Breaking Language Barriers In Healthcare

Whether you are a student or healthcare professional, a seasoned provider or just starting to explore the field, you’ll enhance your clinical and conversational Spanish inside and outside the classroom, guided by quality instruction from our expert faculty and strengthened by daily practice with native-speakers (student mentors, physicians, nurses, public health experts, and host families).

You will expand your global network with new friends and healthcare connections, emerging with an unforgettable international experience and a broadened perspective of medicine and public health. You’ll be able to better understand, communicate with and treat your Latinx patients – not to mention, bilingual providers have a higher earning potential, are more attractive to schools and employers, and best of all, contribute to dismantling healthcare inequities and working towards a world where all patients are treated with dignity, care and respect.

Anímate a vivir una experiencia única e inolvidable, llena de aprendizaje y crecimiento tanto personal como professional, donde forjarás amistades, desarrollarás destrezas y disfrutarás de emocionantes excursiones. ¡Únete a nosotros y vive la aventura! 

a. Are you a student or provider in the health field? We welcome current and future Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physical & Occupational Therapists, Health Educators, Public Health workers, Clinical Research Coordinators, Paramedics, EMTs, Clinical Social Workers, Medical Assistants and more.

b. Do you speak Spanish at an A2 level or above, or can commit to an individual Spanish learning plan to achieve A2 by the program dates? (If you’re not sure of your level, we’re happy to meet through Zoom for a conversational Spanish assessment.)

c. Are you 16+? (Those younger than 16 can attend if with a family member, and anyone under 18 will need parental or guardian approval).

d. Do you like to travel, adventure, get outside your comfort zone and try new things?

e. Are you open-minded with a sense of cultural curiosity and humility? Do you have a commitment towards our values and mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion? Are you looking for a meaningful experience where you will be challenged to grow beyond what you know and connect with others from different backgrounds?

f. Do you have a valid passport or can you obtain one? (If you need to apply or renew your passport, we encourage you to do so as early as possibly to guarantee that you will receive it in time. DACA applicants are encouraged to contact us early on and apply as soon as possible through Advanced Parole, after consulting their immigration attorneys.)

If you answered yes to these questions, this program is for you!

The group will meet mid-morning on the first day of the trip at the San Diego, California – México border (U.S. side, so you will not have to cross alone). There, program and university staff will accompany students while crossing the border, and as a group we will drive down together to Universidad Xochicalco’s Ensenada campus in our trusty “Xochi Vans” (official university transport) and start the adventure!

During the trip, transportation to and from campus, host family homes, and excursions and sites around the city will continue to be provided through the Xochi Vans, driven by our vetted drivers (and in some cases, our host families). On the last day of the trip, we will travel back to the border in the Xochi van, and staff will guide students back into the U.S. Those who choose to extend their stay will also be accompanied to and through the border on their last day.

As for accommodations, our participants stay primarily with host families, typically families affiliated with Universidad Xochicalco. We share program guidelines and safety protocols with the families of interested students, faculty, staff, and community members, and those who wish to move forward fill out a survey designed to ensure that each family as well as their homes and neighborhoods meet our safety and lodging standards. This leads to a multi-step vetting process including home visits and interviews to ensure a good fit for both the family and participating student, and the final step includes a commitment to hospitably welcoming our participants throughout the length of their stay and attending a thorough training for host families prior to the program.

We encourage this option for the full immersion experience, but can also offer on-campus dorm accommodations. These are limited and first-come, first-served, so if you prefer to stay on-campus (or with your partner, friend, family member or other participant), make sure to register early and let us know your preference upon registration so we can make the proper arrangements.

Your schedule during the weekday will start off by fueling up for a busy day through breakfast with your host family (or in the cafeteria, if you stay on campus) before you’re dropped off on campus for the day. A typical day incorporates two hours daily of Spanish Language class, which focuses on overall fluency, syntax, vocabulary through oral and written comprehension and expression, while weaving in aspects of Mexican culture, society, geography, history, archeology, and gastronomy of Baja California as well as other Mexican regions, such as Mexico City, Yucatán and Oaxaca. In the last portion of class, you’ll be grouped with your peer mentors (Xochicalco students) to practice what you’ve learned – a method that helps with retention and fluency while providing you with real-time feedback, tips and new phrases, and stimulating discussions with native speakers.

Most days will also include between 1-2 two-hour long Medical Spanish lessons. The first portion is similarly lecture-based, though with plenty of student participation and using the medical school’s facilities and technology, such as the simulation labs, high-fidelity patient simulators, and Anatomage table. During the practice segment, you’ll have dedicated time and faculty & mentor support to clarify any questions regarding both the content and terminology of that day’s lesson.

In the early afternoon, a traditional and delicious Mexican lunch (including options for those with dietary restrictions and allergens) will be waiting for you, and you’ll end with a break to rest, recuperate and decompress. Beyond the classroom, most days will incorporate either a clinical or cultural activity, alternating shadowing at local clinics, hospitals, and community health brigades with cultural workshops.

Most evenings, you will have dinner with your host family, with a few optional group evening outings which might include sipping on drinks and enjoying ceviche, tacos or churros out on the town, or a museum, boutique or bookstore visit if that is more your speed. Other possible cultural immersion activities include an interactive cooking lesson at the campus Gastronomy lab, dance and arts classes (painting, weaving or other artesanías), a scavenger hunt which doubles as real-world Spanish practice with local merchants, a festive fiesta with Lotería and piñatas, a visit to the local Kumiai indigenous community, or a beach bonfire with bonbones, surrounded by the light and warmth of the fire, as well as new friends, music, games, stories and community bonding.

Group excursions are typically held on Saturdays: you’ll explore more of Ensenada, such as the historic cultural district and downtown, open-air food and artisan markets with our vibrant binational cohort. Wine lovers can register for wine-growing tours and tastings at the world-famous Valle de Guadalupe vineyards (optional, with an additional cost). Sunday will be a day to spend with host families – they will typically take you to their favorite local spots, but if there is anywhere you wish to see or anything in particular you’d like to check off your Ensenada bucket list, make sure to let us know

If you would like to learn more and sign up for our mailing list, fill out our interest form here.

If you are ready to register, fill out our registration form here.

Make sure to be as detailed as possible regarding your profile, background, interests and goals pertaining to your Spanish journey, as well as any special accommodations you may require (dietary restrictions; allergies; personal, lifestyle, and pet preferences, etc.).

We will contact you to set up a Zoom chat (or you can schedule one directly below), so we can get to know you and clarify any questions you may have.

Once you have chosen a track and dates, in order to save your spot you will need to complete your payment below (either in full or by starting a payment plan), submit the required documentation and meet with us virtually for a brief, conversational Spanish assessment.

We will maintain close contact to ensure we have everything we need from our you and vice versa, answer any questions as they arise, and meet for a group virtual pre-departure orientation session to review program guidelines and logistics, such as health and safety protocols, our recommended packing list, and our target language pledge.