Medical interns

Each year we receive interns to attend the rural clinics in the communities we work with, the Ángel Albino Corzo Basic Community Hospital in Jaltenango, and positions in the Right to Health Program.

ACADEMIC COURSE

During your social service with us, you will have a monthly course in Global Health and Social Medicine. This course will enhance your understanding of the social determinants of health and better prepare you for your work in marginalized rural communities.

CLINICAL TUTORING

Each intern is assigned to a supervisor, who works with them to enhance their strengths and improve their areas of opportunity. Through face-to-face and remote supervision, our supervisors help interns with complicated cases, as well as integration into their communities. In addition, resident physicians and volunteer specialists from around the world visit our interns and accompany them in consultation to discuss clinical cases and teach them about diagnostics and treatment.

EMPOWERED PRACTICE

Every patient encounter is an important learning experience. During your year of social service with us you will have the opportunity to put your knowledge into practice by working on the front line of health care in rural communities, the Basic Community Hospital or with the Right to Health program. Our healthcare innovation package plus the clinical referral tools we provide maximize the range of services interns can provide effectively and confidentially.

Living conditions

Transportation

In the highland region transportation service is irregular. For this reason and whenever possible, CES coordinates the transportation of interns and volunteers with the organization’s vehicles. Although the distances between locations are not long, the dirt roads increase travel time considerably, especially during the rainy season. The roads are dirt roads with the corresponding risks. In order to improve safety, interns and staff avoid traveling at night or in very rainy conditions.

Health

The main infectious diseases to be aware of in the area are mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and zika. We recommend protection through the use of mosquito nets for sleeping, insect repellent during the day and appropriate clothing (pants and long-sleeved shirts). Other infectious diseases are decreasing or are well controlled. For example, onchocerciasis has been eradicated and malaria is rare.

Housing and food

There are several lodging options that vary from community to community. Some of the clinics have a room for the doctor, which they can use if they choose to do so. Another option is to stay with a local family. Food in the communities is seasonal, although not very varied, consisting mainly of beans, eggs and corn tortillas. Food is provided by families in the community who usually charge a modest fee of $30-40 pesos per meal. During the stay in Ángel Albino Corzo for the monthly workshop, we offer lodging and food, and there are also self-service stores where the interns can shop for supplies to take back to their communities.

Communications and public services

In the rural communities there is no cell phone service, but all the clinics have internet; in Jaltenango, the closest town where the outreach posts are developed, there is cell phone and internet all the time. The communities have electricity, but sometimes it fails, so it is recommended to have an alternate source of light such as a lamp. Most of the houses have a bathroom with a septic tank, but some only have a latrine. As for running water, although the clinics have pipes, the houses in the communities do not have showers, so bathing is generally done with buckets. To heat the water, a heating element or a stove can be used.

Climate

The climate in the region is warm and humid. The temperature ranges between 18 and 34°C. However, in some communities temperatures are lower. The rainy season starts in May and ends in October. The rains are sometimes very heavy, which prevents outdoor activities and causes landslides on the roads, sometimes causing road closures for several days.