Description:The Ecuador Centers for InterAmerican Studies (CEDEI) Medical Spanish Immersion program aims to promote language and cultural competence, and to enhance the skills of health service professionals and consequently overall healthcare. The program focuses on Medical Spanish, cultural, and public health system immersion training. While at Upstate students will participate in pre-departure travel training and cultural competency training. Once in country, students are based in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador for three weeks of intensive medical Spanish language training and are placed with a local Ecuadorian homestay. In classroom training consists of 20 hours of grammar and 20 hours of conversational Spanish. Students are exposed to the public health and medical system in Ecuador through visits to local hospitals, medical schools, rural health programs, and traditional healers. Each day will be 8 hours (4 hours in-classroom and 4 hours spent with local doctors, nurses, or public health professionals in the community). Weekend trips will consist of cultural emersion trips (one trip per weekend). Upon return students will be expected to complete a reflective final essay/blog post. See estimated calendar of activities.

Language Requirements:Basic-Level of Spanish Required

Faculty member in charge:Tina Campagna, MPH

To register, fill out the COM add/drop form and have signed by Ms. Campagna prior to sending to the registrar.Download form here.

Estimated Program Costs for Participating Students:$5500

Cost Estimate Breakdown:Tuition to CEDEI ($3000-$4000 depending on quantity of students, includes lodging, meals, weekend trips, and coursework), round trip flight to Ecuador ($1500), Study Abroad Insurance ($75), Day to day/miscellaneous expenses, travel vaccines (~$1000).

Description: Walking Palms Global Health is an interdisciplinary global health organization that uses Systems Thinking to help communities build social resilience. Students are based in Baha de Carquez, Ecuador for four weeks. During their time at the site, international site needs and student interests are brought together to produce a project that will benefit all parties involved. Example project outcomes include helping to publish the findings of the project in an academic journal, presenting them at national and/or international conferences, helping to prepare a grant submission using baseline data collected during their stay, and working with the Walking Palms team to develop policy recommendations based on project findings. Upon return students will be expected to complete a reflective final essay/blog post.

Language Requirements: Basic-moderate level of Spanish required

Faculty member in charge: Tina Campagna, MPH

To register, fill out the COM add/drop form and have signed by Ms. Lupone prior to sending to the registrar. Download form here.

Estimated Program Costs for Participating Students: $2700

Cost Estimate Breakdown: Round trip flight to Ecuador ($1500), Study Abroad Insurance ($75-$150), Program Fee ($500), Day to day/miscellaneous expenses, travel vaccines (~$1000). Students are required to pay for travel, day-to-day living expenses, and lodging/program fees. Walking Palms arranges accomodations for all participants.

Description: Students will travel to Kisumu, Kenya where they will integrate into a team of Upstate clinicians providing care in the hospital at Maseno University School of Medicine and Obama Children's Hospital. Students will participate in clinical rounds and educational activities with the medical school. In addition, students will participate in a Swahili Immersion course where they will attend Kiswahili classes. Classes and content will be focused on social issues and medical vocabulary to aid in effective contextual conversation while in Kenya. Students may also have the opportunity to participate in educational projects such as quality improvement for hospital partners or case-studies. Student projects will depend on the individual's skills and prior professional experience.

Elective Course Code: PRVM6430

Language Requirements: None

Faculty member in charge: Andrea Shaw, MD

Estimated Program Costs for Participating Students: $3700

Cost Estimate Breakdown: Round trip flight to Kenya ($2000), Study Abroad Insurance ($150), Lodging/Program Fee ($500), Kenyan Entry Visa ($50), Day to day/miscellaneous expenses, travel vaccines (~$1000). Students are required to pay for travel, day to day living expenses, and lodging/program fees. Upstate arranges apartment accommodations for all participants.