Study Abroad - Public Health and Spanish in the Dominican Republic

Courses

• HLTH216 Field Work in Public Health (3 credits): Fulfills Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice GenEd
• SPAN149 Special Topics in Spanish (1 credit)

Dates

• Class Session: Spring 2025
• Trip dates: May 25-June 6, 2025

Who should register

Open to ALL students with an interest in learning Spanish, learning more about Dominican culture, and an interest in health systems. This course is particularly appropriate for students in nursing, chemical dependency, human services, biology, sociology, and general studies.

When to register

Starting November 2024 through January 2025

Language Requirements 

No language requirement - just a willingness to learn!

GPA Requirements

Student must be in good academic standing.

Travel Fee

Approximately $3,400

What to Expect in the Dominican Republic

• Temperatures are consistently 80 degrees and above, and many activities take place in full sun
• Long, full days away from accommodations
• Mostly group activities, including meals
• Lots of walking, mostly city streets, but also rural and farm conditions
• Mosquitos and bugs in some areas

Faculty Trip Leaders

Sue Mueller is an assistant professor of nursing with a strong interest in public health and social determinants of health. Sue was a part of the college’s .study abroad to Nicaragua in the past. Email Sue: sdm017@tc3.edu

Christine Evans is an adjunct professor of Spanish. She loves learning about Dominican culture and food and is excited to lead this trip! Email Christine: Cae2@tc3.edu

Participants in Bridges to Community projects say:

"I can truly say that the decision to join a Bridges to Community trip was the best thing I have ever done in my life. It was love at first sight. I was amazed by the culture, by the people, by the abundance of natural beauty. I couldn’t believe how quickly that cot in a classroom became my home, my haven, and the people working beside me (both from my group and those in the community) became my family.

I can truly say that I have grown and changed as a person, my life has gone in an entirely different direction, and I am for the very first time, incredibly excited for the prospects that my future holds. I now have just one year left of school, and after that, I plan to continue doing all I can to help, but even more importantly, continue learning and growing." - Samantha Smeaton

Past Participants of TC3 Public Health study abroad programs say:

"Travel abroad showed me how incredibly powerful nursing can be—that it can make vast improvements in people’s lives. Going to Nicaragua was, without exaggeration, one of the most important experiences of my life." - Margaret Ellis, ‘20

"I was 20 when I traveled to Nicaragua in January 2013, and not only was it was my first time out of the country it was also my first time seeing an underdeveloped country - that alone gave me so much perspective on all of the privileges we have in our country and healthcare system. It was my first exposure to a group of people without access to routine healthcare and the importance of even the basics. I remember getting so many BP readings with the systolic above 180 thinking I must be measuring it incorrectly. I have always carried that travel experience with me and it overall just gave me a glimpse into some of the intricacies of not only treating patients in a hospital setting and/or with health insurance and it definitely inspired the time I spent volunteering at the Ithaca Free Clinic." - Danielle Bean ‘13