Background
An increasing number of medical students aspire to pursue their education or training opportunities abroad. However, many students face hardships in adapting to different healthcare system, clinical setting, cultural background, and educational models when they head to a global healthcare environment. These barriers illuminate the gap between medical curriculum grounded in the local context and demands of global healthcare. Exploring medical students' viewpoints can inform educational reforms to better prepare the students for international mobility. To this end, this study intended to explore how medical students who desire to pursue their education abroad perceive the need for globalized medical education.

Methodology
This qualitative exploratory study was conducted using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with year I-IV medical students of Panimalar Medical College Hospital & Research Institute aspiring to study abroad, recruited by purposive sampling. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke’s framework.

Results
Thematic analysis revealed that students aspiring to study abroad are optimistic and strongly support the globalization of medical education. They highlighted the sense of inadequacy to navigate international healthcare systems and advocated for early global exposure and curricular reforms to encompass cross-cultural and transnational competencies in medical education.

Conclusion
This study highlights that students with aspirations to study abroad perceive a strong and exigent need to globalize medical education. To address this need, curricula should be reformed to incorporate international perspectives, global health competencies, offer global exchange opportunities and empower students to navigate the terrain of international healthcare system.