The Medical Shadowing Internship has a 100% practical focus to train interns in pre-medical and global health competencies from a community and public health perspective through practical and observational activities across multiple levels of care in private and public hospitals. Each site includes a defined project and an objective evaluation. The program concludes with a publishable research product (letter to the editor or poster) aimed at submission to the Revista Hispanoamericana de Ciencias de la Salud (UH).
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The major learning objectives of the program are:
- Analyze and compare access to health services in Costa Rica’s public and private systems, identifying social and economic disparities that affect timely and equitable care.
- Participate in pre-assigned practical projects within hospital and medical institutions, applying observational and quality-improvement methodologies under professional supervision and academic mentorship.
- Integrate the principles of public, community, and global health through active observation of social determinants, preventive practices, and comprehensive models of care.
- Develop transversal competencies — intercultural communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and professional ethics — in multicultural health practice environments.
Student Outcomes
Upon completion of the Medical Shadowing internship, the student will be able to:
- Apply public, community, and global health principles in real-world scenarios.
- Collect and analyze field data using validated instruments to generate objective indicators.
- Collaborate effectively in interprofessional and intercultural teams.
- Produce a publishable research product, in the format of a concise manuscript/scientific poster adhering to publication standards (APA 7, ethics, data protection) synthesizing internship findings and contributing to scholarly dissemination in the Revista Hispanoamericana de Ciencias de la Salud (UH).