Information for term Leadership & Service in Public Health
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenMake a genuine impact in the Dominican Republic serving in community projects to promote good health and well-being.
Assess the health needs of semi-urban communities in Santiago de los Caballeros and participate in field-based public health education initiatives alongside medical professionals. Meet with medical staff in a government-run clinic and interview community leaders of a welfare program. Analyze the ways local organizations are increasing access to healthcare across socioeconomic levels and the opportunities available to continue improving. Throughout the program, reflect on your service and on what you’ve learned about community needs, medical care, health education, and policy development in the second largest Caribbean nation. Transform your ideas into an actionable plan for future service or to pursue a career in public health.
In this Dominican hilltop city, you will live with a local family and meet local teens to fully immerse yourself in the country’s Caribbean traditions and Spanish language. Enjoy bachata and salsa dance classes, admire Dominican art at the Centro León, grab empanadas or other street fare, play dominos in the park, and really get to know the people.
The Take-Aways
-
Real-World Experience
Support public health initiatives alongside healthcare providers. Come home with a greater understanding of your own leadership style and societal issues in the Dominican Republic. Be better prepared to take action on local health issues.
-
Credentials for your Future
Topics for your college essays; experience to inform your future career; a Community Profile documenting how you investigated needs, resources, and perspectives during your service; and a record of your service-learning hours.
-
Life Skills and New Friendship
Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and improved communication skills. Enjoy a broader worldview and friends of different backgrounds from across the U.S.
-
Hours of service-learning
50 -
Weeks of community engagement
3 -
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
1
Location & Culture
Click to Open
The Destination
Welcome to Santiago de los Caballeros, the commercial and cultural heart of the Dominican Republic.
Santiago de los Caballeros, or simply Santiago, is affectionately known as Ciudad Corazón—“Heart City.” Tucked between two mountain ranges in the center of the fertile Cibao Valley, Santiago is the second-largest city of the Dominican Republic and boasts the country’s largest hospital—Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago.
Even though it was founded in 1495, Santiago is a modern metropolis, thriving on industry and vibrating with culture. As the arts capital of the country, it houses a world-class collection of paintings, a carnival museum, renowned urban murals, and countless cultural exhibits.
Away from the touristic hotspots, Santiago is a perfect place to experience Dominican day-to-day life. Here you will surround yourself with the contagious happiness of the Santiagueros, the syncopated rhythms of bachata, the national obsession for baseball, and the pride of home cooking inspired by African, Spanish, and Taino flavors.
CULTURAL AWARENESS
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Santiago de los Caballeros.
Daily Life
Click to OpenDaily Life
Monday–Friday
Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction, service-learning, and cultural activities with time on your own, too.
- Breakfast at the homestay
- Hands-on learning with local instructors and healthcare professionals and/or service in community projects
- Lunch at the homestay or in the community with your fellow Global Navigators
- Out and about for a Cultural Activity
- Time for writing individual reflections on your service and for holding group debriefs
- Dinner at the homestay
Weekends
- Overnight or day excursions to top sites
- Quality time with friends and everyone at your homestay
-
Carefully-screened homestay
-
1 Program Leader for every 12 students and support from local staff
Activities
Click to OpenSample Activities
Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!
- Soak in Dominican natural beauty on a hike up a stunning green mountain, a swim in a picture-perfect beach, or a boat tour around tropical mangroves.
- Take dream-worthy pictures on the giant swing flying over the sea in Monte Cristi, a spectacular hidden gem of a town on the northern coast.
- Stroll the streets of historic Santo Domingo where the first hospital of the Western Hemisphere was built, Hospital San Nicolás de Bari.
- Take an overnight trip to Los Haitises National Park, the area with the greatest biodiversity in the Caribbean and home to unspoiled beaches, a lush rainforest, and caverns with ancient Taíno pictographs.
- Slice, dice, and savor in a cooking class at your homestay. Take the recipe home to share a delicious Dominican dish with friends or family.
Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Dates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
ELIGIBILITY
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our Scholarship page.
APPLICATION FEE
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us!
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Session I 2023 3 weeks | May 24, 2023 | Jun 18, 2023 | Jul 8, 2023 |
$4,450 |
| Summer Session II 2023 3 weeks | Jun 15, 2023 | Jul 9, 2023 | Jul 29, 2023 |
$4,450 |
Looking for funding?
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
Ready to change your life?
You might also like
-
Leadership & Service in Youth Development
Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Assist and support a summer camp project for children and teens that study at Ciudad Santa María.
