SIT Study Abroad Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment
Learn about public health through traditional medicine and intercultural health practices, indigenous customs, community welfare, and social justice.
WHY STUDY PUBLIC HEALTH IN CHILE?
Live in ethnically diverse Arica, Chile, home to many cultural worldviews and health practices as well as unequal access to health services. From this strategic location near the borders of Peru and Bolivia, you’ll learn about transnational issues such as infectious disease management and examine healthcare from international perspectives at health centers and government offices. You’ll also learn how to collect, analyze, integrate, and report social and public health data, and use that knowledge while completing independent research or an internship.
You will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the work carried out by public health teams of Chilean Health System to combat COVID-19, their successful vaccination programs, challenges, and lessons learned.
During excursions, you will spend more than two weeks with Mapuche and Aymara communities, where you’ll learn about indigenous and intercultural medicine and examine how healthcare policies and politics affect indigenous people. Throughout the program, you’ll engage with health officials, policy makers, and traditional medicine practitioners and have homestays with three different families in both urban and rural areas.
You will also develop Spanish language skills related to health sciences through classroom learning, cultural immersion, homestays, and excursions.
Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program highlights and details of coursework, educational excursions, and housing.
MONEY MATTERS
SIT is an all-inclusively priced study abroad program – including academics costs, excursions, accommodations and meals, airport transfers, and health insurance. Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor and read the website for more specific information.
SCHOLARSHIPS
SIT has awarded an average of over $1.3 million in scholarships and grants to SIT Study Abroad students in the past three years. All scholarships and grants are need-based. Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000.
CONTACT SIT STUDY ABROAD
· Visit our website: studyabroad.sit.edu
· Request more information or email us: studyabroad@sit.edu
· Call an admissions counselor: 888-272-7881
· Contact a former student.
· Apply to SIT
Mental Health & Wellness Resources
To ensure a successful study abroad experience, it is important to research the mental health and wellness resources provided by the study abroad program to determine if they offer appropriate support for your particular needs.
SIT provides health insurance and partners with International SOS to provide medical and security assistance services. SIT also provides confidential remote counseling services for short-term, solution-focused sessions and can refer you to local mental health providers. We urge you to explore these resources via the links that SIT provided below to determine if your needs will be met.
Requirements for Vassar Students
Vassar students must have completed two years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent in order to apply. Students are expected to enroll in a Spanish language course at the appropriate level while studying with SIT.
