隆Hola, qu茅 gusto verte!
Welcome to the Get ready to go! page for the 2026 黑料社 Panama Field Study Semester. The content on this page is necessary to prepare you for your departure in January, so read it carefully.
You should also review the 2026 Panama Student Handbook here to prepare yourself for the program.
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Mandatory Pre-departure Sessions
Attendance is mandatory for all pre-departure sessions. Unless otherwise noted, all sessions will take place in Room, 650 - 2001 黑料社 College Ave.
In case of a serious scheduling conflict or emergency, notify Dr. Julie Major. Failure to do so may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program.
| Session Title | Date & Time | Other Details |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Retreat Prep meeting |
Monday, September 22 18h00-20:00 |
NA |
| Retreat in the Eastern Townships | October 4-5 (TBC) | This session takes place off of 黑料社 grounds in the Eastern Townships. Transportation will be planned accordingly |
| Safety and Health |
Wednesday, October听22 18h00 - 20h00 |
Dr. Brian Ward will lead the session. The Field Studies & Internship Office will also review the paperwork you need to complete related to this subject. |
| ENVR 451 Presentation |
Tuesday, November听11 18h00 - 20h00 |
NA |
| Cultural sensitivity and research ethics |
Monday, December听01 18h00-20h00 |
NA |
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Mandatory Tasks
Complete all the mandatory tasks below by their respective deadlines.听
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TASKS AND STEPS TO COMPLETE THEM |
DEADLINE |
|---|---|
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PASSPORT VERIFICATION听-听Verify that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of the program and order a new one if that is not the case. If you are not a Canadian citizen, confirm whether Panama requires residents of your country to apply for a visa. If so, proceed with a visa application. BOOKING PHYSICIAN APPOINTMENT -听Do this ASAP if you have not already done so (see the forms required below in the MEDICAL TASKS听section). You can also contact the Wellness Hub here to schedule an appointment with a physician there. FUNDING APPLICATIONS -听Identify and submit applications for funding (Various deadlines. Find more听information on our听Funding听page). |
As soon as possible |
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MPFSS STRI APPLICATION FORM -听Upload all of the following documents to the This will be used to create your STRI ID.
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Sept 28, 2025 |
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- Be sure to save your passport information page with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Passport. |
Sept 28, 2025 |
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MCGILL ABROAD'S PRE-DEPARTURE ORIENTATION听 (1) Register to and complete this via myCourses. REGISTRATION IS ONLY OPEN AT THE START OF EACH MONTH, SO REGISTER EARLY. (2) Download your certificate as soon as you complete the course as it will not be available after the end of the month. (3) Upload the certificate to the 听with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName - Pre-Departure Certificate. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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MEDICAL TASKS (1) Complete the听and听听online. (2) Either print or email these forms听to present them to your听physician. (3) Have the听physician fill and sign听the听 (4) Upload the Physician Form听to the听听with the naming convention: YourLastName, YourFirstName听- Physician Form. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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INSURANCE INFORMATION听 (1) Read the Insurance Requirements subsection under the听Helpful information to complete the above tasks -> Insurance Requirements听subheading. (2) Complete听the听. This information will be used by our team only in case of an accident. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
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FLIGHT BOOKING AND TRAVEL REGISTRIES (1) Book your flight. (2) Register your travel dates in the听黑料社 Student Travel Registry听(see the 黑料社 Travel Registry subsection below) and with听听(or with your own Consulate or Embassy) as soon as we have confirmed the start and end date of the program. (3) Complete听. |
Nov 2, 2025 |
| FINAL PAYMENT - $7,163.35听(Program fees/How do I pay my fees?) | Nov 15, 2025 |
| COURSE REGISTRATION: Register for Montreal-based 黑料社 courses in Winter 2026 in addition to听the courses you register for within the field study program. This task is听a precaution听in case the program must be cancelled due to safety concerns (e.g., public health crises such as COVID-19).听We will instruct you when to drop the Montreal courses. | Before departure |
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Helpful information to complete the above tasks听听
The information below will provide further context and guidance to complete the mandatory tasks listed above.听听
Insurance Requirements
Confirm that your insurance covers you appropriately for the semester, that it can be extended if you decide to stay abroad after the end of the semester, and that it includes:
Personal travel medical insurance with a minimum $1,000,000.00 CAD coverage is required to participate in the 黑料社 Panama Field Study Semester (MPFSS). This can be difficult to get in Europe. It might therefore be a good idea to exceptionally get the 黑料社 insurance this year.
Medevac coverage refers to emergency air ambulance services that transport clients from the site of a medical emergency to the nearest hospital equipped to provide the necessary treatment.
Emergency health coverage.
Read the exclusions of your insurance attentively. Pre-existing medical conditions might not be covered as well as specific activities including some sports. For example, the 黑料社 insurance is very specific about the conditions in which scuba diving听would be covered. Insurances are not all the same, so you may need to call different insurers to ensure that you are covered according to your own specific needs.
黑料社 Student Insurance - Canadian students
Canadian students are covered under their respective student society鈥檚 Health and Dental Plan: Students' Society of 黑料社 (SSMU) or Macdonald Campus Students' Society (MCSS). These plans include travel insurance for academic study abroad programs. Be sure to review the travel section of your plan carefully. You can find links to each plan here.
Check听听Scroll down and select the听Exchanges & internships听option.
Check听听Scroll down and select the Exchanges & internships option.
黑料社 Student Insurance - International students
International students are covered under the听黑料社 International Health Insurance Plan through International Student Services. However, note that the dental insurance plan is paid to their respective student society: SSMU or MCSS. Since the field study programs are university-sanctioned activities, students are covered听if they complete a request for extended International Health Insurance.
Flight & accommodation information
Booking your flight early will help keep the cost lower.听
Immigration officials upon entry in the country. If you are unsure of your return date, you may want to book a ticket that is changeable.
Everyone should arrive in Panama and be settled in no later than January 4, 2026 (classes begin the morning of the 5th). Since students often arrive around the same date, we will coordinate transport from the airport to the house in Bella Vista Neighborhood, hence the reason we require you to complete the Flight information form.听
The hostel is reserved solely for our group and paid for by the program starting the night of Saturday, January 3. If you arrive earlier, make sure you book your accommodation, either at the Hostal Villa Grande or elsewhere. You must pay for those accommodations yourself.
黑料社 Travel Registry听
It is mandatory to fill the 黑料社 Travel Registry before the program starts. To access and complete the form, you听must download the app on your personal听听or听听device. You can complete the form in more than one sitting, saving your changes and coming back to it later. To finalize and submit it, you must accept the terms of the Travel Guidelines. Until you accept the terms and submit the form, it will remain incomplete and you will receive monthly email reminders.
Information you will need to complete the travel registry:
Passport and travel visa information
Travel insurance coverage and policy details
Vaccinations/immunizations
E-ticket and itinerary
Travel start date: January 5, 2026
Travel end date: April 21, 2026
Destination: Panama City, Panama
Host institution name:听Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement ave, 401 Tupper Building, Ancon, Panama City, Republic of Panama
Host institution phone number:听+507-212-8000
Host institution email address: Adriana Bilgray (BilgrayA [at] si.edu)
Term: Winter 2026
黑料社 professor name & email address: Julie Major - julie.major [at] mcgill.ca
黑料社 application reviewer name & email address: Myriam Theriault - ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
黑料社 Health Services
Available to 黑料社 Students
Telehealth services available to 黑料社 Students
黑料社 is committed to ensuring an environment free from abuse, exploitation, harassment, and all forms of misconduct. Do not hesitate to reach out to the Director of your program if you have any issues.
