Become a medical intern in Antigua, Guatemala and expand your Spanish language skills!
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum four-week commitment):
Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at La Aurora International Airport (GUA). You will be picked up from the airport and taken to your homestay. Spend the day settling in and enjoying the local area.
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 for six to eight hours each day. Daily, one-hour Spanish language classes are arranged around the working schedule.
Days 6-7, Saturday-Sunday: Weekends are free for relaxing or exploring. The local institute has connections with local tour operators and can assist in helping book tours around the area.
Remaining Weeks: 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.
Departure Day: You depart the program on your last Saturday.
What’s Included
What’s not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance. lunches, daily transportation (about $5 USD per day), personal expenses
Guatemala is the northernmost Central American country, right below Mexico. This internship takes place in Guatemala’s southern city of Antigua, which served as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala from the 17th until the 19th century. Today it is a beautiful city surrounded by volcanoes and nestled in the highlands. It is most well-known for its famous architectural structures and ruins, such as the Santa Catalina arch and San Francisco church; the city itself has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Interns in this program will have the unique opportunity to assist Guatemalan health care service providers, from local hospitals to clinics. This internship provides interns with hands-on experience while they expand their skills in diagnosis, intervention and evaluation. In addition to these medical skills, interns will also be enhancing their Spanish language skills through daily one-on-one lessons and regular practice throughout the work day.
Some of your tasks may include:
High Level Medical Students 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, typically 6-8 hours/day, Monday-Friday and join one hour of Spanish class. Weekends are free for interns to spend as they wish.
Please take note of this project’s minimum requirements:
During free time, volunteers may choose to take part in a variety of free activities sponsored by the local team, including salsa classes, cooking lessons, a language and cultural exchange program and more! For additional fees, volunteers can choose to travel and the area on their own. A few recommendations are listed below.
Surf School – Five-day surf school at the beautiful Manuel Antonio beach
Scuba Diving Certification – Four-day PADI diving certification
Mini Adventure—Catch the best highlights of Guatemala on this week-long tour including hiking Pacaya Volcano, visiting the jungle ruins of Tikal, engaging in beach activities and more!
ChocoMuseo
Every intern should visit the chocolate museum while in Antigua! Guatemala is well-known for its Mayan chocolate, and here interns will have the chance to learn how chocolate is made and to sample different chocolate products.
Volcán Pacaya
Hike up Pacaya Volcano for a breathtaking view of the city! It takes approximately an hour and a half to reach the summit.
De la Gente
If you agree that chocolate and coffee go hand-in-hand, then don’t miss the chance to visit a family owned coffee farm after your visit to ChocoMuseo to complete your Guatemalan cultural experience.
Please note that these are available for a fee.
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