IES Abroad Santiago – Health Studies

My abroad experience in Chile was one I will never forget. The program allowed me to work on my Spanish while focusing on the health care system of Chile. I learned how the Chilean health care system functioned and was able to do clinical observations to see how it was implemented in a public hospital. We observed some very interesting medical cases. It was something truly amazing to do and it was an experience I probably would not have gotten here in the US at the extent that we did. Being immersed in the Chilean Culture was also something so amazing learning about their holidays, their people, and their food was so exciting and for a short period of time, I felt as if I had adopted their culture as my own. In regards to my program and the students, Everyone was so wonderful and I met some incredible people who I will never forget. The bonds we created and the trips we took together will never be forgotten and will always be something that I remember and look back on as one of the most amazing experiences of my life!

My experience abroad was one worth recounting. This program is very comprehensive and true to what they advertised. I learned a lot of medical Spanish which I know will be valuable in the future, had the opportunity to participate in clinical observations and work with a community-based organization. Overall, this program helped me to reach my goals for my study abroad experience and boosted my confidence with speaking Spanish. The program center staff were all very accommodating and truly made themselves available to ensure that we each had a great experience. Their inclusion of field trips and cultural experiences enhanced my understanding of Chilean culture and increased my appreciation for the diverse terrain that Chile has to offer. Study abroad definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone and I would encourage anyone seeking to do just that to participate in this program, especially if you are considering a career in the healthcare field.

This program was more incredible than I could have imagined. I loved the life and energy in the city of Santiago, and lived a 5 minute walk from the IES center. My classes and professors were fantastic and taught me so much about culture, medicine, and helped me to improve my Spanish greatly. I loved being able to shadow medical professionals in the public hospital- I even befriended some surgeons and got to play tennis with them on the weekends! The program allowed a lot of free weekend time so my friends and I took advantage of every opportunity to travel and explore all of the amazing nature and experiences Chile has to offer like surfing in Pichilemu, skiing in the Andes, sand boarding in the Atacama Desert, summiting a volcano in Pucón, and hiking through Patagonia after my program finished. I made some incredible friends, both from in my program and from the class I took at the local university with Chilean students. My abroad experience was the greatest experience of my life and I learned so much about culture, medicine, Spanish, travel, and about myself while in Chile with IES Abroad.