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Medical/Health Semester Program in Cuenca Ecuador
The semester program in Cuenca is designed for biology majors who are planning to head into the health professions (physicians and allied health). Students will take Medical Physiology during the semester and participate in medical internships.
Students enroll in the Universidad de Azuay (UDA) School of Medicine during the semester in Cuenca, for the Medical Physiology taught by Dr. Cesar Toral M.D. and course instructor. The course is taught in two sections. The first section is an intensive 4-week medical physiology course taught in English. The second section is the same physiology course, but taught in Spanish. During the second section students join the Ecuadorian UDA medical students in the classroom. Both sections of the course involve students in clinical labs with the medical school students. The students also participate in visitations or short programs with medical schools or doctors.
Students at the Cuenca Centre are enrolled in an internships experiences. Students have the opportunity to be involved with research being conducted by the universities of Ecuador. Biology Premedical or Prehealth majors are involved in rotations through 5 hospitals of Cuenca, observing and assisting in surgery, pharmacy, public health and other varied health professional outreaches, such as brigades. 
One key partnership for the program is with the Foundacion Hogar del Ecuador. The foundation is a medical health facility in the city of Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador. The clinic is an outreach of Iglesia Verbo Cristiana and acts as the medical hospital for the students. The clinic's 25 physicians are members of the church, providing for the clinic on a 24 hr service. Students participate in medical outreach brigades to the rural communities around Cuenca. Students internalized their academic preparation, service experiences, host interactions, and team discussions to develop a holistic perspective as individuals living in cross-cultural service.
Students in Ecuador
Iglesia Verbo Cuenca, the local evangelical church of 1800, provides in logistics and coordination in Cuenca, with partnerships at academic institutions, Spanish language training, cross culture study, home-stays, group rentals, travel and other infrastructural needs. Students enroll in the Verbo language institute for 6 to 7 hours of Spanish and 2 hours of cross culture Ecuador.
During the semester in Cuenca, the students live in Christian homes. The host families oversee the safety and welfare of our students. Often, if not always, the students develop a very strong attachment to these families. The students may have Ecuadorian siblings who they will develop close relationships.
Travel takes the students through out the country; from the costal regions, through the Andes into the Amazon jungle where students are made aware of the great diversity in geography and culture. Student take specific trips to the capital city of Quito and to Ecuador’s International treasure, the Galapagos Islands.
Biology Programs
The Department of Biolgy promotes the vision of Taylor University to provide global experiences to their majors. Other tracks of the Biology program are currently in development at the Cuenca Centre. These include environmental biology, resaearch and biology education, and public heatlh. Stay tuned to these developments.
Taylor University also offers global experience that are not specifically for the major, but do offer Taylor University Credit. Check with Off Campus Programs
Taylor University Biology major have opportunities to be involved in the following two external programs:
- Global Stewardship Studies Program, Belize
- Latin American Science Studies Program, Costa Rica
