Participants in our programs deliver hands-on healthcare and health education every day. They don't simply watch, shadow, or observe, and they don't conduct research. They’re making a difference!

Shortly after arriving at the Guatemala City airport, students and GPSA staff travel to Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela. Though Xela is the center of the program's activity, students live with GPSA staff in groups of five or six with a host family in villages outside of Xela. Living with a host family creates a perfect atmosphere for practicing Spanish, learning, and experiencing Guatemalan culture.

For their clinical service, students are divided into teams led by trained college graduates (premeds from Duke, Johns Hopkins, or similar universities) or faculty. Students learn to facilitate several medical interventions and screenings and complete important introductory cultural and language training.

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