Educational effects of international health electives on U.S. and Canadian medical students and residents: a literature review.

Purpose: To evaluate the educational effects of international health electives (IHEs) on participants. IHEs are a popular component of many medical school and residency program curricula, and are reported to provide benefits in knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Method: The authors reviewed all studies reported in Medline and ERIC databases that have assessed the educational effects of IHEs on U.