Darcy Dubuc, Class of 2016
Summer 2013
Quito, Ecuador
• Capital city of Ecuador
– 2.24 million people
– 2nd largest city
• At an elevation of 9,350 feet
– surrounded by mountains and live
volcanos.
• Dolarization in 2000 from the
Ecuadorian sucre to stabilize
economy.
– Stores and malls
– Markets and street vendors
• Health Care System:
– All citizens have access to care
– Public system, military hospitals, private
hospitals
– Some EMR, some paper systems
CFHI Program
– 4 weeks or longer in Quito.
– Live in a homestay (walking distance of school) with up
to 4 other students from multiple CFHI programs.
– All breakfasts and dinners provided, except for on
Saturdays. Laundry washed once a week.
– 50 hours of Spanish classes provided.
– Weekly clinical lectures from medical director.
– 2 weeks of clinical experience with local doctors.
• Exposure to healthcare system
• Intensive medical Spanish (few/no English speakers in clinic)
– Nights and weekends free for traveling and exploring.
Pre-Trip
• Reviewed Spanish grammar and vocabulary
– Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish
• CFHI materials and packing list
– CFHI agreements/paperwork and Fees
– Passport (no Visa needed)
– Traveler’s Insurance
• Travel Vaccinations
– Typhoid!
– Yellow Fever (not required)
– Malaria prophylaxis (not required)
• Flight booking: Birmingham to Quito
Spanish Classes
• Amazing Andes Language
School
• 50 hours of classes in 2
weeks
• Take placement exam to
determine appropriate
skill level (beginner,
intermediate, advanced)
• Extra classes available for
~$8/hour
Daycare
• Hour bus trip to low-income
area of the city
• 5 mornings assisting in
classrooms of 20-30
children, ages 3-5.
• Children were provided 3
meals per day (from 8am4:30pm)
• Regular activities: Singing,
finger painting, object
recognition, letters (4-5 year
olds), playing at the “park”
(fenced/walled concrete
yard)
Hospital/Clinic
• Family Practice Clinic: Carcelen
Bajo
– For public servants
– Opportunity to perform physical
exam
– Parasitic infections common
– Simple cases, lots of repetition
which made the Spanish easier to
follow
• Specialty Hospital: Eugenio
Espejo
– Public hospital
– Shadowed on a
hematology/oncology service
– Rounds and outpatient clinic
– Rapid pace, more complex
language to follow
Free time in Quito
Traveling out of Quito
• Large bus stations have options to take you anywhere in the
country for under $5.
• Weekend excursions were usually Friday afternoon until
Sunday night.
• Most popular trips: Baños, Mindo, Tena, Cotopaxi, Canoa.
The Unexpected
• Leaving the airport
– Miscommunication about flight arrivals and host families
• City buses
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Hour or longer rides to get to work
Crowding
Getting lost
Getting robbed
• Crime
– Pickpocketing and bag slashing
– Don’t carry an iPhone in the city
• Hesitancy to speak Spanish
• Not enough time!
– About 6 weeks would have been ideal.
Budget
•
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•
•
Vaccinations = $300 (not covered on insurance)
Flight (to/from Birmingham)= $980
Program Fees/Insurance = $2495
Weekly Expenses (Bus/cab fare, lunch, night out)
= $25 x4 weeks = $100
• Weekend Trips = $450 (total for 3 trips)
• Souvenirs = $80
• Miscellaneous = $50
Total = $4455
Interested?
• CFHI (cfhi.org) has multiple programs based out
of Quito:
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Sexual Health as a Human Right
Andean Health
Intensive Beginner Spanish and Healthcare
Amazon Community and Indigenous Health
Reproductive Health
Urban & Rural Comparative Health
• Tips
– Book flight and vaccination appointments early.
– Apply for the MSEP grant!