Immersion

All CAMPOS students are strongly encouraged to do an immersion elective in a Spanish-speaking country. Students can do this in the summer following the first year, or in the fourth year. There are a number of excellent programs from which you can choose. Here are program features that we recommend students look for:

• The majority of your time is in a clinical or research setting providing direct service, in Spanish, to patients and with proper supervision.
• Home stay with a family
• An opportunity to visit or work in several different clinics
• Spanish-language classes if you want to have them

Programs/electives to consider:

• Global Health in Family Medicine: see photo journal from the 2007 trip: Course Director: Dr. Martha Carlough
• Inter-American Health Alliance: Local contact Mike Brown
• Honduran Health Alliance: A UNC student-run summer program
• Council on International Educational Exchange [CIEE]
• Child Family Health International, Global Health Education Programs [CFHI]
• Adventure Education Center – Dominical, Costa Rica Campus
• International Health Central American Institute [IHCAI]
• International Alliance in Service and Education [IASE]
• Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba [MEDICC]
• Shoulder to Shoulder, Honduras
• Medical Spanish School, Guatemala
• Welcome to International Health Medical Education Consortium (IHMEC)

Funding for Immersion Experiences

Please check the UNC Office for International Activity for funding opportunities http://www.med.unc.edu/oia/funding. 

Student Feedback

The Office of International Activities collects information from students who have taken various immersion experiences. Click on https://www.med.unc.edu/oia/student-experiences/central-and-south-america-carribean to learn about countries that you are interested in.