is “International Health Care Systems, the Next Generation. A Comparison of Health Care Systems and the Good Practices on Different Levels”. During the digital collaboration students from all over the world and from different health sectors will work in small groups to compare their Health Care Systems. Professors from different institutions and countries will guide the work in small groups. During big group meetings, the students learn about specific topics. The students work individually and in small teams with their professors to complete exercises. All discussions will be framed into a single document during the site visit in Mexico. It is an amazing opportunity for students to work with students and professors from different countries and health sectors.
During the site visit in Mexico City, the four SNO Exchange Winners alongside Mexican students and other international students will visit the three large networks and their three-tier levels of health care in Mexico including a visit to a private hospital and the Ministry of Health. They will end their site visit by attending the TUFH 2020 Conference. The four winners will be fully funded to attend the site visit and TUFH 2020, this includes air travel, accommodations, and conference registration fee.
The 2020 SNO Exchange is a collaboration between SNO, TUFH, and the local co-host: UNAM that is sponsored by ECFMG|FAIMER & GEMx.
Prior Years Exchanges
Meet The 2020 SNO Exchange Student Winners
Esther Ejiroghene Ajari
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A 5th year medical student from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.
Maria Paula Rubiano Varela
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A 3rd year medical student from the Universidad Potinficia Bolivariana, Medellín in Colombia.
Mugahid Awad Mohamed Elmahi
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A 5th year medical student from the University of Gezira in Sudan.
Maria Del Mar Moreno Gómez??
An undergraduate doctor doing her Masters in Public Health from Universidad de La Sabana in Colombia.
The Professors of The 2020 SNO Exchange
The 2020 SNO Exchange is not only a collaboration between TUFH, SNO, ECFMG/FAIMER, GEMx and UNAM. There is a team of international and intersectoral professors that work with the students during the digital SNO Exchange.
- Tony Claeys, VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Belgium
- Magalie De Pauw, VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Belgium
- Ariel Vilchis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
- Adolfo Martinez Valle, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
- Juan Pablo Gutierrez, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
- Amy Clithero-Eridon, University of New Mexico, USA
- Mohamed Elhassan, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
The Students of The 2020 SNO Exchange
The 2020 SNO Exchange can only be a success if there are students willing to do the work and learn from each other. During the digital exchange, there are 39 motivated students participating from different countries, institutions, years and study fields. They work in small teams guided by their professor and all meet during the big group meeting for discussions. The students have to complete individual work and work in teams. They get grades and will receive their final grade with a certificate at the end of the digital collaboration.
| Student | Study field | Institution | Country |
| Frida Romay Hidalgo | Law Student | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México | Mexico |
| Esther Ejiroghene Ajari | Medicine and Surgery | University of Ibadan | Nigeria |
| Ojilong Daniel | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | Busitema University | Uganda |
| Japmehr Sandhu | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | Baba Farid University of Health Science | India |
| Mazin Mohammed Mahmoud Osman | Medicine | University of Gezira | Sudan |
| Rukiye Acar | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Mustapha Aminu Tukur | Medicine and surgery | Ahmadu Bello University Zaria | Nigeria |
| Nkalubo Jonathan | Medicine and Surgery | Makerere University | Uganda |
| Mugahid Awad Mohamed Elmahi | Medicine | University of Gezira | Sudan |
| Brandon Salas | Medicine | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México | Mexico |
| Deborah Pemu | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Oluwafolajimi Adesanya | Medicine and surgery | University of Ibadan | Nigeria |
| Mary Lilian Nabwire | Medicine and surgery | Makerere University | Uganda |
| Maria Paula Rubiano Varela | Medicine | Universidad Potinficia Bolivariana, Medellín | Colombia |
| Veronika Duwels | Global Health (2nd year) and Medicine (4th year) | Maastricht University | Netherlands |
| Laura Roobroeck | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Kosasia O’neil Wamukota | Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (with IT) | Maseno University | Kenya |
| Seminega Ange | General medicine and surgery | University of Rwanda | Rwanda |
| Ahmed Abdelbagi Abbas | Medicine (MBBS) | University of Gezira | Sudan |
| Karima Bennara | Pharmacy | University of Batna | Algeria |
| Ivan Acavedo | Medical Student, Social Service | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México | Mexico |
| Manon Strumane | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Simon Peter Oteba Orapidi | Public Health | Moi University | Kenya |
| Egwela Clement | Bachelor of Nursing | Makerere University | Uganda |
| Saja Elsamani Ali Shokralla | Medicine | University of Gezira | Sudan |
| RA Dyah Ayu Puspitarani | Medicine | Universitas Gadjah Mada | Indonesia |
| Andrés Quintero | Recent graduated medical doctor | Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México | Mexico |
| Isaura De Schuyter | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Stephen Odiwuor | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) | Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology | Kenya |
| Shabani Maatu | Civil engineering | University of Dar es Salaam | Tanzania |
| Maria Del Mar Moreno Gómez | Medicine | Universidad de La Sabana | Colombia |
| Silke Depelchin | Nursing | VIVES University of Applied Sciences | Belgium |
| Luciah Wanjiku Kamau | Pharmacy | Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology | Kenya |
| Osaretin Daniel Okpiavbe | Medicine and surgery | University of Benin | Nigeria |
ECFMG|FAIMER
ECFMG and FAIMER are private, non-profit organizations based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. In partnership with each other and with other organizations around the world, ECFMG and FAIMER work to promote quality medical education and health care worldwide. ECFMG and FAIMER are leading experts on the world’s medical education systems and their graduates, the authenticity of physician credentials, the assessment of physicians, and research on physician migration and U.S. physician workforce issues. ECFMG and FAIMER offer programs and resources that serve global communities of medical educators and regulators; physicians and medical students; and those investigating issues in medical education, assessment, and health workforce planning.
The Network: Towards Unity For Health (TUFH)
The Network: Towards Unity For Health (TUFH) is an international, intersectoral and intergenerational organization that fosters equitable community-oriented health services, education and research with the goal of improving health locally and globally. We convene innovative health care organizations, universities, community institutions, and thought leaders from all over the world. We host an annual international conference, weekly expert virtual symposiums and a MEDLINE indexed journal, Education for Health. Our Pillars of Work include: Social Accountability; Interprofessional Education; Population Health; and Community Approaches to Engage and Serve Remote and Rural Health, Indigenous, Refugees and Migrants, Women and Elderly Populations.
GEMx
GEMx, a service of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), is a global partnership for educational exchange in medicine and the health professions. GEMx’s Partners are medical schools and other institutions around the world that share a commitment to making international exchange a part of their education programs and to providing students in medicine and the health professions with increased access to exchange opportunities.
UNAM
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México(National Autonomous University of Mexico) has played a fundamental role in the history and development of Mexico. Its purpose as a public institution, secular and autonomous, is focused on education, research and culture dissemination.
It is one of the oldest universities of the American continent. Its founding goes back to 1551, when Carlos I, King of Spain (Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire) decreed the foundation of the University of Mexico.
This educational institution opened its doors on January 25th, 1553, making it the oldest functioning university in the Americas. Modelled after the University of Salamanca, it was organized following the scholastic tradition of European institutions. The Real y Pontificia Universidad de México (Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico) included five schools: Medicine, Civil Law, Canonical Law, Theology and Arts.
After Mexico gained its independence from Spain, the University shed its Royal title to become the Universidad Nacional y Pontificia (National Pontifical University), later changing its name once again to become the Universidad de México (University of Mexico).
SNO
The Student Network Organization (SNO) is a Non-governmental, Non-Profit organization structured for professional and social purposes and is an independent organizing body within The Network: TUFH. SNO is an organization focused on creating an international network of students, associations and institutions to provide international experiences to students as a complement to the training of future health workers, highlighting the importance of working in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.