About the Organization

This internship is organized in conjunction with el Centro Cultural de Lenguas (CCL) in Morelia, Mexico. It is an integrated experience where students spend about 30 hours per week interning at the Hospital No. 1 IMSS, take Spanish classes at CCL, and live with a Mexican host family. IE3 Global Internships has been sending students through CCL for over 10 years to various internship sites in Morelia.

Hospital General Regional No. 1 IMSS the biggest IMSS hospital in the State of Michoacán and they attend problems that cannot be resolved in the smaller hospitals in Uruapan, Zamora, Lazazro Cardenas and Zacupu. They have 249 active beds and 108 non-active beds, 9 operating rooms, 2 labor rooms, a laboratory, x-rays, chemotherapy, nutrition, endoscopy. On the 8th floor is the Pediatric unit, on the 7th floor is Nephrology, the 6th floor is Internal Medicine for Adults, the 5th floor has beds for the sub specialties of Neurology, Oncology, Cardiology, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, etc. and 15 beds for Traumatology and Orthopedics. On the 3rd and 4th floors they have patients from general surgery and sub specialties of surgery such as Urology, Angelology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Ear/Nose/Throat, etc. On the 2nd floor, are the administrative offices of the hospital and the auditorium (where they give medical classes). On the first floors is the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Care (6 beds) and 40 beds for observation, shock and triage. In a connected building is the OB/CYN unit with 50 beds, where there are between 20 and 40 births daily. 60%-70% of the births are cesarean. There are 400 students of 4th and 5th year Medicine that attend our classes and do their pre-internship. They have 20 nursing students who are doing their social service at the hospital and about 300 nursing students doing their practicum in the hospital.

Job Description

Qualified pre-medicine or medical students assist physicians or nurses with patients at the Hospital General Regional No. 1 IMSS in Morelia, Michoacan. Interns will be assigned to a tutor at the hospital. Interns will observe doctors' handling and diagnosis of patients, take vital signs and perform simple diagnostic tests, maintain records, deliver medications to/from the pharmacy, etc. They may transport patients in wheelchairs or beds from one location to another, assist the radiologist in taking X-rays or ultrasounds. Interns may have the opportunity to observe surgeries and any medical procedure offered at the hospital. Previous interns have had to opportunity to observe surgeries in various medical fields; assist with tasks such as cleaning the surgical site, holding open surgical incisions, passing tools to the surgeons, monitoring vitals (i.e. EKG readouts, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), and talking to patients before/after surgery. Highlights have included the opportunity to development relationships with doctors, nurses and medical students in Mexico.

# of Positions per term

2-4

Start Dates

Start of any academic term

Duration of Internship

10 weeks - 6 months

Academic Background

Medical or Pre-Medical students in senior year

Skills/Experience

Previous academic study in chemistry, human anatomy or physiology highly recommended. Training in first aid, CNA training or related experience (i.e. work in a clinc or hospital, shadowing a physician, etc.) required. Prior overseas and cross-cultural exposure preferred, as is familiarity with common medical and health terminology in Spanish. Previous study abroad or living in Mexico or a Latin American cultural setting strongly recommended.

100% commitment required. This is a total immersion environment -- both in Spanish and in a hospital setting. Must be flexible and be there to learn and help. Interns must be responsible, respectable and polite. Be an active learner as well as a contributing team member (not just an observer).

Language Ability

Spanish language communication skills equivalent to completion of fourth year university work strongly preferred.

Other Requirements

Submit a 1-page cover letter in Spanish along with your IE3 application materials. Include information about your Spanish ability, your international experience, relevant education and health-related employment.

Must be a good and active communicator and not afraid to use Spanish. All interns are required to take a minimum of 40 hours of Spanish language training emphasizing medical terminology, concepts and slang at CCL for a cost of $560. CCL will work out a schedule with you that will not conflict with your hours at the hospital. Additional language training can be arranged.

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 $2,750 - $2,950. 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.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
Host Site Fees	approx. $720 for 12 weeks (includes language training and IMSS fee)*
International Travel	$600-$800
Visa Fees
Recommended Immunizations	$500-$700

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	$744*
Food	included in homestay
Local Transportation	$50-$75
Recreation	$50
Personal Expenses	$50

Compensation

None

Additional Expense Information

Airfare costs approx. $600 to Mexico City; then students need to take an Executive class bus (4 hours) to Morelia ($50 one way). There are flights directly into Morelia for approx. $700 round trip.

Note: the following charges are subject to change:

Homestay with private room and 3 meals per day can be arranged with carefully selected families for US$24 per day, which equals about $744/month. Apartments in Morelia may cost about $100-$180 per week. Groceries run about $200 per month and personal supplies/transportation about $100 per month.

$560 for 40 hours of Spanish language training at Centro Cultural de Lenguas (CCL) is required. This includes continuing language counseling and cultural advice as needed throughout the internship period, and field trips to nearby cultural, archeological and handicraft sites. For students who have not completed 4 years of Spanish language, it is recommended to take additional hours of Spanish language classes at CCL prior to the start of the internship. The additional cost for any optional language classes is $280 per week for 20 hours of one-on-one lessons.

*IMSS fee of approx. $160 for 12 weeks. To be paid in full one week prior to the first day of the internship by check or cash (payable to CCL). Services include:

• An assigned tutor (supervising physician)

• Access to practical clinical experience at IMSS No. 1 Hospital in Morelia

Interns will also have the local coordinator, at Centro Cultural de Lenguas (CCL) to assist with any questions or concerns. Interns should be respectful with the tutor and patients at all times and should be open to ask questions. Interns should wear white clothes, a white lab coat and white shoes at the hospital at all times. Interns should bring a stethoscope with them. Interns will need surgical scrubs, however they may be purchased in Morelia. Interns are expected to attend clinical sessions, where other interns and doctors discuss various clinical cases in order to improve their knowledge on various subjects.

Morelia is a charming colonial city of some 1,000,000 inhabitants located in the scenic state of Michoacan, known for its rich indigenous culture, pre-colonial and colonial history, and handicrafts. It lies in the central highlands, about mid-way between Mexico City and Guadalajara. For more detail see Mexico Experience Note: The majority of Mexican immigrants in Oregon come from Michoacan. Nearby tourist destinations include: Lake Patzcuaro and the Island of Janitzio, Lake Zirahuen, The archelogical ruins of Tzintzuntzan, arts and crafts of Quiroga, Los Azufres Hot Springs, the national park of Uruapan, and not too far away are the beaches of Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo in the state of Guerrero.

Through Centro Cultural de Lenguas (language school), interns can arrange additional volunteer activities in Morelia in locations such as MESE Street Kids Project, an orphanage, a nursing home, a homeless shelter, etc.

Read previous intern's final reports:

IE3 blog about IMSS Hospital