Medical Spanish Highlights: SALUD Guanajuato and La Ceiba

AmeriSpan offers many different Medical Spanish SALUD programs. Program offerings can vary widely. Some focus more on medical terminology, while others incorporate site visits or even shadowing doctors in a clinic or hospital. All programs are an excellent way to get to know the healthcare system in another country. Two examples of excellent programs are Guanajuato, Mexico and La Ceiba, Honduras.

They each have different areas of concentration and may be suitable for participants with different needs. Guanajuato is a charming city; known for its brightly painted houses, narrow winding streets and subterranean passageways. It has a very lively, artistic, youthful feel. The SALUD Guanajuato program lasts 4 weeks, with 20 hours per week of general Spanish lessons the first two weeks. The third week includes an additional 10 lessons focusing on medical terminology. In the fourth week, participants focus on their specialty area, which includes visits to hospitals and/or clinics. Depending on your Spanish level, you may be able to skip the first two weeks, or it might be recommended to take an additional two weeks of regular Spanish classes prior to the start of the SALUD program. This program does not incorporate clinical observation work, however site visits are an integral part of the program. This is a great program for those looking to boost their speaking abilities and medical Spanish vocabulary. La Ceiba, the largest Honduran port town, is located on the Northern Caribbean coast. It boasts close proximity to Honduras' largest national park, the Bay Islands, and the city offers plenty of movies, dancing and restaurants. La Ceiba's SALUD program, in contrast to Guanajuato's program, includes two weeks of clinical observation in a hospital or clinic. The program is four weeks long and includes 20 hours per week of private Spanish classes, with medical terminology taught during the classes. Although clinical observation experiences tend to be mostly shadowing, they may vary from strictly observational/shadowing to more hands on. The amount of hands on work you do during your clinical observation component will depend on your current language and medical skills as well as the organization's needs and your ability to integrate. It is important to remember that you are not licensed in the host country. If you meet the minimum requirements, this is a great program for someone looking to incorporate a clinical aspect to their experience. For more information on all of AmeriSpan's Medical Spanish and Portuguese programs, click here.