MEDICC promotes US-Cuba health collaboration and highlights Cuba’s public health approaches to inform the quest for health equity and universal health worldwide.
Immersion Opportunities
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. Read more about the CAMPOS students and their immersion experiences under the Student Global Health Experiences tab.
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
UNC Electives and programs:
- Bolivia Reproductive and Sexual Health Program (Multiple locations)
- The 4-week clinical observation and health education elective with CIES offers participants a unique opportunity to engage with a Bolivian non-profit renowned for over 30 years of providing reproductive and sexual healthcare services. Participants will have access to a network of clinics throughout Bolivia, where they can observe comprehensive health services. This elective can be combined with a 2-week pre-program intensive Spanish course, featuring in-person Spanish and medical Spanish classes held in the afternoons. Students will live in homestays or Air B&Bs, depending on their city placement, and will engage in weekly reflections with other medical students in their city.
- Migrant Health Service-Learning in Tucson, Arizona
- The Interdisciplinary SERVICE program is a nine-day cohort experience designed to integrate participants into meaningful volunteer work. Over several days, the group will engage with non-profit organizations such as Casa Alitas, providing essential assistance to migrants who have recently been released from Customs and Border Protection and are in the initial stages of seeking asylum. In addition to direct service work, participants will have the opportunity to visit the border wall and take desert trips with organizations like Humane Borders and Tucson Samaritans to learn about the complexities of border issues.
- Cusco program
- Contact Heidi White for more information at oghe@med.unc.edu
- University of Navarra Exchange
- The School of Medicine at the Universidad de Navarra has a significant international dimension that is enhanced each year through exchange agreements with universities in other countries. The Medical School’s global recognition is also strengthened by its affiliation with the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE), the Association of Medical Schools in Europe (AMSE), and its Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited teaching hospital – Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CUN). Incoming students will be incorporated in clinical rotations in our teaching hospital CUN. Students should have a communicative level of Spanish to completely enjoy their clinical rotations. 4th year students with a higher level of Spanish can access other rotations in Primary Health Care Centers and regional hospitals in rural areas of Navarra.
- For other opportunities and elective through UNC Office of Global Health please go to: https://www.med.unc.edu/oghe/global-health-opportunities/medical-students/student-electives/glocal-opportunities/
International programs:
- Council on International Educational Exchange [CIEE]
- Since 1947, nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization CIEE has been bringing the world together, advancing peace by building bridges of mutual understanding between different people, different countries, and different cultures.
- Programs include:
- Child Family Health International, Global Health Education Programs [CFHI]
- Consider going to Mexico to further your public health skills, going to Argentina to do an Emergency Medicine rotation or for pediatric hospital medicine. All CFHI international electives provide professional development in cross-cultural fluency and effectiveness, alongside key global health foundations such as the Global Burden of Disease, Health Systems structures around the world, and de-colonization of global health. Programs available for 1st/2nd or 3rd/4th year medical students. Funding also available through CFHI.
- Adventure Education Center – Dominical, Costa Rica Campus
- International Health Central American Institute [IHCAI]
- One of IHCAI’s objectives is to provide high quality training. Availability of the programs depend on the region providing the trainings, but include medical spanish and clerkships with an emphasis on international health programs for students and residents of medicine, PAs, pharmacy and other health disciplines. Most programs apply to senior students but there are also options for junior students. Medical Spanish is one of our strengths as it is a very robust course worldwide. Opportunities for all levels of Spanish of overseas students in health!
- Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba [MEDICC]
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- Shoulder to Shoulder, Honduras
- For more than 30 years, Shoulder to Shoulder, Inc. has worked collaboratively with the people of rural Southern Intibucá, Honduras, to create, operate and support sustainable and accessible health, nutrition, and education services. Housing and a modest stipend are provided along with the opportunity to learn/improve in Spanish and experience working in a developing Latin-American country.
- Medical Spanish School, Guatemala
- Our highly regarded Medical Spanish program combines intensive general Spanish instruction with specialized instruction focused on medical terminology and situations. It’s ideal for doctors, nurses, medical school students, pre-med students, emergency medical technicians, and others in the health care fields. Clinical placement is available for those who wish to gain valuable field experience helping the community.
Funding for Immersion Experiences
Funding may be available through the international or UNC specific program. the UNC Office of Global Health Education provides specific travel funding awards for UNC medical students who are in good academic standing and with a minimum of two week length programs. Priority is given for four week length programs and those with financial need. Awards range from $500 to $2000. For more information go to https://www.med.unc.edu/oghe/global-health-opportunities/medical-students/funding-for-medical-students/funding-eligibility-and-requirements/.
UNC Funding sources include:
- The Student Summer Fellowship program offers opportunities for medical students to complete a research or service project related to community health. Projects must be focused on studying cultural competency issues, developing skills to become relationship-centered physicians, and addressing a public health need in an underserved community or population. The grant award includes a $4,000 stipend for a 10-week period. Projects that do not meet the 10-week requirement will be prorated accordingly. Applications are due mid March.
- The Carolina Medical Student Research Program is for students who have completed at least their first semester of medical school. The funding is comprised of grant stipends for about 40 students to engage in research each year. Projects are short-term (8-12 weeks) and are conducted in the summer after the first year of medical school. Occasionally, one-year or short-term school year projects are funded, as money is available.
- The Carolina Global Initiatives Award is for returning undergraduate, masters, and professional students who have secured a global opportunity during the summer in the U.S. or abroad. Preference is given to students with no or limited prior global travel and the opportunity may take a wide variety of forms including: internships, research, service projects, educational group travel or summer study abroad.
- Two $3000 Scholarships for students to attend Carolina for Kibera. The fellowship is named in honor of the Peacocks, who have been tremendous supporters of CFK since its inception. Two fellowships valued at $3,000 each are awarded annually to two UNC student volunteers to defray the costs associated with volunteering in Kibera. UNC students who apply to be a CFK Summer Volunteer will automatically be considered for the Peacock Fellowship.
- The Kevin R. Stone, MD ‘81 Travel Fellowships or Stone Travel Fellowships will be given annually to up to four MS4 students in good academic standing interested in a personally and professionally significant four-week elective rotation outside of North Carolina. Funds can be used to cover travel, lodging and food. Approx value $3,000. Interested candidates should apply for the Stone Travel Fellowship along with the OGHE Travel Award Application.
- The Hyatt Rotary Public Service Award is given annually in support of innovative public service projects that exemplify the motto of Rotary International, “Service above Self.” Two awards will be given this year, one (up to $3,000) for an international project and one (up to $2,000) for a local project. If the local project involves members of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club in some way, there is a possibility of additional funds.
Please check the UNC Office of Global Health Education for more funding opportunities through other departments at UNC and international organizations https://www.med.unc.edu/oghe/global-health-opportunities/medical-students/funding-for-medical-students/