This program has changed my life! I definitely feel so much more confident in my knowledge of Latin American culture and I am so thankful for the quality of Spanish education Somos provides.
- Alexis De La Fuente, USC Keck School of Medicine, Fall 2008 participant
SUMMER SESSION 2012: DEADLINE February 15th, 2012.
DURATION: 6 weeks
DATE: Sunday, June 10th to Sunday July 22nd, 2012
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Medical, D.O, PA, nursing, dentstry, therapy and other medical professional students between their 1st and 2nd years of study.
ROOM/BOARD: You will live and eat with a Guatemalan home-stay family. Participants will be two per house. We are able to accommodate all sorts of diets and have experience catering to Kosher, Gluten-free, and Vegetarian diets.
SPANISH INSTRUCTION: 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, one-on-one Spanish language instruction taught by university-trained Spanish teachers.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE: There will be opportunities to be in a variety of health care settings from community clinics to the General Hospital. Students will be in the clinic 5 hours a day, 5 days a week during the second three weeks of the program.
ACTIVITIES: Somos Hermanos offers a variety of weekend activities that will give you the opportunity to explore Guatemala and learn about the rich culture, such as visits to traditional markets, hikes, and a visit to Lago Atitlan.
EXPERT LECTURES: Students learn about health care perspectives and issues in Guatemala from a variety of local experts and university professors
COST: $2,330 - All inclusive except for flights to and from Guatemala. This includes: room & board, Spanish language instruction, clinical experiences, lectures, activities, in-country transportation, and an in-country program coordinator who will help guide you through your experience and will be on call to assist you throughout the program.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please send the following to info@somoshermanos.org before February 15th, 2012.
1. A one page essay addressing the question: "Why do you want to participate in this program and how do you plan to implement your skills in Spanish language and cultural competency in medical school and your future medical practice?"
2. Resume
3. A few words describing your Spanish proficiency (e.g. High School Spanish, College, Conversationally Proficient, No Spanish, etc...)
4. Names and Contact Information (not an actual reference letter) for 3 character references (at least 2 should be professional or academic).
We are no longer accepting applications for the Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 sessions.
Fall 2012 Session Dates: July 8th, 2012 - December 15th, 2012
Spring 2013 Session Dates: January 6th, 2013 - June 15th, 2013
The Somos Hermanos Student Immersion Program has two sessions each year: January - June and July - December. The application deadline for both the Fall session and for the Spring session is October 31st.
A complete application consists of the online application form (below), 2 character references, and 1 language reference (see online application form for reference form information) and a Financial Aid application (if applicable).