Elective in a foreign language

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We asked Kevin Hurley from Medical Electives Net to write a blog explaining why he had chosen to set up MEN and what living and working using a foreign language is like: 

Originally from Birmingham in the UK, I came to coastal city of Trujillo in Peru 2 years ago with my Peruvian wife and our 2 small children. I now manage medical-electives.net with a great local team, who ensure that the healthcare students who come to Trujillo or Cajamarca, in the Andes, have an enriching learning experience.

Our elective program evolved from the Spanish language school we created for visitors to Peru. We found that we were teaching medical Spanish to a number of overseas students taking medical electives at local hospitals.

We saw that in order to really benefit from an elective in Peru, or any country where another language is spoken, it is necessary for students to focus on their language skills as well as their medical skills. Today our elective program includes the option of a structured 48 hour Medical Spanish course.

Our Participants also stay in home stay accommodation to reinforce their language skills and to further participate in the local community. In whichever country you decide to take your elective, I believe that it is vital to ensure that you are comfortable with the accommodation you have arranged. Try and check out what accommodation possibilities are available to you.

Working in medical facilities in a developing country can be a powerful emotional experience as well as a great learning opportunity. Resources are rarely sufficient to meet the demand. This is particularly the case for clinics and hospitals reliant on donations. Expect to see and be part of difficult situations on a daily basis. We work with a variety of facilities from a cancer prevention clinic that charge patients to a large regional hospital that has been well funded with the help of a gold mine.

Kevin Hurley is Director at www.medical–electives.net