MedSpanish Summer Program: June 11, 2012 – July 20, 2012
Come join us for Medical Spanish, first responder training, clinical rotations, day trips and museum visits, classes in traditional medicine, cooking and more…
Student View, Michelle Hellums
The MedSpanish Pre-Professional Summer Program is a unique opportunity. I myself am an undergraduate at the University of Colorado, and completed the program in the summer of 2010. I was so enamored by this region of Mexico and with the organization’s social mission that I moved to the state of Guanajuato to study and work abroad during the past spring semester. Students typically spend 6-8 weeks from mid-June to early August in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico taking individual Spanish lessons and participating in clinical rotations.
Here is what a typical day was like for me in San Miguel: I would wake up in the beautiful Bed and Breakfast to the aroma of a traditional Mexican breakfast prepared by our talented cocinera Susana. Fellow MedSpanish students would gather around the kitchen table for the delicious meal, and afterward we would set off for either our Spanish lesson or clinical rotation.
Spanish lessons are usually one-on-one instruction, and occasionally are conducted in small groups. Because the lessons provide individual attention, tailored to the student’s specific abilities and needs, there is no minimum knowledge of Spanish required prior to program enrollment. MedSpanish instructors help students make quick progress in conversational Spanish, and teach students the language skills needed to communicate in a health care setting.
MedSpanish students spend 4-5 hours each weekday in a clinical setting- typically at the Mexican Red Cross in response to ambulance service calls. La Cruz Roja responds to 95% of ambulance calls in Mexico.The team of EMTs are eager to help students learn Spanish, and they allowed us to practice our developing language skills by interviewing patients and completing pre-hospital forms. After hours, they showed us around town and introduced us to San Miguel’s nightlife. They are a great social circle for MedSpanish students.
Other clinical opportunities often arise, such as the Brigadas moviles, which are Mobil health brigades that travel to the communities outside of San Miguel to provide medical consults and health promotion. While San Miguel’s city center is rather affluent, the surrounding communities are very impoverished and provide a memorable experience to MedSpanish students outside of the Red Cross.
The Spanish-speaking population in the United States is rapidly growing, and proficiency in the language is becoming increasingly important. Clear communication and understanding cultural context profoundly impacts the quality of patient care. What better place to develop these essential professional skills than San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage Site! In 2010, Travel and Leisure ranked it the 4th most desirable city to visit in the world. San Miguel is a very safe, charming town with cobble stone roads and colonial architecture. Every day I walked through the streets in town, rode in taxis, and took the public transportation alone without a hint of fear for safety. I’m planning my next trip to San Miguel in December and can’t wait to be in paradise again!
Program Costs
- Six weeks tuition $2,500.
- Housing, approximately $20 – 25/day, independent of Medspanish program.
