U.S. Center for Disease Control

The World Health Organization (WHO)

After-hours Contact Information

Jill Reister, Asst. Director: (847) 530-0660

Brittney Smith, Asst. Director: (513) 545-4636

Bonnie Richardson, Asst. Director: (904) 881-6813

Ryan Meyer, Asst. Director: (513) 526-4369 

Know Before You Go - Safety

The following information is discussed in more detail at the pre-departure orientation.

• Faculty leaders register all members of the group at the closest American consulate or embassy. All students traveling independently must register their whereabouts as soon as they arrive.
• Faculty leaders carry a copy of students’ passports and visas. Independent students must carry a copy of these documents separately.
• Students must respect the rules of the program, not take unnecessary risks, and stay in touch with their faculty leader. Independent students must stay in touch with the International Student office of the institution where they are located, and the American consulate.
• Students are provided with CultureGrams^TM that provide them with general cultural knowledge about their host country.

Additionally, there are many safety-related tasks taking place behind the scenes, that participants may not be aware of.  These include:

• Regular program site visits by UC International staff members to insure that we know the "lay of the land" at our partner institutions and recommended third party providers, and maintain open lines of communication with them.  On these international site visits, we meet with university contacts, tour campuses, student housing, meet with faculty and staff, attend classes and assess health and safety concerns with onsite resident directors.
• Tracking all students that go abroad through a centralized database so we know where study abroad students are at any given time.  This helps us respond quickly during emergencies since we can quickly locate and contact all of our students in an affected area. 
• Required Leadership Workshops each quarter for UC faculty program directors so they are prepared to lead an education abroad program for students.  Directors are also provided the opportunity to become certified to administer First Aid and CPR and can borrow a first aid kit from UC International to take with them on the program. 
• Registration of student groups with the local in-country U.S. Embassy, who will assist U.S. citizens in an emergency situation.
  
• Monitering international events through membership in the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), a Federal Advisory Committee with a U.S. Government Charter to promote security cooperation between American business and private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State.

International SOS

UC International is pleased to announce an important new support service for our students abroad.  The University of Cincinnati is now an institutional member of International SOS, a membership that gives students studying abroad access to a full range of medical information and emergency services.

Remember students abroad should always carry their International SOS membership card with them. It contains the University’s membership number 11BCAS000010 and phone numbers to International SOS alarm centers.

Here is a brief overview of the most important program features:

As a member, you have access to International SOS information services at no charge.

These information services range from the website information provided (including country risk ratings, State Department postings, medical travel recommendations and immunization requirements) to access to medical doctors via phone consultation, referrals to English-speaking doctors, to care assessment and translation services in case of hospitalization.

However, use of actual medical services (beyond information services) is not free. 

While members have access to International SOS clinics and doctors around the world, delivery of such services must be covered by the member and/or the member’s health insurance policy. This program and membership is not an insurance plan! Students are still required to have health and evacuation insurance that covers them abroad. 

We are very pleased to join over 100 other educational institutions now using International SOS services, which for many years have provided the best-available emergency medical services for military personnel, US government officials and staff, and other worldwide organizations and corporations.

One parent of a study abroad student wrote the following to us:

"I reviewed the International SOS website last night and was very impressed with the wealth of info they provide.  It would be difficult for any of us to keep up with all of the changes on our own websites, and certainly the extra services (including the fee-based ones) give a measure of confidence to us parents."