Well you've studied Spanish for a while, and are doing pretty well in the classroom.  Isn't it time that you put your knowledge to practical use?  You could choose to study abroad... moving from one classroom to another.  Or you could plunge into the real world, using what you've learned in a real-world situation, and improving your language skills at a rate you could never match in the classroom.  An essential component of any well-designed curriculum, internships are proving to be an exceptional motivational and practical experience for students and professionals alike. What's more, the fact that you've had the independence, openness, and curiosity to undertake an internship in a foreign country is great for the resume.   It says a lot about you as a potential employee or graduate student.

We organize unpaid internships for college and university students, recent graduates and those professionals wishing to benefit from international experience in their field.  We have many inquiries about medical internships for pre-med students.  We have developed a number of contacts in clinics and hospitals throughout Ecuador.

Quito

Quito is the capital of Ecuador nestled high in an Andean Valley just a few miles from the Equator. Quito's history stretches back to the first millennium. When the Spanish arrived in 1526, Quito was a well developed Incan city. The city was razed to the ground by the Incan General Ruminahui in 1533 to prevent the Spanish from taking the city. The Spanish founded the present city of Quito on the ruins of the ancient city the following year. Today Quito is a bustling, dynamic city of over 2 million. ELI works with a variety of clinics and hospitals in Quito to create internships for health students wishing to improve their Spanish while gaining valuable experience. Interns will have no diagnostic or medical responsibilities unless they are qualified to practice medicine in Ecuador. 

Charity Clinics accept interns wishing to learn more about general practice and the challenges that Ecuador's poor face in obtaining basic medical care. These clinics place a focus on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Pediatrics hospital--ELI works with the largest pediatrics hospital in Ecuador. Interns with this program will shadow the doctors and nurses in order to learn more about the practice of pediatric medicine in Ecuador. Participants are also encouraged to give back to the hospital and the parents of the patients by spending time with the patients and designing appropriate activities to encourage the children educationally and motivate the children to excel in school once they are well enough to leave the hospital.

Private hospital--ELI works with one of the leading private research hospitals in Ecuador to create placements for students in medical school and students who have graduated and are in the medical school application process. Participants at this placement can work in the areas of OB/GYN, cardiology, intensive care, out patient care, genetic research, pathology, or the clinical laboratory. Interns with this program will start by shadowing the hospital staff and will be given more responsibilities as the hospital staff feels is appropriate.

Otavalo

Otavalo is a small town about an hour north of Quito on the Pan-American Highway nestled in the peaks of the dramatic Andean Highlands and home to one of the most famous markets in South America: the Otavalo Saturday market. Most of Otavalo's residents are Quecha-speaking descendants of the Incas. Traditionally, the Quecha-speaking population of Ecuador has not received the same level of service from the Ecuadorian government as the Spanish speaking population, but the Ecuadorian government and other organizations are working to change this. ELI works with several clinics and hospitals in Otavalo to create programs for interns interested in learning more about the unique healthcare issues faced by Otavalo's residents while gaining clinical experience in a clinic or hospital in Otavalo. A big emphasis is placed on reproductive health and education. Interns working in Otavalo must be comfortable speaking Spanish on a consistent basis. Knowing any Quecha will be useful.    

El Puyo

Puyo is a town of about 25,000 on the eastern slope of the Andes overlooking the Amazon basin. Oil was discovered near Puyo in the 1970s and fueled dramatic growth along with dramatic environmental degradation. Now the town is working toward creating a more environmentally friendly basis for the economy focusing on ecotourism and sustainable forestry and agriculture. ELI works with several charitable clinics and public hospitals in this enchanting town to create internship opportunities for students interested in learning more about practicing medicine in an Amazonian town. These clinics place a focus on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Puerto Lopez and Portoviejo

Puerto Lopez is a quiet fishing village on the southern edge of Machalilla National Park. The park is the only coastal national park in Ecuador and protects seriously threatened coastal habitat. This is a great place to experience slow, tropical small town life. Portoviejo is Ecuador's 6^th largest city and the capital of Manabi province. The city is about two hours northeast of Puerto Lopez by bus. It is a busy trading center and not at all touristy. ELI works with several charitable clinics and public hospitals in Puerto Lopez and Portoviejo to create internship opportunities for students interested in learning more about practicing medicine in this incredibly diverse and fascinating region of Ecuador. The populations served by the clinics and hospitals are generally poor, and participants in the project will need to be prepared for the possibility of basic living conditions. These clinics provide much needed services by focusing on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora is on the island of Santa Cruz and the largest town on the islands. ELI works with the only public hospital in the Galapagos to create internships for students wanting to learn more about small town medicine in one of the most fascinating places on the islands. The hospital provides general care and emergency services to everyone in the Galapagos, but patients suffering from serious illnesses must be flown to Guayaquil for comprehensive treatment. Interns in Puerto Ayora will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, help with educational outreach programs, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Please note that the programs in the Galapagos have an additional cost of $115 for each two weeks because of the increased cost of living on the islands.  

Internships start with an interview in which you will discuss the direction you would like the internship to take with the doctor who will be supervising your internship.  During this interview, you will have the chance to discuss which areas interest you and how you can gain experience and help the hospital at the same time.

Language Requirement

Participants in these programs must have at least an intermediate level of Spanish proficiency for communication purposes. The clinics and hospitals have few staff members who are able to speak any English. Participants are also encouraged to brush up on their medical vocabulary in order to be prepared for the program.

Housing

Accommodation is with a local host family. Participants will be provided with their own room and breakfast and dinner each day.  

Program Includes

* Pre-departure information

* Pick up from the airport in Quito

* Orientation

* City tour

* Volunteer Position

* Accommodation

* Breakfast and Dinner each day

*24/7 emergency service

Program Does Not Include

*Round Trip Airfare

*Return Trip to Airport

*Required Travel and Medical Insurance 

*Travel within Ecuador

How to Apply

To apply for this program, please fill out the application and return it to us along with a copy of your resume or CV and the $100 application fee. This fee is non-refundable unless we are unable to make a placement for you.

You can send your application to us at:

ELI Associates

Well you've studied Spanish for a while, and are doing pretty well in the classroom.  Isn't it time that you put your knowledge to practical use?  You could choose to study abroad... moving from one classroom to another.  Or you could plunge into the real world, using what you've learned in a real-world situation, and improving your language skills at a rate you could never match in the classroom.  An essential component of any well-designed curriculum, internships are proving to be an exceptional motivational and practical experience for students and professionals alike. What's more, the fact that you've had the independence, openness, and curiosity to undertake an internship in a foreign country is great for the resume.   It says a lot about you as a potential employee or graduate student.

We organize unpaid internships for college and university students, recent graduates and those professionals wishing to benefit from international experience in their field.  We have many inquiries about medical internships for pre-med students.  We have developed a number of contacts in clinics and hospitals throughout Ecuador.

Quito

Quito is the capital of Ecuador nestled high in an Andean Valley just a few miles from the Equator. Quito's history stretches back to the first millennium. When the Spanish arrived in 1526, Quito was a well developed Incan city. The city was razed to the ground by the Incan General Ruminahui in 1533 to prevent the Spanish from taking the city. The Spanish founded the present city of Quito on the ruins of the ancient city the following year. Today Quito is a bustling, dynamic city of over 2 million. ELI works with a variety of clinics and hospitals in Quito to create internships for health students wishing to improve their Spanish while gaining valuable experience. Interns will have no diagnostic or medical responsibilities unless they are qualified to practice medicine in Ecuador. 

Charity Clinics accept interns wishing to learn more about general practice and the challenges that Ecuador's poor face in obtaining basic medical care. These clinics place a focus on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Pediatrics hospital--ELI works with the largest pediatrics hospital in Ecuador. Interns with this program will shadow the doctors and nurses in order to learn more about the practice of pediatric medicine in Ecuador. Participants are also encouraged to give back to the hospital and the parents of the patients by spending time with the patients and designing appropriate activities to encourage the children educationally and motivate the children to excel in school once they are well enough to leave the hospital.

Private hospital--ELI works with one of the leading private research hospitals in Ecuador to create placements for students in medical school and students who have graduated and are in the medical school application process. Participants at this placement can work in the areas of OB/GYN, cardiology, intensive care, out patient care, genetic research, pathology, or the clinical laboratory. Interns with this program will start by shadowing the hospital staff and will be given more responsibilities as the hospital staff feels is appropriate.

Otavalo

Otavalo is a small town about an hour north of Quito on the Pan-American Highway nestled in the peaks of the dramatic Andean Highlands and home to one of the most famous markets in South America: the Otavalo Saturday market. Most of Otavalo's residents are Quecha-speaking descendants of the Incas. Traditionally, the Quecha-speaking population of Ecuador has not received the same level of service from the Ecuadorian government as the Spanish speaking population, but the Ecuadorian government and other organizations are working to change this. ELI works with several clinics and hospitals in Otavalo to create programs for interns interested in learning more about the unique healthcare issues faced by Otavalo's residents while gaining clinical experience in a clinic or hospital in Otavalo. A big emphasis is placed on reproductive health and education. Interns working in Otavalo must be comfortable speaking Spanish on a consistent basis. Knowing any Quecha will be useful.    

El Puyo

Puyo is a town of about 25,000 on the eastern slope of the Andes overlooking the Amazon basin. Oil was discovered near Puyo in the 1970s and fueled dramatic growth along with dramatic environmental degradation. Now the town is working toward creating a more environmentally friendly basis for the economy focusing on ecotourism and sustainable forestry and agriculture. ELI works with several charitable clinics and public hospitals in this enchanting town to create internship opportunities for students interested in learning more about practicing medicine in an Amazonian town. These clinics place a focus on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Puerto Lopez and Portoviejo

Puerto Lopez is a quiet fishing village on the southern edge of Machalilla National Park. The park is the only coastal national park in Ecuador and protects seriously threatened coastal habitat. This is a great place to experience slow, tropical small town life. Portoviejo is Ecuador's 6^th largest city and the capital of Manabi province. The city is about two hours northeast of Puerto Lopez by bus. It is a busy trading center and not at all touristy. ELI works with several charitable clinics and public hospitals in Puerto Lopez and Portoviejo to create internship opportunities for students interested in learning more about practicing medicine in this incredibly diverse and fascinating region of Ecuador. The populations served by the clinics and hospitals are generally poor, and participants in the project will need to be prepared for the possibility of basic living conditions. These clinics provide much needed services by focusing on preventive medicine, women's health, and family practice. Interns at these clinics will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, observe surgeries, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora is on the island of Santa Cruz and the largest town on the islands. ELI works with the only public hospital in the Galapagos to create internships for students wanting to learn more about small town medicine in one of the most fascinating places on the islands. The hospital provides general care and emergency services to everyone in the Galapagos, but patients suffering from serious illnesses must be flown to Guayaquil for comprehensive treatment. Interns in Puerto Ayora will start by shadowing the doctors and nurses and will assist with tasks deemed appropriate by the clinic staff. In the past, participants have had the opportunity to assist with patient histories, help with educational outreach programs, and help with tasks such as taking vitals.

Please note that the programs in the Galapagos have an additional cost of $115 for each two weeks because of the increased cost of living on the islands.  

Internships start with an interview in which you will discuss the direction you would like the internship to take with the doctor who will be supervising your internship.  During this interview, you will have the chance to discuss which areas interest you and how you can gain experience and help the hospital at the same time.

Language Requirement

Participants in these programs must have at least an intermediate level of Spanish proficiency for communication purposes. The clinics and hospitals have few staff members who are able to speak any English. Participants are also encouraged to brush up on their medical vocabulary in order to be prepared for the program.

Housing

Accommodation is with a local host family. Participants will be provided with their own room and breakfast and dinner each day.  

Program Includes

* Pre-departure information

* Pick up from the airport in Quito

* Orientation

* City tour

* Volunteer Position

* Accommodation

* Breakfast and Dinner each day

*24/7 emergency service

Program Does Not Include

*Round Trip Airfare

*Return Trip to Airport

*Required Travel and Medical Insurance 

*Travel within Ecuador

How to Apply

To apply for this program, please fill out the application and return it to us along with a copy of your resume or CV and the $100 application fee. This fee is non-refundable unless we are unable to make a placement for you.

You can send your application to us at:

ELI Associates