Intermediate or advanced speakers who work with Spanish-speaking patients may opt for the 3-week Programa Salud. We can accommodate up to 20 doctors, nurses, paramedics, medical or premed students or volunteers for this intensive, health-care-focused homestay/Spanish-language-immersion program called Salud (health). Students will spend their mornings in Spanish immersion classes at varying levels, including medical vocabulary integration and conversation in medical contexts. Afternoons and evenings will be time for students to spend with their Ecuadorian host families, as well as in visits to local public and private clinics and hospitals, with a variety of medical specializations. The culmination of the 3-week program will be the ultimate medical Spanish immersion experience: 14 hours of doctor-shadowing in their daily rounds. Rather than a conventional Spanish-language improvement program, Salud is specifically intended for those pursuing or considering a career in health care. Many students who speak Spanish at home will find the training extremely valuable in that it will familiarize them with the specific vocabulary used in the healthcare field and provide them the opportunity for real-life immersion in that context. Because we administer a placement test and divide students into groups at their proper levels, all participants have access to language and conversation classes, medical terminology in Spanish, as well as the homestay and excursions. Afternoons, evenings and weekends include cultural classes such as dance, cooking, local tours and even an overnight excursion. Evenings offer time for you to explore Cuenca or enjoy the company of your host family. The entire program -- including tuition, homestay, meals, activities, excursions, clinic and hospital rounds, and travel within Ecuador -- costs just $3,325 per student. An optional package that excludes the excursions is also available; contact us for more details.
