Health, Mental Health, and Safety Abroad

• New health conditions that have begun, been diagnosed, significantly worsened or resurfaced within the past 6 months can be difficult to effectively treat abroad. Discuss with your healthcare provider whether now is the right time for you to be abroad, when they won’t be able to directly oversee your care or provide you with treatment.

• You likely need to continue any treatment for your conditions or symptoms while you’re traveling. It’s important to plan with your health provider what treatment you need while abroad, and then seek information about whether this treatment is or is not available at your planned destination(s), including potential hospitalization. You should do so by contacting On Call International before departure.

  If you learn that the treatment you need is not available, you will need to consult again with your health provider about alternative treatments that are available, or consider alternative solutions. Caring for your health abroad is critical.

• Travelers with allergies (food, animal, environmental, medications) should make careful plans to minimize their exposure to known allergens, and prepare for possible exposures. Note that common over-the-counter allergy medications in the US may not be available without a prescription in your host country. Consider how you can communicate about your allergies while you're abroad, including translations, and with whom you may need to share this information while abroad (roommates, colleagues, support staff). Consider wearing a medical alert bracelet, or carrying an epi-pen when appropriate.

• New environments can trigger physical and mental health conditions that may currently be managed. Consider the following as they relate to your health:
  • Altitude/elevation of your destination;
  • Humidity levels at your destination;
  • Heat and cold, and possible lack of climate controlled environments (i.e. air conditioning).
• Travelers' Health (CDC)

The University recommends that travelers who will be abroad for an extended period have a routine check-up with their primary care physician before going abroad to discuss continuation of care plan, including prescription medications. You likely need to continue any current medication, if it is legally permissible in your destination(s), while traveling.

• Stimulant medication in particular is a "controlled substance" or illegal in many countries outside the US, including common medications for the treatment of ADHD and anxiety/depression. Check the U.S. Department of State's Country Information pages for the countries you intend to visit and contact On Call International for information on prescribed medication in the destination countries.  If it is not legal, you should work with your health-care provider to prescribe an alternative, legal medication several months prior to departure.

• If your prescription medications are legal in your destination, bring enough prescription medication for the duration of your time abroad in original bottles with the prescription (translated into the local language, if possible) in your carry-on luggage. If your U.S. health insurance only allows a few months of prescription to be filled at a time and this isn't enough for your time abroad, it is often helpful to call the insurance company and ask for an exception. For students, a copy of your acceptance or confirmation from your education abroad office will often assist with your request.

• The legality and availability of over-the-counter medication (“OTC”) varies from country to country. Verify that your OTC medications are legal in your destination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have guidance for this on their website Traveling Abroad with Medicine or contact On Call International. If they are legal, be sure to bring your OTC medications and pack them in your carry-on luggage.
• See additional information on medications when traveling abroad from Mobility International USA.

All international travelers should visit a local travel clinic, in addition to meeting with their primary care physician and any relevant mental health professionals, prior to departure. A travel clinic specialist is trained to consider your health history, current medications, drug allergies, required immunizations, and travel plans when recommending shots and other medications.

Make an appointment at a travel clinic as soon as possible so that you can get a scheduled appointment in time to complete any recommended immunization series. Many travel clinics often book far in advance (especially around the holidays), and some immunizations need to be started months in advance of your departure. Thus, you should call to make your appointment at least three months before your travel date.

Find a travel clinic:

• Boynton Health Services International Travel Clinic is located on the Twin Cities campus and is open to UMN students and dependents who are 12 years and older. Student services fees cover consults at the clinic; however, prescriptions and immunizations are an additional cost.
• Travelers can also contact their private U.S. health insurance provider to identify a travel clinic and fully understand their insurance coverage.
• The Minnesota Department of Health also provides a list of international travel health clinics serving Minnesota residents.
• The International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) provides a listing of its member clinics by state.

All students, faculty, and staff traveling for University purposes are required to obtain international health, security, medical, and evacuation insurance approved by the University’s Office of Risk Management. For more information, visit the Insurance Requirements page.

Familiarize yourself with the University of Minnesota’s On Call International medical, security and evacuation insurance materials. On Call is your comprehensive service provider for your international medical care, including emergency response, identifying local providers, pre-departure planning and other services.

Note for domestic travel: Faculty and staff covered by the University's Basic Life Insurance plan receive automatic enrollment in Redpoint, a travel-related emergency assistance program.

The University of Minnesota created the first-of-its-kind position focused on education abroad mental health. Resources and support have been developed for:

• Students
• Program Leaders
• On-Site Providers

• Travel Advisories (U.S. Department of State)
• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program - STEP (U.S. Department of State)
• Pre-departure health and safety Canvas course for students
• 911 Equivalent Telephone Numbers Around the World (U.S. Department of State)
• FBI Guidance on Safety and Security Abroad:
  • Students
  • Business Professionals
• Safety Abroad First - Educational Travel Information (SAFETI)

• The University has assembled International Resources for Sexual Assault and Harassment, including what to do and who to contact.
• See also LGBTQIA resources on the Identity-based Resources page.

Consult the Safety and Education Abroad page for information and resources, including relevant University units, best practices in the field, University policy, and relevant federal and state regulations.