Costa Rica

Public Health

Program Overview

About Costa Rica

About San Jose

Courses

Faculty

Field Trips

Accommodation & Meals

Cost

Calendar

General Summer Program Information

Program Eligibility and Application Procedures

Application Deadline

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Temple University’s Public Health and Development in Costa Rica program offers an exciting opportunity for students with a background in health, medicine, social work, political science, sociology, economics and international studies to see and experience a developing country’s health concerns first hand. The program is designed to give students direct hands-on experience in the Costa Rican health care system; an understanding of the country’s health concerns ranging from environmental health to occupational health hazards; and social concerns such as domestic violence. Students must be willing to live with host families in both rural and urban settings; be able to adapt to diverse environments including humid tropical settings, rainforests and urban congestion; and be prepared for living conditions in a developing country. If you are an adventurous student looking for an exciting, realistic experience in Central America, this is the program for you.

ABOUT COSTA RICA

Costa Rica has historically placed great emphasis on education and public health care. It has a well-established health care system that provides basic primary care to 100 percent of its citizens, although coverage for immigrant populations remains a problem. In place since the 1950's, the Costa Rican health care system represents one of the most integrated health care systems in Latin America. Costa Rica is considered the “Switzerland” of Central America due to its neutrality and highly developed educational, housing, social security and welfare systems. All of these factors have resulted in lower mortality and morbidity rates, and higher immunization and prenatal care rates compared to other countries in the region.

Costa Rica boasts of being the only country in Latin America without a military, yet it has had a long history of peace and prosperity both internally and with its neighbors, many of which have experienced extremely turbulent civil wars in the last fifty years. However, migrant workers from Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador face poor working conditions in Costa Rica’s banana plantations and sugarcane fields. Also, many of Costa Rica’s rural areas still lack water treatment systems and adequate sanitation.

Although Costa Rica can arguably be called of one of the most technologically advanced countries in the region, with sophisticated transportation and communication infrastructures, it remains one of the most biodiverse countries in Latin America, renowned for its tropical rain and cloud forests, whose wildlife is protected by national reserves. Tropical birds include exotic hummingbirds, toucans and endangered species such as the Quetzal. Students see volcanoes and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but they can also expect to see monkeys, iguanas, geckos, butterflies and moths, as well as spiders, grasshoppers and other insects, including mosquitoes. Therefore, this program is not recommended for anyone who is insect-phobic.

ABOUT SAN JOSE

San José is the most cosmopolitan city in Central America. Built on the profits of coffee exports, small coffee farms are still located around the city outskirts.  From almost any point in the city one can look up and see volcanic mountains. The center of government, culture and education, San José is home to the Teatro Nacional, the Universidad de Costa Rica, and other national institutions. The city sits at 3,750 feet above sea level, enjoying spring-like temperatures year-round.

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COURSES AND PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Both undergraduate and graduate students register for a total of six credits, although the expectations for graduate students are higher than for undergraduates in terms of research and participation effort.  Undergraduate students register for six credits of Public Health 3208: International Health Study Abroad. Graduate students register for six credits of Public Health 5005: International Health Studies Abroad.

While previous Spanish language proficiency is not required, some Spanish language ability is helpful for students to gain the maximum understanding during the program. For that reason, the first two weeks of the program include intensive Spanish language training in Costa Rica. The Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS), located in a middle-class residential suburb of San José close to the University of Costa Rica, provides language studies everyday for four hours in the morning. ICADS is a non-profit foundation that is a center for language studies, research and analysis of Central American social and environmental issues. Since 1986 they have focused on women’s studies, economic development, environmental studies, public health, human rights and wildlife conservation. During the afternoons of the first two weeks, lectures and discussions are conducted by Dr. Clara Haignere and experienced professionals from Costa Rica, particularly from the University of Costa Rica’s School of Public Health. After the two-week period in San José, the group spends several days exploring other areas and sites in Costa Rica to examine different health conditions.

During the second half of the program, students live and work in rural communities where they help to facilitate health education workshops and activities in one of the following areas: diabetes, nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention education, women’s health concerns, child health care issues, first aid education, hypertension, asthma in children, fitness and exercise, or backyard gardening.

Following the workshops and activities, students return to San José to write up their experiences with the intention of presenting them at a professional conference. In the past, students have presented posters at the Pennsylvania Public Health Association’s annual conference, the Society for Public Health Education’s annual conference, and the Global Temple Conference.

FACULTY

Dr. Clara Haignere has extensive experience in regional, national and international public health and health education initiatives. She received her PhD in International Studies from the University of Denver with a specialty in international public health, conducting her doctoral dissertation in Chile on how political and economic structures and policies affected health conditions and the health systems. She has an MPH from Columbia University, and in addition to Temple University, she has taught international health at the University of Colorado Medical School, Brooklyn College, Hunter College and New York University.

In the early 1980s, Dr. Haignere was a consultant and coordinator for the Oscar Romero Holistic Health Care Center, working with Central American refugees, combining health education curriculum with English as a second language curriculum in New York City. From 1983 to 1985, she was the administrative director of Aesculapius International Medicine, designing, implementing and evaluating a rural community health clinic in El Salvador during that country's civil war. In 1985, she co-led the third American Public Health Association U.S. Public Health Commission to El Salvador to assess how the civil war was affecting health conditions.In summer 2001, Dr. Haignere returned to El Salvador with a delegation to examine the health effects of the earthquakes that year.

FIELD TRIPS

Field trips may include visits to tropical rain forests to learn about environmental health concerns; agricultural cooperatives and sugarcane plantations to identify occupational health hazards; urban and rural maternal and child health clinics; hospitals; clinics; refugee settlements; and migrant workers' organizations.

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ACCOMMODATION & MEALS

For the first two weeks, students live with host families in San Pedro, a residential suburb of San José near the University of Costa Rica.  Host families are arranged for each student through the Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS). These homestay experiences improve not only the student’s language training, but also their understanding of social and cultural nuances in Costa Rican society. The third week includes travel to rural areas for short periods, staying in cabins or small, very basic motels. During the next two weeks, students travel to various rural areas, where they live in the communities with carefully selected host families. While all the rooms are clean and well maintained, the accommodations are basic and not luxurious. During the course of travel around Costa Rica, students are expected to share a room with one or two, and sometimes three other students. The program concludes in San José, where students stay in a modest hotel.

During the first two weeks in San José, breakfast and dinner are included in the program costs. While students are in homestays in rural areas, three meals a day are provided. When students are not in homestays, they are responsible for all meals and snacks, with the exception of a few group meals organized throughout the program. In addition, where necessary outside of San José, bottled water is provided throughout the stay and is included in the costs of the program.

ESTIMATED 2010 COSTS

Notes:

All estimated costs are subject to change. They should be used as a guideline only. Accepted students will receive updated, detailed cost information as soon as it is available after the application deadline.

*The Costa Rica Fee includes housing, two weeks of Spanish language instruction, local transportation, and some meals. Please note that this fee is based on last year's fee and will be updated.

In addition to the items listed above, students should budget money for health insurance, books and supplies, personal travel, and any other personal expenses.

We recommend that students follow the exchange rate prior to and during their summer abroad, either through the newspaper or a currency exchange web site (such as www.oanda.com).

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2010 CALENDAR (Summer II)

Dates are tentative and subject to change

GENERAL SUMMER PROGRAM INFORMATION

Please see General Summer Information to read about pre-departure information and orientation; passports and visas; scholarships; costs and payment policies; accreditation; and transfer of credits.

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Please see Eligibility and Application Procedures for program eligibility, application requirements, and application procedures that apply to all summer programs. In addition, for the Costa Rica program, the following is required: 

• A typed statement (recommended length of 750 words) describing your expectations and interests related to global health issues and/or to participating in this program. Please specify in which health topic (listed under the courses section) you might be interested in working and why. Applicants are asked to complete this statement within the online application system.

• Some experience or working knowledge of Latin American-related subject matter and/or health studies.

• Some Spanish language background is preferred.

• All candidates are interviewed; telephone interviews are conducted for those who cannot be interviewed personally.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15 

For further information, please contact Dr. Clara Haignere; Department of Public Health; College of Health Professions; Temple University; 215-204-5109; clara.haignere@temple.edu

or

International Programs; Temple University; 200 Tuttleman Learning Center; Philadelphia, PA 19122; 215 204-0720; study.abroad@temple.edu.