“For anybody considering the Puebla program, I would 100 percent recommend it. I think it's been an excellent opportunity for me to grow as a global citizen,” said psychology and Arts and Letters pre-health major Susan Morand.
Administered by Notre Dame International, students can study abroad in the city of Puebla, Mexico, two hours southeast of Mexico City. While the program is open to all majors, students during the fall semester may enroll in a unique pre-medicine track, taking classes on health-related topics at the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla. Participants in this track also shadow doctors twice per week in two Mexican public hospitals, learning about different specialties and gaining valuable clinical experience.
All Puebla program students live with host families, immersing the participants into Mexican culture while also providing a welcoming home environment. Spanish and Arts and Letters pre-health major Caroline Sampson appreciated the relationship she built with her host, Natalia.
“She's wonderful because she really takes on the job of being a mother,” said Sampson. “She wants to make sure that I'm doing well.”
Pre-medical students in Puebla return with valuable language and cultural experience and a new perspective on health care, which they can apply to their future health professions at home or abroad.
“This program has helped me on the road to becoming a bilingual physician one day,” said neuroscience and Arts and Letters pre-health major Christina Murphy. “Mexico's a beautiful country that I'm really grateful to have experienced for a semester.”
You can also watch this video on YouTube.
