Medical and Public Health Summer and Autumn Internships in Rural China

DALI CITY, Yunnan Province, China, May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The China California Heart Watch www.chinacal.org has summer internship openings for university students with an interest in health related study.  China Cal is a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the rural poor in Yunnan Province, China through research, education, and clinical care. Each year, we allow university and high school students an opportunity to learn and deliver cardiac & preventive care to impoverished farmers and their children. These internships involve first-hand experiences of medical issues in small villages in Yunnan, where access to high-quality medical services is limited.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130520/DC17317)  

The internships create awareness of the healthcare problems facing communities in rural China and to encourage college students toward a career in public health and/or medicine with a focus on the underserved in developing countries.  Candidates will be interviewed to determine suitability. To intern with China Cal, students must have an interest in pursuing a career involving public health or health-related care in underserved populations.

Upon arrival in Yunnan, students will undergo three days of training and certification so that they can assist in screening school children and treatment of high blood pressure for adults living in rural villages. After certification, you will travel to villages, where you will screen school children or set up clinics. You will work alongside faculty from Kunming and Dali Universities.   Students will travel to Dali, Yunnan Province, where China Cal staff will meet the students at the airport. We arrange all accommodation as well as local travel. You will be living in hotels, community centers and in farmers' homes.

Internship dates are:
July 7 – July 27
August 4 – August 24
September 8 – September 28
December 15 to December 30

You are required to cover the cost of travel expenses to, from and within China, as well as room and board. We require interns to make a tax-free donation of US$2,100 for all summer programs or US$1,600 for the winter program. This donation helps fund China Cal's charitable activities, including training village doctors, acquiring medical equipment/supplies, and conducting hypertension research. All foreigners will be required to obtain a valid visa to enter China.

For more information about our programs and to read about the experiences of past interns, please visit www.chinacal.org or contact Vinh Luong at [email protected]

SOURCE China California Heart Watch (China Cal)