Occupational exposures experienced by medical students during overseas electives

The objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of occupational exposure to potentially-infected body fluids experienced by Australian medical students on elective rotations overseas. This was a retrospective study, using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire given to final year medical students enrolled at Monash University in 2003, who had completed their medical elective programme overseas between November 2002 and July 2003.

A total of 56 (67%) of the 84 students returned their questionnaires. Seven students (12.5% of those who returned completed questionnaires) reported sustaining occupational exposure to potentially-infected fluids during their elective. Twenty two (39%) of the students perceived that exposure to blood-borne viruses was the greatest risk to their health and safety while on elective. Only 21 (37%) of the students knew that their elective institution had a policy for the management of needlestick injuries. Of the 34 students who travelled to developing nations, 10 (29%) took a starter kit of Human Immunodeficiency Virus post-exposure prophylaxis (HIV-PEP) medications with them.

Australian medical students are at a moderately high risk of sustaining occupational exposures to potentially infected fluids while on overseas electives. Multiple targets for risk minimisation were identified.