Anna, Graduate nurse – (Aug. 2017)
Carolina, Nutrition – University of Bastyr (Aug. 2017)
Carleigh High, Physical Therapy Student, Elon University, Elon, NC, USA (April-May 2017)
For my “elective program” I chose to go to Medical Electives in Trujillo, Peru- it was one of the best opportunities I’ve experienced and I’m so glad I decided to go!
Kevin and his staff are so nice and really make you feel welcome in Peru! They have lots of teachers who focus on different areas of Spanish (conversation, grammar, medicine, etc.) which is great because you have an energetic teacher who is eager to help you learn in all of your classes. It was also really nice to have a variety of teaching styles in order to obtain a better grasp on Peruvian Spanish. The medical classes were very useful in teaching us not only the Spanish vocabulary, but also subtle colloquialisms in order for us to better relate to our patients. Living with a host family also allowed for the opportunity to learn phrases and vocabulary unique to Peru. My host family was also amazing and invited us to family holiday meals and gatherings, really allowing us to feel part of the family during our stay.
I was fortunate to assist in several different hospitals during my stay in Trujillo. Each one had its own unique character and it was really nice to see the multiple aspects of healthcare in Peru. I really enjoyed conversing with local staff and learning their perspective on their reasoning behind specific treatments. They even asked a classmate and I to give an in-service presentation; it was a great forum for us to share and discuss different treatment options with each other. The hospital staff were amazing and became part of my family while I was there- they are such friendly and caring people and I’m so glad I was able to meet them through Medical Electives!
Just before I arrived in Trujillo, there was major flooding to the area and local residents needed help in various ways. One of the unique aspects of Medical Electives is that they helps set up health outreach campaigns in order to truly help connect you with the people who need help the most. Due to the flooding, while I was there these campaigns focused on flood victims living in the outskirts of Trujillo. These campaigns are not part of the required program, but are a volunteer opportunity to work alongside local healthcare providers, using minimal resources, and focusing on patient education. The health outreach campaigns were humbling and rewarding experiences and I only wish there would have been more of them during my time in Trujillo.
During my free time I really enjoyed getting to know Trujillo- meeting people at the gym, conversing with local restaurant owners, relaxing on the beaches, and running around neighborhood parks. Trujillo, and all of Peru, has a fascinating history and it was incredible to be able to explore some of the nearby historical wonders including Chan Chan. I also enjoy hiking and the mountains are not too far away and offer a fantastic weekend escape from the busy city. All in all, I am thrilled I chose to spend my time with Medical Electives and hope to make it back someday soon!!
Katie, Medicine , Saint George’s, University of London UK, (June 2017)
Justine Durno, Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK, (May 2017)
I chose to carry out my elective in Peru, and with Medical Electives, as I had some knowledge of Spanish, but I wanted to further it and be able to incorporate this with medicine. Every day I had at least one hour of medical Spanish class in which I learnt how to take a history in Spanish, and practiced a lot through role-playing.
I feel that this benefited me much more than just simply observing how the healthcare systems differed between the UK and Peru, as I am now able to bring a new skill to the team when I start working as an FY1. There is always going to be a delay before interpreters can attend to patients who cannot speak English, and if Spanish is their first language then even a few simple sentences to explain what is happening to them, will put them at ease.
I know from experience of having deaf relatives in hospital, that even having just one doctor that can communicate with you in your language (in their case, British Sign Language) at a basic level makes a huge difference to one’s experience as an inpatient, in what actually can be a scary place, even to English speakers, never mind those that don’t understand the language around them.
I found the medical Spanish classes endlessly useful when it came to attending medical outreach campaigns, as it meant I didn’t have to talk through an interpreter when asking my questions, thereby making the consultation more efficient. What the campaigns also reinforced to me, was how important it was to ask red flag questions. In each consultation we were armed only with a stethoscope and our ability to perform physical examinations, so we were unable to take samples, perform scans or even make referrals. Red flag questions were a great way to eliminate serious differentials, and put me at a bit more ease that we weren’t missing anything that would necessitate specialist attention. Asking red flag questions is something that I have to keep telling myself never to forget to ask, as it will be what saves my back, as well as patients’ lives.
My trip to South America was easily the best trip of my life. Not only was I able to immerse myself in South American living by staying with a homestay family, and experience what it was like being a medical student in completely different surroundings, but my confidence also grew more than I expected. Five years of medical school has taught me a lot of interpersonal and organisational skills, whereas in Peru I overcame my fear of speaking Spanish in public and making mistakes, so I came back to the UK feeling more self-assured, and I hope to carry that on to working life.
Muchas gracias The Medical Elective Network!
Luci Boella, Warwick Medical School, UK, (April 2017)
For my elective I wanted to experience South American culture and medicine but with very rusty intermediate level Spanish I also needed some help with my Spanish which is why I chose Medical Electives. Initially when we arrived in Peru, the country was in a national state of emergency because of flooding and Trujillo was heavily affected. This could have really hampered our experience but for me it actually added to the adventure and gave us the opportunity to see first-hand how the community dealt with a natural disaster. Kevin and the medical electives team were fantastic ensuring the program ran as smoothly as possible during the floods. They also laid on extra lessons to make up for the fact that many of the local attractions were closed and even drove us around when local transport was limited!
Aside from working hard to make sure the floods affected the course as little as possible, I was incredibly impressed with the Spanish lessons ran by the Medical Electives teachers. Before studying medicine I was a secondary school teacher and trained in England which has very progressive and modern teaching methods. I was fully expecting the teaching in Peru to not match that of UK and to be old fashioned chalk and talk style lessons. However, that was not at all the case. The teachers made the lessons fun and interactive and incorporated games into the teaching to keep us entertained. They were all experienced language teachers and made the more challenging concepts both understandable and interesting to learn and I could not have been more impressed! Lessons were also very geared towards communicating in a medical environment. The medical Spanish lessons were based around role playing medical scenarios and this allowed me to take complex histories from Spanish patients in hospital by my 3rd week.
I chose to do my hospital rotation in the emergency department of the EsSalud Alto Complexidad (EsSalud High Complexity) Hospital in Trujillo. My time in the hospital really opened my eyes to the challenges of emergency medicine in a 3rd world country and how different the doctor-patient relationship is over there.
Whilst in Trujillo I stayed with Anna and her family in a lovely area of Trujillo and an easy walk from the language school. The top floor of the house is entirely dedicated to students and has its own dining area and fridge for our use. Anna is an incredible cook and fed us copious amounts of traditional Peruvian home cooked food for breakfast and lunch. She also worked hard to cater for me as a vegetarian.
Aside from the organised elective, Peru has an incredibly rich history and culture. Around Trujillo there are spectacular ancient sites to visit and I also spent a long weekend in Cajamarca – an old colonial city in the mountains. At the end of my elective I flew down to Cusco and did a 5 day trek to Machu Picchu which was truly stunning.
In short, my elective experience was everything I hoped it would be and more. The Peruvian people are, without exception, incredibly friendly and welcoming with a rich and fascinating culture. The food is amazing and the history, architecture and landscapes are truly breath-taking.
Dr. Paul Thompson – Chief of Cardiology, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut, USA (March 2017)
Kevin: This note is to thank you and your team for a wonderful stay in Peru. I learned a lot in my two weeks, but also learned how little I know. The later has only made me more determined to work on my Spanish back here.
Charo, the woman I stayed with, was wonderful. The food was spectacular. Her extended family was fun to meet. Please thank her again for me. The classes and discussion were very helpful. I appreciate the staff being flexible to accommodate me.
So, thank you for all and please pass my gratitude to your team.
Dr. Paul Thompson
Chief of Cardiology, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut
Jenny – PA-S, Wayne State University, USA (January 2017)
Making the decision to come down to Trujillo for my elective month was a difficult decision but it was honestly one of the greatest decisions I’ve made. I cannot speak highly enough of my experience.
To start off, the medical experience was very rewarding. I was in the Pediatric ER in Trujillo Regional Hospital. The doctors there were so kind and welcoming. They were very eager to speak about the differences between the medical system of Peru and the USA. They did a great job explaining things to me; it was easy to approach them with questions about virtually anything. Driving us to the hospital every day was Martin who was one of the kindest people I met in Trujillo. He spoke Spanish with us everyday giving us another facet for learning Spanish. There was never a dull car ride with him and this program is very privileged to have him as a part of it.
Next, the Spanish classes were truly a place for advancing my Spanish knowledge. Monday-Friday we had 4 hours of Spanish classes which were broken up into four 50 minute classes each with a different teacher, giving you different teaching styles. My teachers were absolutely phenomenal. Elvis, Aida, Magaly and Rocky did a great job of catering the Spanish classes to an appropriate level for me so that I felt challenged every day but not overwhelmed. I cannot say thank you enough to them for all of their work. No matter what your current Spanish level is, they will adjust to you and they also have different levels of classes where they place the students.
Next, I would like to thank the director of the program, Kevin. I read in previous reviews that he was very accommodating and helpful and he superseded all of my expectations. Any questions/problems/concerns he was more than happy to help. He was incredibly flexible and tried worked very hard to make the experience great for every student.
My home stay mom was Ana. Her home was so accommodating, I had my own bathroom and a spacious room. She made the most delicious breakfast and lunch – always making something different. Peruvian food is so natural and we ate the freshest of ingredients every day. I even took some recipes home with me for some of the best things that I ate while there. Ana was willing to help with any problems that you might come across and she always welcomed you into her home with a warm smile.
The city of Trujillo is such a beautiful city. After Spanish classes get done at 630pm, the rest of the day you have to yourself. I really enjoyed doing salsa classes at Salsa Madrid. They offer classes in the evenings and break up the classes into beginner, intermediate and advanced. This offered another opportunity to practice Spanish while having a lot of fun. The dance instructors were all so kind too and if you need extra help they will break down the steps for you. I definitely recommend trying them. If you prefer going to the gym, there is a gym that is close by as well which had very modern equipment. Also, the beach is about a 20minute taxi ride away and they offer surfing lessons for a good price too for anyone interested in that!
Another highlight of the trip was doing a medical mission trip in a poorer part of the city. It was so rewarding to be able to interact with the patients and to provide them with both medical advice and prescriptions for their problems. The people of the city were so welcoming and eager to be taught more about their medical conditions.
Overall this was a phenomenal experience, I am so glad that I spent my elective month in Peru and if presented with the opportunity again would love to come back down!
Jenny B, PA-S
Kalina – Medicine, University College London, UK
Your elective is meant to be one of the best times of your life and my experience in Trujillo with Kevin’s medical elective programme certainly didn’t disappoint!
I had always really wanted to go to South America but was tentative about travelling alone as a young female, which was one of the main reasons that I chose Trujillo, as everything was organised for you including being met at the airport and accommodation with carefully chosen local families, which made everything feel so much safer. More than that Kevin has a brilliant team of people who run the programme, from the wonderful and entertaining Spanish teachers (who we regularly went to Zumba with after class!) to the caring and open host families, friendly Taxi drivers who took us to the hospital every day and Kevin himself, who will do everything he can to make your experience the best it can be, I felt very welcome and integrated into the local culture in Trujillo. It was also really nice to meet other medical students from all over the world too and we spent every evening going out together and travelling at weekends…
Which brings me onto the next huge reason that I chose the programme – Peru itself! It really is just such a beautiful country and from the base of Trujillo there are lots of amazing places you can travel to at weekends, especially because you can choose to do a four-day week of placements and spend long weekends travelling! Close by there are interesting archaeological sites and the surfing town of Huanchaco, whilst further away destinations involving a night bus include the beautiful mountain city of Huaraz from which you can do amazing treks, including one to Laguna 69, a turquoise indescribably blue glacier lake that I would highly recommend and also the party beach town Mancora (where you have to stay in the famous Loki hostel!). Obviously you have the opportunity to go yo Cusco as well, but I would recommend spending more time here say at the end of your elective as it’s a beautiful city and there is so much to do in that area (I cannot recommend doing the full 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu enough – probably the best thing I have ever done and also would recommend to book it with G Adventures – more expensive but so worth it!). Also worthy to add on to the end your elective would be a trip to the Amazon jungle, Lake Titicaca and the Colca Canyon – there really are so many beautiful things to see in Peru.
In terms of the medical placements you can do, it is very flexible and Kevin will find something that suits you. It was challenging communicating in medical Spanish, but luckily we had Rocky, one of the doctors working with Kevin who can come and provide language support on your placement. Between practising Spanish with your host family, en route to your placement with the friendly taxi drivers and the intensive but fun afternoons of Spanish lessons, it is so rewarding to see your Spanish improve and to be able to get an insight into the Peruvian healthcare system. I would like to be a GP so one of my favourite parts was accompanying a doctor on home visits around the city, a real eye-opener!
All in all, my elective experience in Peru had it all – the lovely people, amazing vibrant country, learning a language and a good mix of travelling and medicine. I would highly recommend Kevin’s programme to anyone who wants the same things out of an elective!
Arno – Medicine, Monash University, Australia – (August, 2016)
We spoke with Arno regarding his home stay experience in Trujillo.
What were expectations of the living arrangements prior to arriving to Trujillo?
To be honest, I had just come from living in Bolivia in a homestay my expectations were quite low.
Briefly describe the setup of your specific living environment.
I had a private room with a single bed. Single bathroom. Full cupboard. Clean and tidy area.
Were you physically comfortable at home?
Yes, very much so.
Did you feel safe at home?
Yes, very safe. I never had any concerns.
Were there any restrictions or lacking resources that you wished you had available to you?
Nope. Literally, everything you needed was available. Even hot showers.
How many members were there in the host family?
Two, the host mother and father. There was also the housemaid/cook at this house. She would arrive each morning and stay until afternoon. At times, their son would also visit.
Did you feel comfortable communicating with the family members?
Yes. There weren’t great expectations of us to speak great Spanish, so there was no pressure in that regard. Prior to coming, I had a month of Spanish training which really helped with basic communication. The host father knew a bit of English, also.
Were there any pets in the home? If so, how did this affect your experience, if at all?
Yes, one amazing dog, named Ringo. I had a tough day at the hospital one day and when I returned and saw him it truly brightened my day. He is a very happy and outgoing dog.
Were there other students who stayed with you host family while you were there?
Yes, two other students at all times while I was there. They all had their own private rooms and bathroom, as well.
Where did you spend most of your time in the home?
Not counting my room, I spent a good amount of time around the breakfast and lunch table. I also spent time in the common area where you could relax and watch TV. But I was not home an awful lot because I attended the hospital in the mornings and Spanish classes in the afternoons.
What were your meal times?
Breakfast was around 7am before leaving to the hospital. Lunch was usually around one o’clock.
Did you have access to washing and drying clothes?
Yep! There was a washer machine available at all times. I used clotheslines on the terrace of the home to air dry them.
How did the location of the home impact your stay?
It was ideally located in a neighborhood that was walking range to grocery stores, restaurants, the gymnasium, and the school for our medical Spanish classes.
Timmy – Medicine, Liverpool – (July, 2016)
My experience during the medical electives programs was exactly what I was looking for in a Spanish immersion program. As a medic who is interested in languages, I was hoping to develop as much Spanish as I could so that I could make use of it in my profession in the future. I was also interested in seeing what the health care system was like in South America compared to England, where I attend school. Not only were both of these goals met, but there was much more about the program that made my experience great.
On weekdays, there were Spanish classes held each afternoon. These were wonderful, because there were separate teachers for each subdivision of Spanish, which kept things interesting over the stretch of hours. The teachers were dedicated to each of the students, and one was even individually assigned to me to help work on specific topics (Kevin, the director, was amazing at setting me up in the best position to meet the goals I had for this elective). This showed that the program truly desires for each student to get what they want out of their time spent here. I now know much more Spanish than I ever have, and in a great position to build upon what I have learned.
The time spent in the hospitals combined with the medical Spanish component of daily classes allowed me to gain a good sense of the similarities and differences of the health care system in Peru versus that of England. I also enjoyed observing surgeries and participating in clinics and consultations.
Other enjoyable aspects of the program were that I had a month-long membership to the gym, the host family was pleasant, the group of other students were a joy to be with, and the food was absolutely amazing! Weekends provided sufficient time to travel to the beach, mountains, or do other social activities. This added a good spice to my entire experience, because it allowed me to pick up on the culture and practice my Spanish in real life settings.
Carolyn – Resident in Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Hospital (June 2016)
I went to Peru with the hope of improving my Spanish – I had some background studying it in high school, and currently live in New Mexico, where many of my patients are Spanish-speakers. Before going to Trujillo, I was able to understand most things pretty well, but had a hard time expressing myself, especially with any semblance of good grammar. The Medical Electives program was everything I could have hoped. Since returning to the U.S.A., I now feel comfortable talking to my Spanish-speaking patients without an interpreter, and have been complimented several times by families saying that my Spanish is quite good.
Not only did I learn during the formal lessons, but also during the time I spent each morning in the pediatric ER working with the residents and doctors there. We talked about patient care, but also about a wide range of topics, which gave me the chance to practice speaking about everything ranging from food to sports and even politics (since I was there during the Peruvian election). Having this time to speak exclusively in Spanish and to listen to patients (who do not slow down their speech just because you are a foreigner) was essential to giving me more confidence in my language skills.
I also got the chance to travel with the other students nearly every weekend, and we shared many adventures together. Kevin helped us make travel arrangements, and the other teachers were more than happy to give recommendations about where to go and what to visit. We learned how to navigate the bus system, how to negotiate with tour guides and “taxistas”, and how to check in to hostels at 5 a.m. after an overnight bus ride. Even after the end of the formal program, I met up with two of the other students in Cusco to get lunch and spend more time with them, and went to Machu Picchu the next day with one of them. The friends I made from this program are dear to my heart, and though I may never get the chance to see some of them again I am fortunate to have met them.
I cannot think of a better way to have spent four weeks, and because of this program my ability to communicate and connect with patients has improved immensely. I only wish I could have spent more time there, and hope that someday I will be able to return and visit the friends that I made during that month.
Vivek – Medicine, Newcastle – (June, 2016)
Vivek, from Newcastle University in the UK offers some helpful information about surfing whilst on your elective in Trujillo.
The medical electives program based in Trujillo is a well-established program in a fantastic location in Peru. Surfing being a keen interest of mine, I jumped at the chance to undertake my Medical Elective after my fourth year in a Spanish-speaking country in a coastal city. Peru is without a doubt under-rated as a surfing destination; mentions of the longest wave (chicama!) float around the internet but apart from that Peru has managed to avoid the spotlight.
The water temperature during the winter months are warmer than the summer months in England, and most will be fine with a summer wetsuit. During Peru´s summer only boardshorts will be enough. No matter what time of the year the sun is intense so cover up with strong water proof sun-cream. The air temperature never gets cold during the day, however temperatures during the night/early morning may be a bit chilly so bring a jumper just in case.
Close to Trujillo is an abundance of left hand point breaks which provide a fantastic opportunity for beginners-intermediates to hone their skills; the waves are easy to catch and highly predictable. Further afield there are more challenging breaks for the more able surfer, with opportunities for tube riding!
Huanchaco is the closest break to Trujillo (40 minutes by bus which costs about 30p) and provides a good left hand point with punchy sections, and is also home to the reed boat fishermen. The town of Huanchaco has an active back-packer vibe and is an easy place to go for short day trips (or even half day trips) with options of seeing some pre-incan ruins on the way in Chan Chan. The beach is self is rocky in parts, but there is a sandy section past the pier suited for beginners. Keep an eye out for sea urchins when you´re getting in/outof the water!
Puerto Malabrigo is about a two and a half hour bus ride away, and home to Chicama the longest wave in the world! So long that a picture will most likely not feature all of the 2km+ wave. The village itself is a lot smaller than Huanchaco with less amenities, so I´d recommend stocking up in the supermarket before you leave for food provisions. There are places to hire boards and wetsuits, however these are limited so bring your own if you can. Note that you will get charged 5 soles more for a board on the bus which may get mishandled! There are places to get lessons here but I would recommend at least surfing once at Huanchaco to truly appreciate this wave. The current here is very strong but only takes you down the beach, so swimming isn´t an option here. Prepare for surfing with a martian landscape backdrop, long rides and long walks back to the point (the real reason they call this wave a leg-burner) or you can spend a bit of money on a boat that will taxi you back to the top like a ski lift! The beach itself is a huge golden sand beach, perfect for sun-bathing, in your down time.
Further afield we have other breaks such as Pacasmayo (Chicama´s bigger brother), Lobitos, Mancora which if you have time can be explored!
Kevin was great in giving information on how to get to and from surf spots, and always enthusiastic to hear about how the trip went.
Things to bring which you may not consider:
- Bring boots!! The water temperature is fine, the rocks, long walks (Chicama) and sea urchins (Huanchaco) are not. And you will not be able to buy boots out here.
- If you have a wetsuit bring it (especially if you´re at the extremes of the sizing range- there are limited options), a summer 3:2 wetsuit will be enough in their “winter months”
- You can buy boards out here, but there isn´t a great range of boards and they can be a bit beat up. And usually they won´t sell with a board bag which can result in a lot of dings due to careless bus staff.
- Bring fins and leash if you have them- these cost the same if not more than prices back at home due to import prices.
- Talk to people about what conditions work for the breaks around here- you´ll find that Magicseaweed may not be 100% accurate (who knew?!)
Michael – Medicine, Otago, New Zealand – (June, 2016)
This being the first time I’ve done any major travelling; I was glad to have chosen Medical Electives to do this with. This was a well-structured program with excellent learning opportunities and cultural experiences.
You would live with a home stay family. The location was excellent; the main elective centre, mall, gym and other students were all within walking distance. Even if you come alone, you will be well connected and will make some lasting friendships. You will definitely be well fed with authentic Peruvian cuisine.
In a typical day, the morning consisted of the clinical experience in a hospital. For me, this was an excellent opportunity to practise Spanish with patients. There were always consultants, even though they spoke minimal English, that wanted to include us in their teachings. I was exposed to a wide variety of specialties: emergency medicine, o/g, paediatrics, general medicine.
We had Spanish classes in the afternoon. There were sessions with each of the teachers. They all clearly have been teaching for quite a while because it was very easy to learn in these classes. Each teacher has their own unique style so I never was bored. Before coming here, I had minimal Spanish. After this trip, I definitely feel comfortable with having an easy conversation (albeit slowly) in Spanish.
Beside the main program, there were definitely plenty of opportunities to travel around in Peru. You definitely have a chance to be a tourist and the staff of the program were very accommodating in terms of this. Every weekend in Trujillo, we visited different places such as Huanchacho, Huaraz, Chiclayo. Kevin helped us quite a lot in this aspect with transport and accommodation.
Overall, I would recommend this program as it saved me a lot of hassle from organising my elective. The staff that ran this program were all very well organized and professional.
Kennedy – Medicine, Virginia – (Feb, 2016)
This medical Spanish immersion program provided me the most productive month-long experience that I have ever undertaken. My goals coming in were to lend as much medical assistance as I could while learning as much Spanish as possible. These expectations were exceeded, thanks to the design of the program.
Let’s start with Kevin, the director of Medical Electives. Easily one of the most approachable and accommodating people I have ever met. I arrived to Trujillo on the same day as two other students. Kevin picked each of us up from the airport, introduced us to our respective host families, and later met up with us to have lunch while going over the lay of the land and the day-to-day structure of the month ahead of us. He is an excellent resource, great to talk to, and completely dedicated to optimizing the experience of every student who enters the Medical Electives Spanish Immersion Program.
The scheduling was very well designed and amenable to the concept of remaining busy without burning out. On weekdays, breakfast would be prepared by 7am. Our driver would pick us up around 7:30am and have us dropped off at the hospital before 8am. Hospital time was roughly from 8am-12:30pm. Our driver would take us back to our residence (often, not before a special requested, tasty, post-work cremalada run) to ready ourselves for lunch at 1pm, which was prepared by the host mother or housekeeper. Classes began at 2:30pm and ended at 6:30pm. The remainder of the day was ours.
The hospital experience will vary based on the location. I was primarily located in the emergency sector of Hospital Regional Decente de Trujillo. I was given the opportunity to directly attend to patient needs, perform modest procedures or assist with crucial ones, and team build with residents, nurses and staff members. This, of course, helped to greatly elevate my Spanish-speaking ability.
Class time was amazing. It was very well structured and organized in such a way that best catered to each student. The classes were broken into conversational Spanish, vocabulary, grammar, and medical Spanish (for students with healthcare interests). There was a separate instructor for each class, and the instructors were all fabulous. Each were very relatable, innovative in their teaching styles, and totally committed to the progress of each student.
Peru is an awesome country to visit. There are so many landmarks with so much history. Our group enjoyed spending most weekends traveling and exploring various towns to get as comprehensive of an experience as possible. Trujillo, our home base, is a pleasant city with friendly locals. I thought it was very conducive location for meeting the needs and wants of the students. Ultimately, I found Peru to be the perfect place to fulfill the goals of medical immersion, Spanish speaking development, and enjoy oneself during free time!
-Kennedy
Kristen Nutritionist from Ohio, USA (February 2016)
Spending the past month with Medical Electives has been full of culture, learning Spanish, and new experiences. Kevin, the program director, went above and beyond to make sure every student was comfortable, safe and receiving the experience I was looking for. I would highly recommend this program to dietetic students or interns who are looking for a unique nutrition experience. In addition,this program is perfect for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who would like to improve their Spanish language skills while broadening their worldview and learning how to interact with peoples from different cultures. I sincerely enjoyed my time with this program, and now feel more confident in my ability to relay a nutrition message to a Spanish-speaking population.
My final week with Medical Electives was one to remember. I started off by working at the largest and newest hospital in all of northern Peru. Hospital Alta Complejidad is a 240-bed EsSalud facility that is located north of town. It is comparable to hospitals the the USA in terms of infrastructure and equipment. The nutrition team included 5 Nutritionists and 4 interns. I worked on various floors of the hospital and in the outpatient clinic. It was interesting for me to talk with the interns about their schooling and the similarities and differences between our education paths. Here, each nutrition undergraduate student completes a thesis during their dietetic internship. One of the interns was studying growth of different microtoxins in blueberries! The day that I spent with the outpatient nutritionist was particularly interesting. She routinely uses bioelectricalimpedance machine to evaluate her patient’s body water, fat and muscle percentages. I found some of the nutritionists’ recommendations very interesting. She told one patient to consume a detox-type drink that included celery, pineapple and water, before breakfast each day for 15 days in order to lower cholesterol levels. Another patient was struggling with taste changes related to chemotherapy and couldn’t tolerate any type of meat or eggs. The nutritionist recommended she purchase a glutamine supplement to increase her protein intake. Without having a solid background in nutrition, I probably wouldn’t have given these recommendations a second thought, but it is so fascinating to me how recommendations can be so different in other countries. After speaking with Kevin, I understand that the nutrition programs are not as science-based here, which translates into how the nutritionists practice.
My week progressed quickly, especially in Spanish class. Each student had to give a 20-minute presentation in Spanish over a medical topic of our choice. I chose to present on “Nutrición Mundial” or Global Nutrition. I discussed the major nutrition issues facing our world today, the nutrition status of Peru, and how nutrition care differs between the USA and Peru. Although I was very nervous, I was able to relay this information to my classmates and professors. We also took a final grammar/vocabulary exam, held a mini-graduation ceremony and celebrated with a Peruvian meal cooked by our professors. On the morning of our last day together, the police department offered to take our group on a tour of the Chan Chan ruins. We learned about the society that resided in Trujillo many years ago and marveled at their intricate artwork carved into the “adobe” sun-dried brick. The week couldn’t have ended on a more perfect note. I have grown to love the Peruvian people, my classmates and the food (minus the rice and potatoes) here in Peru. It was hard to say goodbye to all of my classmates, professors and host family.
Tyler PA-C from Virginia, USA (December 2015)
I cannot emphasize and resonate enough the great things that have already been said here about Medical Electives. Kevin has created an ideal environment for students of all medical specialties (as well as others) to truly immerse and learn as much as possible about Peruvian healthcare and culture while at the same time study Spanish in a unique language learning center.
I was fortunate enough to visit two of Trujillo’s hospitals in my four weeks with medical electives. While I opted for an emphasis on emergency medicine, the nature of the hospitals allowed me to visit and be welcomed into many different departments. I was able to see several ob/general/trauma surgeries and at the same time participate and practice Spanish in ambulatory departments as well as acute care and follow up. All of the doctors were very accommodating and having the opportunity to round on patients in Spanish (complete with gentle natured pimping) was a way to push my language learning to the limit.
The language center is amazing and exceedingly well structured. The teachers are all exceptional and extremely professional. Their dedication is easily apparent and their ability to keep four hours of class a day enjoyable speaks volumes as to their experience.
Trujillo is an ideal place to study abroad. It offers an authentic window into large urban living in Peru. There is nearby Huanchaco for relaxing on the beach. The opportunity to stay with a host family is another way to greatly improve language skills. The entire family that I stayed with welcomed me to their home and it is with nostalgia that I remember waking up every morning wondering how I might embarrass myself that day over a delicious home-cooked breakfast using my glaringly inept (to begin with) Spanish. By the end of the four weeks I was happy to have moved from making a fool of myself with my words and replacing that with the still lacking physical prowess required to play football as well as Peruvians.
Lastly I want to mention the perhaps lesser acknowledged role Medical Electives takes. Kevin adopts many projects outside of making sure the programs of several simultaneous students run smoothly. He, along with the team of teachers, does amazing work in providing aid to the impoverished in Peru. He is a person whom is truly “on the ground” and he and Rocky both genuinely return actual tangible results to the community around them.
This testimonial is only a fraction of thanks and praise I have for Kevin, Elvis, Rocky, my host family, the amazing Spanish instructors as well as the doctors and staff at El Regional and La Florencia.
Thanks again,
Tyler Prewett PA-C
Emily – Medicine – Edinburgh (Dec. 2015)
I spent 2 months with Kevin and the rest of the team before Christmas. Like all of the other testimonials on here I genuinely can’t do the program justice through a couple of paragraphs. Everything about the program, from the very first email I sent Kevin when I was considering this program, right through to the very last day was absolutely superbly organised and catered for and absolutely don’t think I could have had a more rewarding elective anywhere.
While deciding what I wanted to do for my elective I was looking for something that was a bit different, I was less interested about the actual medicine side of things as I think a large proportion of students that I know treat the elective as a bit more of a chance to experience new things, visit new places and meet new people, but what really made me pick the program was the brilliant opportunity to learn Spanish. The program was perfectly suited to this with the mornings spent in hospital and the afternoon language classes. This generally was an hour spent in conversation class with all of the students, then grammar and vocabulary and finally medical Spanish. The teachers were all fabulous – Rocky got us reading Spanish medical papers by the end and I loved every single lesson with Elvis who was so kind and patient and funny. We got so good we even took to singing Beyoncé and Shakira in the local kareoke bar! (Do you know she does a ‘If I were a boy’ Spanish version?!)
The family that I lived with also truly made my trip, I spent my 2 months with Betty and Antonio, in a beautiful house 5 minutes from the school. Here we were made to feel so welcome and as though we were part of the family, not just guests and it was so nice to have my Spanish improve so much that one night we sat and discussed politics till the early hours, as when I arrived I couldn’t even ask Betty if she’d had a night day! Pina also made my time in Peru so much more incredible too, she works at Betty and Antonio’s house and would prepare us huge delicious lunches everyday. She has the biggest, friendliest smile of anyone I have ever met and was completely invaluable in my Spanish learning and became a true friend.
To summarise, everyone I met on this program – the teachers, my family, William the taxi driver, the other students and all of the locals were some of the nicest people I have ever met, in all the travels that I’ve done. I felt safe and reassured in everything I did, including the weekends we would spend exploring the beautiful places Peru has to offer. I’m a firm believer in thinking that experiences are formed mostly by people, not just places – and Peru, Trujillo and fundamentally Kevin and his family combined people and places in such a perfect way. I saw lots, learnt lots and can’t wait to come back once I start earning money!
I genuinely couldn’t recommend this program more to anyone and I’m so thankful that this was how I chose to spend my elective!
Lisa, PA-C from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. (Sept-Nov 2015)
Hi, my name is Lisa Hoemeke and I came to Medical Electives after graduating from PA school in the U.S. My time with Medical Electives was truly an experience of a lifetime! I planned to come for 5 weeks, but extended my stay to 10 weeks. After graduating from PA school in Chicago, Illinois, I was searching online for an immersion Medical Spanish program in Central or South America that would also offer clinical/hospital experience. In Chicago, throughout my clinical rotations in PA school, I repeatedly encountered Spanish-speaking patients and would frequently have doctors asking me to interpret with my quite limited Spanish, because the need was so great. I read up on many programs, but from the moment I began communication with Medical Electives, I knew that it was unique in that it offered everything I was looking for in a program abroad. The director, Kevin Hurley, may just be one of the kindest, most thoughtful individuals I have ever met. I believe that his hard work and commitment to the work that he does makes Medical Electives a truly special program. His thoughtfulness is consistently manifested in his dedication to creating optimal experiences not only for his students but also for the healthcare provided in Peru. He volunteers his time to work with the local healthcare system and government officials for multiple international healthcare initiatives, playing a crucial role for these campaigns and also offering a wonderful opportunity for students in his school. I feel honored to have participated in a campaign and to have had this incredible experience all around with Medical Electives.
The team at the school, including Rosa, Kevin’s assistant, and the Spanish teachers—Rocky, Elvis and Anna—are not only exceptional teachers but amazingly supportive every step of the way. Together, they made me and all of the students feel so comfortable and supported both with learning Spanish and, equally important, with our overall experience in Trujillo. From the moment I met the team and my homestay mother (I stayed at the home of Ana and Oswaldo), I felt so very much at home. Ana, my homestay mother, was not only the best cook, but also such a lovely, caring person—whether expressing interest in my daily experiences or helping me with Spanish homework during lunch (I would tease her that she should teach classes at the school because she was really a great teacher). I truly felt spoiled by her in the most wonderful way. We only spoke Spanish together, which was important to me for the immersion experience and added so much to my learning of Spanish.
My clinical experience with Medical Electives, working with Dr. Caballero in the Emergency Department and in General Surgery consultation at Hospital Regional, was equally satisfying and rewarding. While amply challenging at times, both with respect to Spanish, the level of trauma in the E.R. and some of the “hands on “ experience, the whole time I felt very much accepted as part of the team of local medical students, interns and residents. Dr. Caballero loved teaching and made an added effort to make me feel welcomed. It was an experience that was not only educational with respect to medicine and Spanish, but added so much to my understanding of a very different health care system. I was also very fortunate to get to spend one week with a U.S. visiting surgical team (ISHI- International Surgical Health Initiative), not only getting to assist in surgery consults, H&Ps and surgery, but also getting to function as one of the primary interpreters for a team of 20+ (before coming to Medical Electives my Spanish skills would not have been adequate for this and, without a doubt, my experience with Medical Electives gave me the experience and confidence to feel that I could actually function as an interpreter). This experience and getting to feel part of team with a shared mission was so invaluable for me. It also afforded me the opportunity to work very closely with local nurses and other staff at Clinica Madre de Cristo in Trujillo. This, again, felt like an experience of a lifetime.
I cannot complete this testimonial without adding how much I appreciated getting to be classmates in Spanish classes with students from all over the world—just one more cross-cultural aspect that made the whole experience that much more mind opening and valuable and that much more fun. This combined with living in Trujillo, a city filled with culture, museums, wonderful restaurants and surrounded by more than ample locations near and far to visit, allowed for both venturing out on my own and, at times, with classmates. Whether it was visiting the archeological ruins of Chan Chan or Huaca de la Luna y el Sol, sandboarding in Conache, or surfing in Huanchaco, all nearby Trujillo, or embarking on surf lessons in Mancora (a 9 hour bus ride to the north but well worth it for the lovely beach resort, amazing surf, the opportunity to swim with tortoises and soak in the natural hot springs), the adventures were endless! Many other classmates also traveled to the mountains, to Macchu Pichu and even the jungle….there really is something for every interest.
Clearly, I cannot say enough positives about Medical Electives. I am just so grateful for the experience and to the entire team. Trujillo and the school will always have a special place in my heart. I have shared with Kevin that I am happy to talk personally to anyone with questions for a prior student. As someone who has never written a testimonial for anything, this experience was just too great to not want to share and give well-deserved accolades.
Phoebe from Notre Dame, Australia (Nov. 2015)
I recently spent my four week elective with Medical Electives in Trujillo, Peru and cannot speak highly enough of my experience. I stayed with Betty and Antonio, a very lovely couple made us feel at home. Kevin was very friendly and approachable and went out of his way to make sure we were happy and made the most of our experience.
The first week of my trip coincided with a medical mission by a group of surgeons and nurses from the United States, and the other elective students and I were welcomed into the team. The week was a busy one, but a fantastic opportunity to practise our rudimentary Spanish and help out with administration and in theatres. By the end of the week we all had a feeling that we had made a meaningful contribution to the mission and met a group of wonderful people, both visiting and local staff. Ziad, the mission leader, also ensured that we were having a valuable experience and catered our jobs to our particular interests.
The next three weeks of my elective took on a different pace, with mornings at Florencia de Mora hospital and afternoons at Spanish classes in the electives centre. Every morning William, our designated taxi driver, would pick us up and our trip to hospital would be filled with lessons on Peruvian slang, the different dishes we needed to try and the most popular local music. One morning we made a pit stop to try a special local tea on the way to hospital.
At Florencia de Mora Hospital, Rocky and the hospital director Dr Ruben always ensured we had somewhere interesting to go. I spent most of my time in theatres watching Caesareans, but also spent time in pre-natal clinic, as well as in the Paediatrics clinic. Our two hour lunch break was enough time to go to the gym or relax at home, before being treated to the most delicious meals cooked by Pina, our house maid. Our afternoons were then spent only a five minute walk away at Spanish classes. The relaxed atmosphere and our talented, patient teachers (Rocky, Elvis and Ana) made the afternoons the perfect way to improve our very rudimentary Spanish and have lots of laughs. Kevin and our teachers also organized activities, including an excursion to the markets, and Friday afternoons were either cooking or salsa classes, and there was plenty of opportunity to perfect our Pisco Sour making skills.
The month I spent in Trujillo flew by and I was very sad to leave all the wonderful people I’d met, but I have so many great memories of my time in Peru and would highly recommend the experience to medical students interested in South America.
Rachael from Cairns Australia (Oct. 2015)
Hi! My name is Rachael Lay and I am a final year medical student from Cairns Australia. I recently completed a four week placement in Trujillo Peru with Medical Electives where I was able to gain an authentic experience of Peruvian life whilst undergoing clinical placement at Florencia Hospital.
Our days were well structured, with hospital in the mornings followed by Spanish classes in the afternoons. Whilst at the hospital, we were encouraged to actively participate in clinical experiences and I thoroughly enjoyed the home visits – otherwise known as padome – which allowed us to engage in interaction with local Peruvian patients in the comfort of their own homes. We also had Rocky, a local Peruvian medical student who acted as our translator. This proved to be immensely useful particularly as Spanish was an entirely new language for me.
Speaking of, each day we had four hours of Spanish classes which were structured in an interactive and engaging way. Classes encompassed grammar and vocabulary skills, every day conversation and medical Spanish. During some of the classes, we also learnt how to make authentic Peruvian specialties such as aji de gallina and Pisco sours.
The Spanish teachers were excellent, highly encouraging and motivating and were incredibly patient! They worked extremely well as a team and together, made it possible for me to learn a new language in a country and culture completely different to that of my own.
With regards to the accommodation, i stayed with a host family in a house close-by to the medical electives centre with two other medical students. Our host family were incredibly welcoming and made our stay in Trujillo so easy. We were provided with breakfast and lunch each day and were each given our own private bedrooms with an ensuite.
Overall, I found that my placement in Trujillo was a great opportunity for learning Spanish and getting a basic feel for the particular health care needs of Peruvian people. My experience was made worthwhile by the range of people that I met during my time, from Rocky – our translator and adventure travel buddy – to the lovely staff at the local coffee shop (Mr. Gabo, who make delicious alfajores), to William our taxi driver who collected us each day from the hospital and helped teach us Peruvian slang and introduced us to local Peruvian music.
I left Trujillo with plenty of good memories that will stay with me for a long time yet!
Krishanthy from Australia (Oct. 2015)
Hello,
My name is krishanthy thayalan and I am a final year medical student who completed a four week placement at Trujillo. It was a multidimensional experience where you truly are engulfed into the Peruvian culture between the time spent at my home stay, Spanish classes and at Florencia hospital.
Of these experiences, Spanish classes were by far the most invaluable experience with a great team of teachers who worked amazingly together to target for key components of Spanish learning, vocabulary, conversation, Grammar and medical Spanish. Each of these as important as the other, the teachers were keen and friendly during class and in extracurricular activities which were held such as a weekend at a country house and weekly activities, such as Peruvian cooking classes and cocktail making.
The home stay was very welcoming with a lovely host family, their dog and their maid who made the most amazing food and cleaned our rooms daily. The family made us feel so welcome and as if we were a part of the family and it was our own house, to the degree to which being homesick was almost impossible.
It was a well organized elective and I would recommend the Spanish classes and home stay option to anyone considering an elective here.
Jon from Cambridge – Ophthalmology (Sept. 2015)
When I planned my elective, my aims were to practice ophthalmology and to go to South America to improve my Spanish. Medical Electives was an obvious choice as they offered a nice mix of clinical experience and language teaching, as well as the opportunity to stay with a local family in Trujillo. I stayed in Trujillo for 7 weeks, during that time Kevin and everyone else at Medical Electives were more helpful than I could ever have expected, making every effort to improve my experience.
I was placed in the Instituto Regional de Oftalmologia, which handles ophthalmology referrals from all over the north of Peru. The hospital offers a wide range of clinics, including a general clinic handling almost every new presentation to the hospital from which patients are referred to one of the specialist clinics. The institute also has 5 theatres, and the surgeons were always helpful in explaining the procedures I was observing.
The Spanish lessons were extremely enjoyable, and much needed as I arrived with only basic Spanish. I initially struggled to communicate with the doctors, but with constant practice and teaching every afternoon I soon improved. The teachers (Rocky, Elvis and Anna) were always enthusiastic, and made sure that every lesson was entertaining. The lessons were also a good opportunity to get to know the other students placed elsewhere in Trujillo, and we were able to organise several weekend trips with the help of Kevin (who was always helpful in arranging transport and providing lifts)!
Being in Trujillo also gave me the chance to explore the north of Peru, and I spent weekends in Huaraz (which is stunning, particularly if you’re willing to walk into the mountains) and Cajamarca. The beaches of Chicama and Huanchaco were also well worth a visit, as no trip to the area would be complete without a meal of ceviche and pisco sours while looking out over the Pacific.
I’ll always remember my time in Peru, and the people that made it so special.
Alex – Nutrition Program – (Sept 2015)
Participating in the Nutrition Electives program in Trujillo was an amazing experience, one that not only gave me so many new and enlightening perspectives but solidified my desire to become a dietitian. Everyday was an opportunity to immerse myself in Peruvian culture and learn countless lessons about working with people from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds than myself.
I spent two weeks at the community based hospital and two weeks in a more clinically focused hospital. Both hospitals provided an opportunity to work first hand with seasoned dietitians as well as patients and members of the community. Everyday would differ whether it was helping prepare presentations for members of the community, observing hospital rounds in order to update patients dietary requirements, or sitting in and aiding in nutritional consultations, there was something new to learn everyday!
I came to Peru knowing very little Spanish but with the generous help and patience of the dietitians and other hospital staff as well as the support of the Spanish teachers and my host family I found that learning Spanish as I went was a totally feasible and effective way to quickly learn a new language.
Being able to go to the hospital every morning and Spanish class every afternoon during the week plus having a chance to go on numerous weekend trips around the country made my experience in Peru incredibly worthwhile and well-rounded. This included going surfing in Chicama, participating in health campaigns in Huanchaco, going on breathtaking hikes in Huaraz and even having dinner at house of the incredibly generous hospital director!
The Medical Electives program was very organized, with tons of advice and help from Kevin, friendly and helpful Spanish teachers, loving and generous host families, and great relationships at the hospitals. I wish I could have stayed longer in Peru, but those five weeks were a once in a life time experience that I recommend for anyone interested in enhancing their dietetic experiences as well continuing to become a more well rounded person!
Jordan´s Health care Management Program – (August 2015)
I just wanted to start off by saying that the internship for hospital administration was, for me, the most valuable educational experience I have ever had.
I truly learned what it was like to be a hospital administrator in the country of Peru. Not only, was I able to work hand in hand with the CEO and actually make decisions for the hospital, but I had the privilege to work alongside with the Director of the corporation of EsSalud. I was able to complete projects to improve patient experience for the hospital; I gave a PowerPoint training to the Quality and Assurance department and also to the Director of Nursing and their staff.
The ability to learn the processes of how the hospital and corporation works, was truly intriguing and in fact I am writing a paper on it. Being in the hospital administration it gives you such a wide variety of fields to labor in. For example, if you love math, working with the CFO and the finance side of things would be a perfect internship. Also, I worked with the head of Public Relation for the entire system of the north of Peru and so if you like that aspect of hospital administration then that would be a perfect place for you. I highly, highly, highly recommend anyone and everyone who is serious about healthcare systems and hospitals and really making a difference in the world to do this internship with Medical Electives.
I cannot thank enough, the Director of Medical Electives, Kevin Hurley, for all of his hard work and diligence to help further my education and give back to the city of Trujillo. You really can make a difference there, and your voice is heard. But you also learn an immense amount of knowledge on how to run a hospital. It’s a unique experience that you will not be able to find anywhere else in the world. I hope to go back someday and do it again. It was well worth it. If anyone reading this testimonial ever needed or wanted to talk to someone about it then definitely contact Kevin and he can give you my email address for more information for a first hand take on how amazing it was. Thanks so much Medical Electives!
Katia from Penn State Hershey Children´s Hospital (Aug.2015)
I spent 4 weeks in Trujillo, Peru doing the Medical Electives Medical Spanish Program as an away elective rotation during my final year of residency. Although I had studied up to an Intermediate Spanish level during high school and college, I was not comfortable conversing with native Spanish speakers. I was looking for a immersion experience, and that is exactly what Medical Electives provided. After finishing residency, I now practice in an area with a large Spanish speaking population. As a result of my training in Peru, I am very comfortable performing a medical visit in Spanish without the need of a translator. I also have a greater understanding of the cultural beliefs that contribute to their understanding of disease and medical treatment.
The program was well organized. All of the staff at Medical Electives were great. I really enjoyed living with a local host family. There were a lot of local attractions for site seeing during free time on the weekends. I also had the opportunity to be part of a healthcare campaign in an impoverished town, which I really enjoyed.
Doing the Medical Electives Medical Spanish Program was one of the most useful rotations that I did during residency. The experience and skills that I gained as a result are very useful and applicable in the healthcare profession.
Isaac from Rocky Vista University (May 2015)
“I cannot say enough about my time with Medical Electives! It was beyond what I expected. Honestly, it is hard to think of anything negative to say. The staff are really there for you from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. During the weekends, I spent my time traveling, surfing, and trekking. My time at the Hospital Regional was a lot of work and certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone, but the physicians, nurses, and medical students I was working with were kind and patient. I was impressed by the knowledge of the Peruvian medical professionals and learned a lot during my time there. I made friends that I will have for life. My host family was wonderful. And the best food in Trujillo was in my host mom’s, Ana’s, kitchen. As to improving my Spanish, when I started the program I really knew nothing. By the time my 4 weeks were over, I felt very comfortable jumping in a taxi or walking into a store/restaurant by myself and communicating effectively. The Spanish teachers at Medical Electives push you, but work hard to meet you where you are at and help you improve. I recommend Medical Electives. You will not be disappointed.”
Max – Medical Anthropologist (Feb. 2015)
I happened upon Medical Electives rather unexpectedly, and am fortunate for having found the program. I am a medical researcher doing work in Trujillo, and roughly a week before moving here I searched online for a Spanish course and discovered the Medical Electives Network. I immediately benefited from the language program, which is built around three courses (General Spanish, Medical Spanish, and a Community Health Course) structured on a rotational basis depending on students’ level of difficulty. The instructors—Cinthia, Rocky, and Elvis, respectively—tailor each class to students’ specializations and interests, creating a supportive learning environment conducive to building vocabulary and improving conversational skills rapidly. The General Spanish course filled in many gaps in my knowledge and helped develop my confidence as a Spanish-speaker, while the Medical Spanish and Community Health courses introduced me to various health challenges faced by residents of Trujillo’s developing districts, which was extremely valuable for my investigations.
In addition to the courses, the Medical Elective program provides a practical, cultural perspective towards life in Trujillo. I genuinely enjoyed participating in many of the extracurricular activities, whether that included learning about the local gastronomy, taking salsa dance lessons, or discovering Trujillo’s cultural history at museums in the historic district. Even more so, most of the students at Medical Electives are students and young professionals from various places throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States, so on top of learning Spanish and Peruvian culture, I also had the chance to share my experiences with some great people from around the world.
Trujillo is an exciting city to live in, replete with all the modern conveniences one would expect, while also offering opportunities to discover diverse ways of life. The school is located near three of Trujillo’s universities, and has a college-town vibe. I elected to live in a home stay with a Peruvian family, which was also really helpful for improving my conversational Spanish. My Peruvian parents were tremendously warm and hospitable, and since their children were around my age, the entire household embraced me as a member of the family. There are other options available in terms of living arrangements, but I would strongly recommend going with the home stay option.
Overall, my experience with Medical Electives was enormously favorable. I’m still living in Trujillo working on my research, and Kevin and the instructors are always quick to welcome me back to relax, enjoy a meal, and meet new students. If I could choose only one way I’ve benefited from Medical Electives, beyond giving me a solid foundation in Spanish and a caring, helpful support network, it’s that they helped me find my confidence as a Spanish speaker, which is not something easily gained. I would recommend Medical Electives to any student or professional interested in improving their medical Spanish in a great and supportive learning environment.
Django from Sydney University (Feb. 2015)
I had a fantastic time with medical electives in Trujillo. it was exactly what i was looking for and my elective with Kevin and his team filled all my expectations. I wanted to learn Spanish, have an authentic experience living in Peru, make new friends, meet people and learn some medicine while having a great time.
I stayed in Trujillo for 4 weeks. during this time i was in a little hospital called Florencia, situated near the one of the poorer areas of Trujillo called Alto Trujillo. In Florencia the day was whatever i decided to make of it. I would arrive early in the morning in a car with the other medical students and Gali (our awesome, hilarious driver), then hang out with Dr Ruben, the director of the hospital for about an hour practicing Spanish while we decided where would be the best place to go on that day. i got along particularly well with the surgical team so i drifted in and out of whatever surgeries interested me, but i also did some obstetrics, gynaecology, general medicine and home visits with the director of family medicine. the staff were very welcoming, friendly, answered all my questions enthusiastically and encouraged me to get involved with whatever was happening. Dr Ruben was probably the highlight of the hospital. I loved spending the mornings talking with him, listening to stories and telling jokes. On my last day he took me and my friend Ben out to lunch and we spent the whole afternoon getting fat on delicious Peruvian food and laughing.
My afternoons were spent learning Spanish at the medical electives language school where I had three great teachers; Cinthia, Elvis and Rocky. Class was small, intimate, I learnt lots and got along really well with my teachers. They were kind when I made mistakes but always corrected them, encouraged me to learn new words and made the effort to make every class exciting, interesting and challenging. I was amazed by their dedication to us and it was so wonderful to build a friendship with our teachers.
I definitely recommend staying with a host family. My host mother, Ana, was one of the kindest warmest people i have ever met. Waking up to have breakfast with her was one of the highlights of my day, an excellent way to learn about Peruvian culture and she taught me so much Spanish. I felt at home, safe and excited about each meal and each day. When it was time for me to go home Ana drove me to the bus station and it was very sad to part but we will try to be pen pals.
One of the best parts of Medical electives is the other students. Meeting doctors and medical students from other countries, going out together on weekends, learning together, struggling through Spanish together and sharing the incredible experience of living in another country was very special and i hope i will have made some long term friendships.
What Kevin Hurley and his team is doing is fantastic. Much of the proceeds from medical electives is fed back into the community to organise free medical and surgical treatment for the local people, and in a few years when I am a qualified doctor with some experience under my belt i plan to come back and work with medical electives again. “
Charlotte from University of Sheffield (Oct. 2014)
I heard about medical electives through two of my friends in the year above, Merna and Ben who both have testimonials. They told me so much about it, and both had a wonderful experience. I also wanted to go on elective to a place in the North of Peru so I could travel at weekends as I would be travelling south after my Elective.
I spent 6 weeks with medical electives from the 1st June 2014 to mid-July. My elective was at the hospital regional docente de Trujillo. I spent 2 weeks shadowing the interns and doctors on the obstetrics and gynaecology wards, to improve my Spanish. I then had a month with the general surgical team. My time was divided between the ward, trauma and surgical emergencies and theatre.
The placement was fantastic. Back home we often feel like spare parts on the ward, but at regional the students, interns and doctors ensured I felt welcome and part of the team. The teaching on the ward rounds was excellent. Although it was quite daunting at first, my Spanish rapidly got better and I was able to understand everything that was happening. The students from the local university and the interns were great at translating and teaching me Spanish, I wouldn’t have managed without them, we made friends and spent time outside of the hospital together and are still in touch today.
I cannot thank Kevin Hurley enough, as soon as I registered my interest in coming to Trujillo, he was in contact constantly helping me to decide which placements would be best for me, booking flights and coaches. He was there every step of the way, even picking me up and taking me around the city to get my bearings and introducing me to the other students in the programme. He is extremely busy but throughout the whole placement he always found the time to go for a coffee and sort and problems I had, help us organise our travels, or just have a catch up. He also does so much for the community, with profits from the school being put into campaigns and projects all around Trujillo. We went every Thursday to a free clinic in Florencia, where medical electives helps give free health care and advice to the local community, who couldn’t afford it otherwise. And I know Kevin has other wonderful projects in the pipeline.
Kevin and the lovely teachers Cynthia, Elvis and Rocky made the school feel like a family. The teachers are brilliant. I had GCSE Spanish but had long forgotten it and I struggled to order ask for water on the flight over, but due to the excellent classes at the school, I came away with intermediate Spanish. Every student loves Cynthia, rocky and elvis and that’s because they invest so much time in you and believe in you, giving extra lessons to those who need it, when they don’t have to. That and they are wonderful people who you can’t not become friends with. I particularly enjoyed our Thursday classes where we would do a fun activity: dance class, cooking class, making pisco and watching films in Spanish, trips to huanchaco beach for cerviche and a history tour of the town. All were so much fun.
I loved my homestay. Edda, Carlos and Gustavo, made me feel at home, the house was beautiful and so big. I had my own room which was spacious and the other two students and I shared our own bathroom. Edda would make us breakfast and lunch each day, traditional Peruvian food. She’d teach us what is was called and the ingredients and in my opinion her food was better than any restaurants in Peru. She made us all part of the family, we even celebrated her birthday with her family and friends.
Travelling on my own was daunting, but I needn’t have been worried as the other students were all lovely and I made so many friendships that I hope will continue. We travelled together at weekends and I can definitely recommend going to Huaraz and Cajamarca! In huaraz stay at hostel ezama, it is family run and Emilio really looks after you, he gave us two nights and the day after for the price of one night, he booked horse riding and the laguna 69 trek (most beautiful sight- you should definitely go!) for us. Cajamarca is a wonderful place. We got straight of the coach (which in peru are like planes inside) and went straight to the Inca baths which were the best baths in peru, the top aguas calientes. we went to cumbemayo, ventillas de otuzco and went on a hike to the waterfalls at llacanora and nearby puma caves. I can recommend the hike the sights were stunning and a taxi for 4 of us there cost 20soles and we got a combi back for 1sole each from the caves. The caves according to the lady in the combi do indeed have pumas, luckily we didn’t see any! Also make sure you spend lots of time at huanchaco beach, the surfing and cerviche is the best. Huaca del luna y del sol, after machu picchu was my favourite historical site, and it really doesn’t get enough press. Chan chan was also excellent I felt like Indiana jones running around there its sheer size is amazing. And if you like horses the paso horses at buenos aires were incredible, they do a show everyday at 1.30pm and its better than dressage.
I really enjoyed my elective in Trujillo, thanks to Medical Electives. Going on to travel most of Peru, I can safely say Trujillo is my favourite city. For me it became a home away from home, and I can’t wait to come back for a campaign. If you have any questions about Trujillo or travelling around Peru, Kevin has my email and I am always happy to get in touch.
Lots of Love
Charlotte Holmes
Ben from the University of Sheffield
I am a fourth year medical student from the University of Sheffield in the UK with an interest in ophthalmology. I travelled to Peru with my friend and fellow med student Merna. For the first 3 weeks we worked at Hospital Belen in paediatrics and emergency medicine respectively and stayed in the electives centre. After this we travelled for one week to see Machu Pichu, lake Titicaca, and Colca Canyon in Arequipa. After this I went back to Trujillo and stayed with a homestay family and did two weeks at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology.
Needing an elective and running out of time, I got really lucky when I typed in “Medical Electives” in Google and randomly clicked on the Medical Electives Network website. I always thought South America would be an interesting continent to live and work and I also really like llamas so a medical elective in Peru definitely appealed to me. What caught my attention even more was the unique ophthalmology elective that was advertised. I had previously trained as an optometrist before deciding to study medicine as a mature student and so was quite keen on the specialty.
Packing some summer clothes and knowing only how to say “Good Morning” and “Thank you” in Spanish, we set off for Peru. Arriving in the evening I soon realised that it was winter over here. Despite being so ill prepared, we could not have hoped for a better host in Kevin who on the first day showed us around the city of Trujillo and prepared us for what to expect at hospital.
There was very little English spoken in hospital so the first week was very difficult for me. The Spanish lessons taught by two really good teachers- Elvis and Isabelle, really helped though. Being immersed in Spanish constantly and being forced to speak it meant that I learnt a lot faster than I thought I would.
During this time we made up a group of 8 students in total from America and Australia and we made the most of our free time by visiting the Andes, Surfing and doing other touristy things, which I think are described better in another blog on this website written by Merna.
El Instituto Regional de Oftalmologia (IRO) is one of the leading centres for ophthalmology in Peru and the building and facilities are very impressive. I started IRO after being in Peru for 4 weeks; I was also living with a Peruvian family so my Spanish had improved somewhat. As the first student to ever do a placement at IRO I was quite nervous as no-one really knew what to expect there. I had nothing to worry about however as all the staff from the doctors, nurses and admin staff were extremely welcoming and friendly. The fact that I was the only student there worked to my advantage, I was able to attend whichever clinic I wanted and see any operations I was interested in. The director of the institute- Dr Jaime Huaman, also gave me an interview allowing me to ask all about the institute and also answered any questions I had about health and the healthcare system in Peru.
IRO is also affiliated with international charities such as ORBIS and organises its own health campaigns in rural and less developed parts of the region. I felt very privileged to view first-hand the exciting work taking place at IRO and would recommend this placement to anyone looking for an interesting and slightly different Peruvian elective.
