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Next weekend TEFL Course:
27/28 March |
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MEDICAL WORK EXPERIENCE INTERNSHIPS IN ANTIGUA
This project will allow you to gain experience in
medicine, or
simply to challenge yourself in a friendly environment where your
assistance is really needed. You'll work at a community health care centre
that is open
to the general public and supports the poorer section of the
community.
There is one Doctor who is
supported by a few staff members, so your help here is very badly
needed. The centre is run entirely free of charge for patients who
can't afford to pay. This is a challenging and rewarding
project!
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►SUMMARY
FACTFILE |
| Start Dates |
All year round - you choose your
start and finish dates! |
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Duration |
Minimum stay 4 weeks, up to 12 weeks or longer, subject to visa requirements |
| Requirements |
You should have an interest/qualification or some knowledge
about medicine to take part in this project.
Ideally you should be
intending to study medicine, a medical student or a practicing
medical professional of any kind. You should also have at least
basic Spanish. |
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Price |
From
£995 for 4 weeks,
ranging to £1,595 for 12 weeks.
Full Price List |
| What's included |
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the Airport
and taking you back again at the end of the project
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Transport to and from your
project
►Full
pre-departure support
►Local in-country team support and backup
►24-hr emergency
support
►Two
free T-shirts. |
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What's not included |
Flights, Insurance,
Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and
assistance). |
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Who can do this Project? |
All projects are
open to all nationalities.
You need to be aged between 17 and 70+ |
Also on this page:
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
We work at a variety of medical centres in Antigu and the
surrounding area, all of which are open
to the general public and designed to support people living in extreme
poverty. Some clinics are staffed by a single Doctor only, and your help here is very badly
needed. At other clinics, you may visit homes in the community to help
provide medical care. These clinics are run entirely free of charge for
patients who cannot afford to pay, and are generally funded by donors
alone.
As with any placement, but its especially true with those projects based
in medicine; the greater your knowledge, ability and experience that you
bring with you, the more you will be asked and able to participate,
especially in the more advanced tasks. We will place you at a clinic or
centre based on your knowledge of medicine and of Spanish
If you are a volunteer with limited experience you may be able
to join in and get involved in helping with such activities such as
weighing babies, measuring temperature and taking blood pressure etc.
Volunteers who combine knowledge and experience with a good
understanding of Spanish may be asked to do even more through educating
the people in general health matters, participating in the
pre-consultation of patients, helping with the vaccination of babies and
also assisting the doctor with other tasks.
The health centers are very basic. They are not well-equipped and you
should not expect the same standard as you would find back home. The
centres performs very valuable and vital role within the community
under exceptionally hard circumstances. Your assistance will be valued
hugely.
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
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An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into
Guatemala and Central America.
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You'll learn a lot from experts in your field
about how they work in a culture that is very different to what
you're used to.
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New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
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An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market
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And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!
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 OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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QUALIFICATIONS
NEEDED FOR THIS PROJECT |
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You should ideally have
some Spanish skills or be prepared to learn some
of the language in Guatemala before starting your project. As medical terminology is likely to be used at the centre, it is
also highly recommended that you take some extra medical Spanish lessons before
starting your project, even if you’re already confident in general Spanish. We
can arrange these specific lessons, where you’ll learn medical terminology,
which will not only be useful to you on the project but perhaps also in your
future career.
If you have a low level of Spanish or no Spanish at all, you are
still very welcome to come on the project, but it is a requirement that you
spend some time learning Spanish at our language schools before starting work at
the care centre or while you are there. It is also possible to arrange Spanish lessons for you during
your volunteering if you have a lower level of Spanish but would like to brush
up on your skills. Please speak to your Project Co-ordinator about your level of
Spanish so that we can discuss the option that’s best for you.
You also need to have an interest/qualification or some knowledge about
medicine to take part in this project. No particular qualifications are
required, but you must either be studying a related subject, qualified in a
related subject or intending to peruse a related subject as a career or as
study. Please talk to us about acceptance criteria, as we can usually be very
flexible if your intent is there. This project
also has a minimum length of 4 weeks. The centre is closed during December, but
open during the rest of the year. As with all our destinations, the
Guatemalan culture and heritage
is different to Anglo-Saxon cultures and this must be borne in
mind. Self-reliance and independence are highly
appreciated in all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
Once you have applied for a placement, we will send you a very
detailed Guatemala Information Book, as well as an equally detailed Safety Guide
- both of these will help to make your stay in Guatemala one that you will never
forget! |
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ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD |
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One of our hosts outside her house!
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Accommodation with host families means that
Travellers volunteers get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally
live like a Guatemalan. Most
of the families take more than one volunteer or student at once (some up
to 10!), so the atmosphere is somewhere between a regular family and
a hostel... Often very social, but with the benefit of gaining insights into the Guatemalan way of life from the inside - the
best of both worlds!!
Many of our volunteers remain friends
with their host families long after they leave Guatemala and in some
cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family.
Many offer the option of single or shared rooms, and generally houses
within the same town are in close proximity with each other. The
accommodation is comfortable, with a ‘western-style’ bathroom.
"The house I am staying at is like something out of
a travel guide, and the family I am with is sweet and so thoughtful! Flori,
Edgar Sr., Edgar, Denise and Paula are sure to be fast friends! My
housemates are great too, there are 3 guys from Germany, Colorado and
Miami, and we get along great! They are showing me around the city and
explaining important rules of thumb (like don't flush the toilet paper
down the toilet!!)" Elizabeth Collin, Teaching 2008
All of your meals will be provided from Monday to Saturday, leaving you
free to sample local eateries on Sundays. Expect to develop a taste for
corn tortillas, tostadas and tacos in plentiful supply! Western and
international dishes are also easily available in Antigua. Although
Guatemalans are big on eating meat, we can easily cater for vegetarians.
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TRAVEL: |
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You'll be met at the airport by Lilian, our Guatemala Organiser,
or one
of her staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your accommodation and
introduced to everyone. Within the next couple of days you'll be taken to the
school and she will ensure that you are well settled in.
You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist
you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we
will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All
arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by
Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange
for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the
names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can
chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.
VISAS:
Visa’s are not required for a stay of 90 days if you are a British Passport
holder. If you're from another country, we'll liase with you about your visa
requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have
changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket.
To read about the excellent
Support
& Backup we provide before you leave and during your
programme,
please click here.
We can also arrange your
flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for
travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!
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Volunteers enjoying lunch at their accommodation
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