Integrating Spanish and Health aspires for students to make comparisons and critically reflect on healthcare practices and institutional delivery of health care in both the United States and in Costa Rica. Students will critically analyze the U.S. perceptions of Costa Rica and Central America through their lived experiences with host families, the medical community, and the day-to-day interactions with the community and culture at large.  Therefore students will understand linguistic and cultural differences which will allow them to interact appropriately and respectfully with Costa Ricans.

Students will live with host families in Heredia, Costa Rica for 13 days. During that time, students will learn about the healthcare system in Costa Rica, interact with and observe healthcare professionals as they work with patients, and learn about longevity in the Blue Zone and alternative medicine practices. In addition to attending classes, students will attend lectures about the healthcare system in Costa Rica, participate in workshops and simulations at a medical school to learn practical skills such as vital signs, injections, suturing, and patient interviews, tour medical facilities to understand how patient care is delivered in an international context, observe patients in a clinical setting, and go on excursions to understand the role of natural remedies and alternative healing practices. 

Who can go? Any students interested in the healthcare field will benefit greatly from this class and experience! 

Prerequisite for program: completion of SPN 201 or higher.

6 Credit hours:

• SPN 203* - Spanish for Health Care. This class fulfills the CAS foreign language requirement (CAS-A) and can be taken instead of SPN 202.
• SPN 341 - Intermediate Spanish Conversation. This class counts as an elective toward the SPN major/minor.

*Independent study credit (SPN 277) is available for those who have already taken SPN 203 or SPN 202.

Prior to travel to Costa Rica, students will be required to attend several mandatory pre-departure meetings during the fall semester.  Additionally, students will complete online modules in Canvas beginning Dec 28th. 

Tentative Price for Winter 2024: $1900 + tuition for 6 credits + airfare

Program fee includes housing, ground transportation in Costa Rica, excursions, and 3 meals per day with host family.

For more information, contact:

Julie Szucs
264 Irvin Hall
(513) 529-1291
jszucs@miamioh.edu