Provide medical and health care for those in need in the vivacious city of San Jose, Costa Rica! This internship is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to build a foundation in the healthcare system and obtain global experience in an international medical system.
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum four-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). You will be picked up from the airport and taken to your homestay in San Jose. Spend the day settling in and enjoy the young and vibrant atmosphere of the nation’s capital.
Day 1, Monday: Your host family will accompany you to the institute for your welcome and orientation on your first day. After completing a full orientation about your placement, the Field Manager will take your to your assigned placement location where you will begin your volunteer tasks. Volunteer work will depend on your experience and qualifications, level of Spanish, as well as the needs of the project.
Days 2-5, Tuesday-Friday: Interns will work 6-8 hours per day, on either a morning or afternoon shift, depending on the needs of the program at the time. A 1-hour Spanish lesson is also included daily into the schedule. Specific tasks vary, and depending upon placement, previous experience and language skills.
Days 6-7, Saturday-Sunday: Weekends are free for relaxing or exploring.
Remaining Weeks & Final Project: The remaining weeks will follow a similar schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday and having Saturday-Sunday free. Participants have a minimum of 3 meetings with their dedicated Internship Supervisor during the program. These meetings will assist interns in staying on track with their learning objectives and their internship’s mandatory final project which is a 1-hour presentation and a 10-20 page written paper.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance. lunches, daily public transportation (about $5 USD per day), personal expenses.
This project takes place in the spirited capital city of Costa Rica, San Jose. Costa Rica is located in Central America, with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. The city is located in the Central Valley, so volunteers can reach any coast or border in Costa Rica in just 3-4 hours. Within San Jose; however, there is excellent shopping, nightlife and a great live music scene that shouldn’t be missed.
Provide medical and health care for those in need in the vivacious city of San Jose, Costa Rica! Costa Rica is home to an incredibly comprehensive health care system that provides universal healthcare to all the citizens. As an intern, you will be working in an internationally competitive healthcare system and learning about the advantages and opportunities this system provides for the citizens, residents and staff members. Interns will be placed in two sectors of the Costa Rican health care system: assisted living facilities and small, local clinics. Interns usually work one-on-one with a staff member from their given placement, shadowing and assisting them while on site. The needs of the facilities are constantly changing, and because of this, interns will engage in a variety of different activities and will need to be flexible! Your daily tasks will be dependent upon the level of credentials you have.
This internship is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to build a foundation in the healthcare system and obtain global experience in an international medical system. Interns on this program will notice the tangible impact they are making in the local communities they are serving in and be deeply planted in a personal journey of cultural immersion. While interning in San Jose, interns will also have the option of sharpening their Spanish language skills!
Medical interns will either be placed in assisted living facilities or small local clinics for the duration of their internship. Interns will be shadowing medical professionals and, depending on their qualifications, may be involved with more hands-on tasks, such as triage, patient consultations, check-ups, making rounds, elderly care, health education, patient records and taking vital signs.
Some of your tasks may include:
Medical students in 3rd or 4th year can expect to do the following in their placement:
– Work alongside a nurse, doctor, therapist, or other medical professional with consultations
– Do triage, clean wounds, draw blood samples, give sutures and injections
– Provide general care and companionship to patients (talking, feeding, bathing)
– Distribute or sort medicine, teach patients about their medicine
– Clean or prepare materials and equipment, including changing beds
– Assist with administrative work and filing, recording patient data
Please note: Specific tasks will depend on your level of experience, education and Spanish language skills. Physical therapy and dental placements may or may not be available at any given time. For the four-week program, a one-hour presentation or 10-20 page paper is required upon completion. For the eight-week program, both a one-hour presentation and paper are required. Weekly journals are also required.
Typical Schedule: Interns will work Monday-Friday for six to eight hours. Daily, one-hour Spanish language classes are arranged around the working schedule. Weekends are free for interns to spend as they wish.
Holidays: While the project remains open throughout the year, activities and volunteer schedules may vary during holidays. For specific dates, please consult with our placement coordinators.
Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:
Consider joining one or more of these specialized program add-ons to add another dimension to your experience in Costa Rica:
Spanish Language Immersion -1-24 weeks of intensive Spanish language lessons in small groups or in private lessons
Surf School – Five-day surf school at the stunning Manuel Antonio beach
Mini Adventure—Catch the best highlights of Costa Rica on this week-long tour including a Costa Rica Cultural Night, volcano tour, and a one-day cruise to Tortuga Island!
Please note that there is an additional fee for these programs. Prices available upon request.
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