Studying abroad will be both the most challenging and the most amazing experience of your life. Take advantage of all the amazing things that Chile has to offer and take advantage of all the resources that the IES Abroad Center and its staff have to offer.

Also, this program gives you the opportunity to observe medicine in a way that is not possible in the US until after medical school. Take advantage of that by asking tons of questions to discover what specialty of medicine you may want to enter in the future.

During a normal week, we would have a Spanish class two-three times a week and a seminar on the Chilean health system two times a week. We would also do our medical observations three times a week. Occasionally, there would be organized activities like a dance class, cooking class, or a cultural immersion activity.

My biggest fear was that my Spanish would not be sufficient enough to be able to communicate in Chile. Luckily, being immersed in a language boosts your learning of that language immensely and I quickly became more proficient in communicating in Spanish. Looking back, I realize that rough patch at the beginning was all part of the process and now I am nearly fluent in Spanish.

Santiago is such a diverse and unique city. It is a beautiful mix of North American, South American, and European architecture and design. Some parts of the city were so modern and beautiful, while others were antique and elegant. Santiago is also the best place to go for foodies, as you can experience so many different types of ethnic foods. Santiago and the entire country of Chile have so much to offer so you have to make sure to take full advantage of it!