Medical Fellows: Pre-Med/Global Health Program in Guatemala
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About
The Medical Fellows program gives recent graduates the opportunity to work alongside physicians, nurses and community health workers while experiencing the challenges and opportunities present in global settings.
The program is meant for college graduates (of any major) interested in volunteering abroad in underserved healthcare settings. Fellows live and work in Guatemala but will travel occasionally to Belize and the USA. Our programs start in the summer and last 12 months or longer.
GPSA works in villages surrounding the city of Quetzaltenango in the western highlands of Guatemala. The villages are inhabited by mestizo, Maya-Mam and Maya-K’iche’ peoples. While Spanish is widely spoken, many families speak a Mayan language at home as well. Mayan culture is in display everywhere, but Catholic celebrations and rituals are also very prominent. Fellows will learn more about this mixed cultural heritage and provide free health services to locals.
- Work at local health center alongside community health workers, nurses and doctors.
- Get first-hand experience addressing health disparities in underserved areas.
- Improve your Spanish by living with a host family in villages outside of Xela and receiving one-on-one language lessons.
- Be a leader and mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals.
- Receive training, deliver medical care and implement health projects.