Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

Coursework

Prerequisites:
Previous college-level coursework in public health, development studies, community or social sciences, or other related fields. At least four recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish as assessed by SIT.

The coursework in the Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment program combines topical seminars and discussions with field-based learning around the themes of public health and community welfare. These themes are divided into modules so that students can contextualize the Chilean reality, taking into account historical elements, current realities and emerging trends.

Theoretical perspectives are provided through interdisciplinary seminars and are reinforced through the Spanish language classes. Subsequently, educational excursions and community work experiences complement classroom work and provide opportunities for critical reflection around programmatic themes.

The topic of public health is intertwined with the programmatic themes of alternative health practices, community welfare, and social justice within Chile.

The following syllabi are for the upcoming session. Because courses develop and change over time to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, actual course content will vary from term to term.

The syllabi can be useful for students, faculty, and study abroad offices in assessing credit transfer. Read more about credit transfer.

Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment Seminar - syllabus
(IPBH-3000 4 credits / 60 class hours)
An interdisciplinary course conducted in Spanish, with required readings, examining theoretical and current approaches to health care delivery in urban and rural, and “modern” and traditional, communities across present-day Chile. Resources utilized in the delivery of course content include the Universidad de Tarapacá, the Indigenous Health System, public health centers, local and national government health officials, herbalists, intercultural medicine practitioners, and the Chilean intercultural hospital Nueva Imperial.

Field Study Seminar - syllabus
(ANTH 3500 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)
A course in research methods in both the social and natural sciences, focusing on how to collect, analyze, integrate, and report social and public health data to critically understand and evaluate program-related public health issues. Introduction to the Independent Study Project. Field studies may include designing a research project; writing a research proposal; interviewing; surveys; maintaining a field journal. Specific public health field study methods may include concepts and objectives of scientific research; basic techniques used in public health research; data collection and analysis; epidemiology and considerations in the Chilean context; ethical issues related to public health projects and research; the World Learning/SIT Human Subjects Review Policy; observation and participation in community health projects.

Intensive Language Study: Intermediate Spanish I - syllabus
(SPAN-2004 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)
Intensive Language Study: Intermediate Spanish II - syllabus
(SPAN-2504 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)
Intensive Language Study: Advanced Spanish I - syllabus
(SPAN-3004 / 4 credits / 60 class hours)
Emphasis on speaking and comprehension skills through classroom and field instruction. Special attention is given to medical and health terminology in Spanish. Based on in-country evaluation, including oral proficiency testing, students are placed in intensive intermediate or advanced classes.

Independent Study Project - syllabus
(ISPR 3000 / 4 credits / 120 class hours)
Conducted in Arica, Temuco, or in another approved location in Chile appropriate to the project. Students can choose to conduct an Independent Study Project or to participate in a guided, monthlong practicum. Sample topic areas: women’s health; psychiatric illness and community outreach; drug and alcohol treatment; intercultural health; Chilean AIDS policy; promotion and prevention policies; indigenous practice of health; epidemiology.