Make sure you have full medical insurance covering all activities in which you are likely to take part.  Make sure it is a repatriation policy.

The biggest risks to travellers abroad are theft and road accidents. Make copies of your travel insurance documents, take one with you and leave a copy with a contact in the UK.  If you can, scan them and e-mail them back to yourself.  Do the same with your passport and tickets etc.  Keep a copy of your travel insurance company telephone number and your insurance document number with you at all times.

Look up information, medical and otherwise on the area to which you will be travelling.  Draw up a list of items you need to take, including a medical kit.

Be aware of the medical conditions you are likely to encounter and read up on them.

Make sure you plan these well in advance, as some vaccinations are as series of injections over several weeks.  We recommend booking your free Travel Clinic appointment for at least 8 weeks prior to departure.  Find out more about our travel services here.
 
You may wish to contact MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad).  For a small charge they can provide a personal travel schedule for every country on your trip, which advises you about recommended vaccinations, gives up to date alerts and warnings for each country including any disease outbreaks, and offers tailored travel advice for your trip. Bringing this report to your first travel consultation here will save a lot of time.

Most malaria treatments need to be started in advance of travel into malaria areas.  Find out more information here.

Remember to take adequate supplies of any regular or intermittent medications you normally take.  Consider having a full dental check up a couple of months before you go.

Put together a medical kit appropriate to the nature of your trip.

Medical Students need to contact MPS or MDU and arrange an elective study indemnity policy.  
Medical students should read our section on medical electives.