Internship Description

About the Organization:

“CFHI provides life-changing experiences for all students who are passionate about global health and medicine.”

IE3 Global Internships and Child Family Health International (CFHI) together offer an internship that includes a 10 week program where students can explore a different culture and way of life while learning about the region’s healthcare system through clinical rotations, is truly a crossroads where different cultures and healthcare practices intersect. Oaxaca City, one of the most unique cities in Mexico, is steeped in history, tradition, and the influences of a vibrant indigenous culture. Students will be immersed in the region’s language and rich culture while learning about contemporary social issues facing the local population.

Oaxaca is one of the poorest states in Mexico, and many of its inhabitants, especially those of the large indigenous population in rural areas, have limited access to even rudimentary healthcare services. Students will assist local clinical practitioners in providing and improving the healthcare services that are desperately needed in this region. Participants will be exposed to various elements of Oaxacan healthcare: public and private, urban and rural.

Oaxaca City is located in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Sierra Mountains. It is about 500 km south of Mexico City. The state and the city of Oaxaca have a large and diverse indigenous population with a rich culture of music and art.

The population of Oaxaca, in both rural and urban areas, suffers from lack of adequate healthcare. Oaxaca has the highest maternal mortality and infant mortality rates in Mexico. It is estimated that 50% of the state’s population has no access to primary health care. The Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas together have the highest level of poverty and the highest percentage of indigenous population.

There is a significant route of migration from the state of Oaxaca to the Pacific Northwest of the US.

Local Activities:

Interns will be in Oaxaca City (colonial city of approximately 500,000 inhabitants), living with a Mexican family. Their time will be divided between language classes, lectures, and clinical rotations. Spanish instruction will total 65 hours of instruction at the Becari Language School. The Spanish lessons will focus on medical Spanish as well in communication skills and grammar. The lectures will cover common tropical diseases like malaria, dengue, chagas, and parasites. The lectures and discussions will be conducted in Spanish, but all accompanying written materials will be in English. This way, interns will be able to comprehend Spanish lectures with the help of the written materials. Clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics in Oaxaca City and the surrounding area will enable the interns to practice their medical Spanish in clinical surroundings and be exposed to various elements of Oaxacan healthcare: public and private, urban and rural.

Students and interns will be together as a group for case discussions and lectures, but may be in pairs for rotations and hospital work.

Their clinical supervisor, and medical director of this program is Dr. German Tenorio Vasconcelos. He specializes in gastro-surgery and Public Health. He is the director of La Clinica Carmen. He has served in various clinics and urban hospitals over the past 20 years. Dr. Tenorio speaks Spanish and English

Interns will also have the local coordinators, Martha Canseco Bennetts and Sandra Rivera Bennetts, who are the directors at the language school and will assist you with your language training and accommodation aspects of the program.

Important Notes:
To come to this area, interns must have Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A and B vaccines.

Job Description:
Students on this internship program will observe healthcare in a variety of setttings - urban, rural, public, private, hospitals and clinics. The student role is primarily to observe and learn, although some basic patient care may be part of the duties.

Additional Information:

For more information on CFHI and their offerings visit http://www.cfhi.org
For a description of the Cultural Crossroads in Health program in Oaxaca
Links to reports from CFHI students
Report from an IE3 intern.
IE3 blog

"The internship offered first hand medical experience, as well as a chance to greatly improve my Spanish. I was immersed in the Mexican culture, and made valuable friendships and acquaintances with my host family, other interns, and the local people of Oaxaca. It was a time of great personal growth for me, and I am extremely grateful fo rthe time I spent there." -Carson Bee, Oaxaca, IE3 intern from Oregon State University, Sum 07

“The Spanish training was excellent. Every day I would hear in the clinics vocabulary I had studied in class....The experience reinforced my professioonal goals and helped me to feel more confident and competent working with a Mexican population.” -Jennifer Ross, OAX, May 07, MPH

Start Date:

Winter 2009: Jan 3 - March 14
Spring 2009: Apr 4 - June 13
Summer 2009: July 4 - Sept 12 (apply early)
Fall 2009: Oct 3 - Dec 12

Summer is a particularly popular time, please submit all applications materials before the deadline (including on-campus interview).

Duration:
10 weeks

Number of Positions:
6 positions winter term; 4 positions per term for spring and summer; 2 positions for fall term; APPLY EARLY FOR SUMMER

Intern Qualifications

Academic Background:
Pre-med or pre-dental students with some prior experience and exposure in the health field (i.e. work as a CNA, shadowing a physician, volunteering at a hospital or clinic, etc.); Master's in Public Health students.

Skills/Experience:
Advanced First Aid and/or Nursing Assistant training are very helpful. Prior international studies and travel also recommended.

Language Requirement:
Some Spanish required (a minimum of one full year of university level Spanish), and the more the better, but part of the program will provide Spanish language training for interns who need additional language skills.

Other Requirements:
Cultural sensitivity and competency with respect to Mexican society and culture are necessary. Applicants must normally be over 21 at the time of their internship. The IE3 Regional Director may recommend candidates under 21 who clearly demonstrate a high degree of cross-cultural competency and personal maturity. In every case, though, CFHI reserves the right to make the final determination.

Internship Costs

Program Fees:
The program fee includes tuition, internship site development and placement, pre-departure orientation, international health insurance, internship monitoring and follow-up.
Click here for application information, including the program fee, for your school.
Note: The program fee does not include airfare, housing, living expenses or any other estimated costs noted below.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR JOINT IE3 AND CFHI PROGRAMS:
CFHI internships have a special combined program fee that represents a discount on the normal IE3 and CFHI fees.
Go to the IE3 website for application information, including the IE3 program fee for your school. (See link in preceding paragraph and below under Application Information).

The combined program fee includes the cost of items listed below:

Academic credit on your home campus
Internship placement
Initial Spanish training, if needed
Room and board for 10 weeks
International health insurance
Pre-departure orientation
Airport pick-up
In-country orientation
Local transportation to and from the clinics
Weekly debriefing and on-site supervision

The combined IE3+CFHI program fee for 2009 programs is $6650 for Oregon University System in-state resident students and $6850 for all others.

Note: The program fee does not include your airfare, local transportation, incidentals and recreation or any other estimated costs noted below.

Note:
Any financial or in-kind support provided by the host organization is explicitly indicated.

Compensation:
None.

Accommodation:

Homestays will be arranged in Oaxaca City and the cost is included in the combined program fee. Remember that there may be other interns or students on the program sharing facilities and rotation sites.

International Travel:
Approximately $500-$800 for a round-trip plane ticket to Oaxaca City.

Cost of Living:
Monthly expenses, such as local travel, recreation, and incidentals, are approximately $200-$225 per month. Interns should also budget up to $500 for recommended immunizations for an extended stay in Mexico. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ for the list of recommended vaccinations. These out of pocket expenses are not included in the program fee.

Budget Note:
Applicants should use these estimates for preliminary budgeting purposes.
IE3 will issue an official budget after acceptance by the host organization.

Application Information

Academic Credit:
Up to 12 credits available as per arrangement with supervising department.

Application Materials:
IE3 is a program of the Oregon University System.
Students from participating partner universities are also eligible to apply.
Click here for application information and select your school from the list.

Created/Revised:7/17/08