For many health care professionals, Medical Spanish is increasingly becoming essential.

We can provide excellent options for medical professionals and medical students. Our Medical Spanish program includes “hands on” experience. The program is perfect for medical students and professionals to get a good understanding of health care in the developing world.

This is your opportunity to provide much needed help to often poor communities and also to gain valuable practical experience.

Option 1: Medical Spanish and internship/practical at a rural hospital in Montañita/Manglaralto

Our Medical Spanish program receives great feedback from our students.

For 4 or more hours per day you will learn Medical Spanish with our professional teacher who has had years of experience teaching Medical Spanish. Five days per week you will also have a medical internship at the local hospital in Manglaralto (2 miles from our school and a 25 cent bus ride). Volunteering at this small, rural hospital is a great way to bring help to the developing world.

The hospital is very busy and deals mainly with poor people from the surrounding rural areas and small 'pueblos'. It has a very good range of facilities including an emergency room and X-ray machine. However much help is needed as it is difficult for the hospital to bring in many specialists. The hospital is extremely interested in receiving both qualified medical professionals and medical students

It has about 20 doctors (most of them young and very enthusiastic about helping you).

Importantly, the hospital needs help and will help you to become practically involved to the greatest degree possible. However, note that you're not allowed to touch any patients as a volunteer. The hospital is very strict with this. The feedback we have received from past interns is excellent and this program is highly recommended for medical students and professionals.

The Director of the Hospital Director Dr. Baquerizo, warmly welcomes both medical professionals and medical students alike. Your medical coordinator is the hospital administrator. 

Eligibility:

Health professionals or anyone studying in health related fields such as pre-med, med, doctors, nurses, dental students, nursing students, EMTS.

Level of Spanish: No specific level needed. Many volunteers study full-time Medical Spanish for a week or two before starting the volunteer work at the hospital to improve their Spanish levels. It is mandatory for complete beginners to take at least one week of Medical Spanish before beginning at the hospital. This is to assure that the volunteers will have some understanding of the Spanish language before being put into a real-world situation.

Length: Minimum length for a qualified medical professional is 2 week.

Minimum length for a medical student wishing to go on rotations is 6 weeks.

Pricing: Volunteering is free.

Medical Spanish 20 hours private per week $195 per week.

Accommodation from $56 (shared dorm) to $105 per week (private cabana by the beach). Please see accommodation page for all options.

Option 2: Medical Spanish and internship/practical at a pediatric clinic in Manta.

RENEUP (Pediatric Neurological Rehabilitation Center) is dedicated to the prevention and alleviation of infantile development disorders as well as neurological cognitive and sensory disorders.

Objectives:

1. To educate the community about the importance of providing appropriate care to children with developmental disabilities.

2. To achieve prevention or maximum reduction of the effects of neurological sensory and cognitive disabilities in children at risk of suffering from them.

3. To offer a higher quality of life for disabled children.

4. To stimulate and assist in achieving maximum potential in all areas of development, through integration into regular education units and finally into society.

5. To advise regular education units about the integration of children with special education needs, including equipment, furniture (chair and desk) modifications, and support material.

6. To organize scientific events for professionals who are interested in the area of Pediatric Neurological Rehabilitation.

7. To initiate investigations to further knowledge and understanding of disability prevention and to develop techniques that provide solutions for infants with disabilities.

8. To establish relationships with other institutions by means of “institutional agreements”, especially with foundations, regular education units, universities, professional unions, scientific institutes, and others.

For the reasons listed above, we seek volunteers from the following specialties:

Physical Therapy (minimum level of basic Spanish)

Speech Therapy (minimum level of basic Spanish)

Infant Psychology (minimum level of intermediate Spanish)

Special Education (minimum level of intermediate Spanish)

Pediatric Neurology (minimum level of basic/intermediate Spanish)

Infant Trauma (minimum level of basic/intermediate Spanish)

Social Work (minimum level of basic/intermediate Spanish)

Occupational Therapy (minimum level of basic/intermediate Spanish)

Volunteers take Spanish or Medical classes in the morning, and volunteer at the clinic in the afternoon.

RENEUP is independently financed, and 60% of the patients are poor children.

Pricing: Volunteering is free

Medical Spanish is $160 per week.

Accommodation from $77 per week (Shared apartment) to $126 per week (home stay)

For more information please inquire with information about your level of experience, and your learning aims.