Valuable Experience In Medellin

I went into my internship with specific goals: improve my language skills, learn more about the health care system in Colombia, and attempt to make professional connections that could help me get a job locally. I think my goals were more or less met, so I was satisfied with the program. The language classes at EAUFIT were excellent, and I wish I had had more time to participate in those. The hospital staff were very nice, and were very kind to me during my nursing internship. I quickly learned that due to the low salaries and long hours, working as a nurse in Colombia probably wasn't for me. My third goal of meeting professional contacts wasn't really met because Sabaneta was such a small hospital, and the staff that ended up working there were not very well connected. I wish there had been opportunities to see a bigger hospital or go to networking events with other physician or nurse leaders in Colombia, as well as opportunities to have a real mentor (perhaps a nurse educator or nurse manager). The staff nurses in Sabaneta were just not capable of fulfilling this role, and only had familiarity with their small piece of the overall healthcare system. The physical practice of medicine in Sabaneta was actually very ethically challenging for me (it did not meet Western standards by a long shot), but that's another story.

I thought the social calendar for the group was well managed, and the lodgings were fine for student accomodations. The staff was very supportive and engaged, and I enjoyed working with all of them. I would recommend this program to others who want a professionally-geared study abroad experience with the caveat that their paying a huge premium for the convenience of having everything set up for them.