Knowing and understanding the cultural, social and political background is key to effective and sensitive communication. This program has given me the tools to be a better human being and a more understanding and culturally aware physician

- Lauren Pomerantz

To provide participants with a different perspective on Latin American life and culture, the Student Immersion Program includes a two-week trip to El Salvador and a one-week trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.

El Salvador

In El Salvador, students visit rural and urban communities and engage in an overview and analysis of the social, political and economic conditions of El Salvador, including the roots and dynamics of migration.  The trip also focus on rural and urban public health, with an emphasis on care and education.

Rural communities:

• Homestay with Local Families
• Volunteering in a Local Community Farming Project
• Visits to Rural Health Clinics
• Spending a Day with Rural Health Promoters
• Hike in the Historical Ecological Park
• Meeting with City Council and Local Development Council to discuss Reconstruction After the War.
• Oral Histories and Testimonies of the Civil War
• Youth Group and Artisan Workshop
• Women's Natural Medicine

San Salvador:

• Visit to National Public Hospital Rosales
• Analysis of Public and Private Health Care in El Salvador
• Migration Issues
• Meeting with Representatives of Political Parties

Oaxaca, Mexico

The trip to Oaxaca is focused on the differences between Mexican and Guatemalan Spanish, with a focus on vocabulary and accent.  Students study Spanish in small groups with Mexcian instructors, engaging in a variety of activities and games to improve speaking skills and comprehension.  Students live with local families for the duration of the trip, providing them with more cultural insight, Spanish practice, and delicious home-cooked Mexican food!

Additionally, the trip includes a visit to Mayan ruins, a children's hospital, and other cultural activities.