Health in Belize Maymester
Health in Belize Maymester
This program is a collaboration between the Office of Global Engagement and the Pre-Professional Advising Office.
The Pre-Health in Belize Program is intended for UGA students who plan to pursue careers in healthcare and work actively toward that goal. While on the program, the participants will have the opportunity to learn about the Belizean healthcare system—and how it differs from ours—through guest lectures, tours of public and private healthcare facilities, shadowing opportunities with clinicians, and conversations with volunteer community healthcare workers from rural areas.
The objective of this program is to help pre-health students to:
- gain perspective on international healthcare
- grow in cultural sensitivity and competency
- gain clinical exposure in another culture
- reflect on ways to communicate with people from different backgrounds
- broaden their undergraduate experience through meaningful professional and personal interactions
- gain significant experience in the world beyond the classroom
- grow in flexibility, cooperation, and self-reliance
- become more well-rounded applicants for professional graduate healthcare programs
Participants will enroll in two UGA courses for 6-credit hours: BIOL 4910 Topics in Biology and BIOL 4940 Internship in Biology.
BIOL 4910 - Topics in Biology
BIOL 4940 - Internship in Biology
This program offers our students an ethical healthcare-centered shadowing option that
meets AAMC ethics guidelines.
NOTES:
Program participants are required to attend pre-departure orientations and academic meetings in the spring semester.
English is the official language of Belize. Knowledge of Spanish is not required for this program.
See our location and itinerary tab for more information.
Please note that you need to double check with your college that they have approved this activity for Experiential Learning Credit on engage.uga.edu. If you do not see this listed, speak with your academic advisor to confirm whether or not this program will count for EL.
Students applying for this program are eligible to apply for the OGE GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP.
General Information
Program Dates: May 12-June 1, 2025
Estimated Program Fee:Costs listed are estimates based on past, 2024, prices.$4,080.00 (includes lodging, breakfast, several lunches and dinners, program-related
transportation, and entrance fees for program-related academic and cultural activities)
and $300 program deposit. It does not include plane fare, UGA tuition or UGA fees. Click here for more details.
Application Opens: August 26, 2024
Application Deadline: October 13, 2024
Program Contacts: Ms. Amanda Spohn (aspohn@uga.edu) and Dr. Hilda Mata (hmmata@uga.edu)
Applicant Eligibility
- Open to all students at the University of Georgia who meet requirements.
- REQUIRED
- BIOL 1108/L must be successfully COMPLETED prior to submitting application.
- Have university credit for two or more science courses in biological sciences, chemistry, ecology, physics prior to submitting application.
- 3.0 or higher GPA.
- Satisfactory academic and disciplinary records.
- PREFERRED
- Qualified students enrolled with a pre-health intention who have met with an advisor form the PreProfessional Advising Office.
- Have successfully completed two or more science courses in biological sciences, chemistry, ecology, physics for a grade (A-F) at UGA prior to submitting application.
- Have successfully completed 30 credit hours or more at UGA prior to application prior to submitting application.
- Have a 3.3 or higher GPA.
Admission Process
- Begin an application on the studyaway.uga.edu portal.
- Written application will be reviewed and selected applicants will be invited (via email) for a brief interview with the program directors. Please note that an interview does not guarantee admittance into the program due to the limited number of spaces. Interviews, however, are a mandatory part of the selection process.
- Once all interviews are completed, applicants will be notified via email application portal whether they have been admitted or waitlisted.
- Admitted students will have 10 calendar days from the date of acceptance to commit (or withdraw/decline) and pay a non-refundable $300 deposit. Waitlisted students will be admitted as spaces become available.
Faculty
Amy Medlock, PhD
AU/UGA Medical Partnership
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Georgia
Hilda Mata, PhD
Director
Africa/Latin America Programming Initiatives
Office of Global Engagement
University of Georgia
Program Administration
Hilda M. Mata, Ph.D. | Office of Global Engagement | Director, Africa/Latin America Programming Initiatives
Amanda Spohn, M.Ed. | Pre-Professional Advising Office | Coordinator
Belize, Central America
Belize is a relatively small developing nation located on the northeastern coast of Central America. It shares borders with Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea. With a population nearing half a million, it is home to various languages and ethnic groups that include: Mestizo (of Spanish and indigenous descent), Creole (of European and African descent), Maya, Garifuna (of African and Caribbean indigenous descent), and smaller groups of European and Asian heritage. A former colony of the British Empire, Belize gained full independence in September 1981. While other languages are actively spoken in the country, English has remained the official language.
The Belizean two-tiered healthcare system comprises public hospitals and clinics that serve the population at little or no direct cost and private hospitals and clinics that require payment but are generally better equipped. As part of the public health system, Belize has a network of trained volunteer community healthcare workers who assist with basic care in rural areas.
The primarity location of this program is in the western city of San Ignacio, 7 kilometers from the Guatemalan border. The second location (3 days) is Hopkins Village on the Carribean Coast.
Itinerary
(This itinerary is subject to change)
| 5/12 |
|
Departure Day - Arrival in Belize |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/13 |
|
City Scavenger activity, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/14 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/15 |
|
Shadowing, visit to Maya Women’s CO-OP, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/16 |
|
Farmers market tour and Ziplining |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/17 |
|
Tour of Xunantunich Archeological Site, Cave Canoeing, and class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/18 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/19 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/20 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/21 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/22 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/23 |
|
Free half day, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/24 |
|
Free Day |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/25 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/26 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/27 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/28 |
|
Shadowing, class |
San Ignacio |
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| 5/29 |
|
Transfer to Hopkins Village |
Hopkins Village |
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| 5/30 |
|
Snorkeling activity, free afternoon |
Hopkins Village |
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| 5/31 |
|
Garifuna cultural experience, debriefing meeting |
Hopkins Village |
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| 6/1 |
|
Return to US |
Hopkins, Belize City, US |
