About the Organization

Since 1993, Child Family Health International has run international health electives for over 1500 pre-medical, medical and other students of the health profession. Students travel to India, Bolivia, Mexico, South Africa and Ecuador to immerse themselves in new cultural contexts and to learn about the way healthcare is practiced and experienced worldwide.

CFHI’s program highlights the challenges faced by the post-apartheid public healthcare system taking into consideration the threats of HIV/AIDS, serious environmental health issues, and other underlying causes of poor health in the region. The program will focus on health issues addressed through community development projects in health, as well as some clinical interventions.

Applicants to this program may choose to spend ten weeks in Durban, or divide their time between Durban (first five weeks) and Cape Town (second five weeks). The two programs are described in more detail below. The major differences between the Durban and Cape Town programs, besides the contrasting cultures and settings of the two cities, is that the rotation sites in Durban are more focused on public health issues and HIV/AIDS while the sites in Cape Town are more clinically-focused. Students in Durban will experience a wider range of health facilities including rural health care, hospices, teaching hospitals and public and private clinics. In Cape Town, students will spend their time primarily within two major urban hospitals and their associated township clinics, getting familiar with the different wards within these two large medical systems.

Job Description

Students on this program will rotate through a variety of clinics, hospitals and emergency services as participants in the CFHI program as described in CFHI’s website http://www.cfhi.org/. Clinical rotations are designed to offer interns clinical and public health experience relevant to your level of medical education, much like what you would experience during a rotation or internship in the United States. IE3 interns may work with the local coordinators to identify the health care services/departments where they would like to spend more time.

Applicants to the CFHI program in South Africa may choose to spend the full ten weeks in Durban, or divide their time between Durban (first five weeks) and Cape Town (second five weeks). Please note your preference in your application cover letter.

HIV and Healthcare in Durban
The Durban program highlights the challenges faced by the post-apartheid public healthcare system taking into consideration the threats of HIV/AIDS, environmental health issues, and other underlying causes of poor health in the region. The program combines service-learning opportunities in public health and clinical settings and will focus on health issues addressed through clinical interventions and community development projects in health. Rotation opportunities include clinics, major teaching hospitals, a hospice, and a rural hospital. Unlike CFHI's traditional programs, this site will focus more on learning about public health issues in the region and participating, in a limited way, in the provision of healthcare at clinical facilities.

Durban is the capital city of Kwa-Zulu Natal province, and is the second largest city in South Africa. It is located on the Indian Ocean and boasts mild weather, beautiful beaches, and diversity that represents South African society creating a unique fusion of cultures: it is home to the Zulu nation, descendants of indentured laborers from India and British settlers. Of course, you will also find people of Afrikaans, Xhosa, Sotho and Tswana heritage among many others in Durban. Durban has an important history in the political development of the country throughout the apartheid era, it being the site of the first African National Congress (ANC) national convention, and also where the young Mahatma Gandhi was inspired to lead movements based in nonviolent principles. Its political history combined with some of the most notable health challenges facing sub-Saharan Africa today makes Durban an ideal location to spend time attempting to understand common complexities of public health and primary care.

Healthcare Challenges in Cape Town
In Cape Town, interns will rotate through a variety of community clinics associated with the Eerste River Hospital and a number of wards within the GF Jooste Hospital, both located in the Cape Flats. This program offers students a unique educational experience as they follow patients through their treatments and become a part of the healthcare teams at both hospitals and community clinics. Experience first-hand the healthcare challenges facing South Africa, where, under the Apartheid regime, the vast majority of people had limited or non-existent healthcare until the 1990s. Though great improvements have since been made, much remains to be done, both for the underserved population and South Africa’s healthcare system in general. Today, South Africa has emerged as a critical battleground for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. CFHI interns may integrate clinical pharmacy experiences as part of the Cape Town portion of the program.

Cape Town is a beautiful city flanked by the magnificent Table Mountain on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Visitors can get a fairly accurate view of Cape Town within the first twenty minutes of their drive from the airport. As with most South African cities, Cape Town is structured according to class, the richer being closer to the city center and the poorest furthest away. The outskirts of Cape Town is called Cape Flats. The Cape Flats were created when many non-white citizens were forcibly removed from the city center during the Apartheid era. This is where the Eerse River Community Health program is located and where interns stay during the program.

Cape Town has some of the worlds most beautiful and interesting sights. It is home to such famous places as Table Mountain, Robben Island, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and also boasts fascinating museums, lots of culture and art, and some of the country’s best beaches. The major languages in the Western Cape include Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, and Sotho. Language should not be a problem as English is spoken by everyone, even if it is their second or third language.

NOTE: Rotation availability depends on local conditions. All rotations are subject to change depending on local availability and general South African holidays. Local coordinators will try and make alternate arrangements if a particular activity or facility is not available during the program month. Restrictions may apply for pre-clinical, and pre-medical students.

CFHI programs are not episodic volunteer experiences, and are not designed to provide service to those who would otherwise not have healthcare. The learning objectives for interns with CFHI are:
•Develop a larger sense of cultural competency
•Observe and develop existing clinical skills
•Broaden public health knowledge
•Develop creativity in problem-solving
•Deepen their commitment to service
•Promote medical supply conservation

# of Positions per term

4-6 per term

Start Dates

January 2, March 27, July 3, October 2

Duration of Internship

10 Weeks

Academic Background

Pre-Med, Pre-Nursing, Public Health, Pre-Pharmacy

Skills/Experience

Prior experience in health care settings preferred

Language Ability

English

Other Requirements

Required age for CFHI programs is 21

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.

IE₃ Program Fee

The program fee* for the first term of any internship is $2950 - $3150. You do not pay tuition in addition to the program fee. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

*The program fee noted above reflects the anticipated fee increase that will go into effect for the Fall 2010 term and will apply to all terms thereafter.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
Host Site Fees	An additional fee of $4450 applies to this program to cover room and board and local support and transportation.
International Travel	$2200
Visa Fees
Recommended Immunizations	$400

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	Included in program fee
Food	$100 for some meals
Local Transportation	$50
Recreation	$100
Personal Expenses	$60

Compensation

None

Additional Expense Information

The host site fee from CFHI includes: Room and board for 10 weeks (homestay and breakfast/dinner with host family) Airport pick-up In-country orientation Weekly meetings with Medical Director and Local Coordinator Clinical rotations Use of a mobile phone Local transportation to and from the clinics from a central location (public transportation costs to the central location from the homestay are the responsibility of the intern)

NOTE: Students who perform Africa internships have suggested that interns may want to bring more “pocket money” so that they may participate more in uniquely African activities, such as tourist activities, nightclubs, live music, buying local fashions and crafts, contributing to local organizations, and bringing home gifts for friends and family. Therefore, depending on your interests, you may want to budget more “pocket money”.

Program dates for CFHI internships are fixed as follows: Winter 2009: Jan 2 - Mar 13 Spring 2009: Mar 27 - Jun 5 Summer 2009: Jul 3 - Sept 11 (apply early) Fall 2009: Oct 2- Dec 11

Apply early for summer term internships.