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Learn Medical Spanish and Hospital Placement in Bogotá, Colombia

Location: Bogotá
 

This program occurs at the the Universidad de La Sabana. It involves the international Studies department (Learning Spanish and medical Spanish), the medical Facility  (medical Spanish, specialised lectures) and the University hospital (a full teaching hospital, adjacent to the campus. We invite Doctors, Specialists, medical Students and health care professionals to partake in this program. The program is customized to your needs. the Spanish and medical Spanish will be at your level. The practical application within a hositpital environment will be customised to your level of expertise, your level of Spanish and your requests. This is a fantastic program, where you can learn Medical Spanish and apply it within a real world of a working hospital

School

The Universidad de La Sabana is one of the best Universities in Latin America. Originally, a historic hacienda, it's appearance has been architecturally designed to fit with this historic past. Yet is a modern and spacious campus, with up to date facilities, set in a beautiful part like campus. It helps promotes Spanish as a foreign language in the world, and also offers a full range of other academic subjects. It has a specialized department for International students to study Spanish, and this is liaises with other University departments to allow students to study in many subject areas.  La Sabana  offer students coming to Bogotá:  qualified teachers, evaluation of the student progress from the beginning, excellent headquarters and small classes, to make the learning process better and easier.  

Best time to come:

Being close to the equator, yet also set at a high altitude, the climate in Bogota is a consistently 70-80 F (20-25 C) It is therefore a year round destination.

We begin courses every Monday. The minimum stay is four weeks

Special  Course: Medical Spanish:

This is run in conjunction with the International Spanish department, medical faculty and the university Teaching hospital. As well as Spanish, your course is personalised to meet your requirements by attending medical lectures, and by within the teaching hospital environment.

It includes 32 hours per week: 15 hours of Spanish lessons, 2 hours of Colombian problems seminar with native University students and 15 hours of training at the University Hospital. Lessons from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. and at the Hospital from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Accommodation

Option 1: Home stay (recommended)
Option 2: Hotel
 

Option 1: With a family (homestay accommodation): You will live and share your daily life with a Spanish speaking family. Breakfast and dinner are included and there is washing machine available or your clothes will be washed once a week.  Families are chosen carefully, and during your stay you will be another member of the family.  We visit the families regularly and we permanently assess their human qualities and the location of their house.

Option 2: Hotel: We have agreements with hotels in each one of our sites. There are hotels for all budgets ranging from US$20 per night to 5-star hotels.  The hotels that we recommend are always well located and they have been qualified as satisfactory by other students, regardless of the hotel’s price. We have also contacts with very good B&B (Bed & breakfast)  

Prices

Registration fee: USD 40 Airport pickup fee: USD 20

 References

Because of health services research in which I am involved, I began taking Spanish lessons during 2005 and also began looking for a Spanish immersion program. In the spring, La Sabana University School of Nursing invited me to deliver a keynote address for a conference and I inquired about a language program.  I was put in contact with Pedro Nino at Nueva Lengua on the Bogota campus and I registered for a 4-week series of classes.  Mr. Nino and all the staff at Nueva Lengua were extremely helpful in setting up my studies, including securing a compatible family and housing, making sure I had the proper documents to enter Columbia, and providing individualized instruction and flexible scheduling. 

The class work at Nueva Lengua was very relevant to my work with the School of Nursing and the language faculty were helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. The instructors gave a great deal of individual attention to each student and they all demonstrated their interest and concern for our learning needs. In addition to classes, we were able to visit numerous museums, parks, and other places of interest in and around Bogota.  Because of my work, I stayed in Bogota, but students have the ability to study on the campuses in Bogota, Cartagena, or Medellin. 

Because of the poor representation of Columbia in films and the media, a number of my friends and family expressed concern that I would be in some danger.  This concern was totally unfounded. I traveled safely all around Bogota via public transportation (Trans Milaneo and taxi) and took the normal precautions one would take in a busy city of 8 million people.  Additionally, Mr. Nino assisted me in booking travel to the coffee region of Columbia (Parque Nacional de Café and Valle Corcora) and for a 4-day trip to Salto Angel in Venezuela.  The Columbian government has made great progress in securing the cities and is working diligently to secure all parts of the countryside.  There are still geographic areas of concern, but the Nueva Lengua faculty and staff are able to advise students safely about where and how to travel.  Additional conveniences of living in Bogota are the fact that you can drink water from the tap, the country uses 110 AC for electrical appliances, and the weather in Bogota is similar to that in San Francisco. 

In summary, the Nueva Lengua Spanish program was excellent.  I learned a great deal about the history, language, and culture of this beautiful and mysterious country.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent being a student and working with the Nursing faculties around Columbia.  I am very grateful to Nueva Lengua for helping provide me with this wonderful experience.

Jean Ann Seago, PhD, RN

Associate Professor

University of California, San Francisco

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