General Impression
Overall Rating: / 10
My medical placement in Oaxaca was a great experience overall.I met a lot of amazing people and it was so interesting to learn about such a different healthcare system to my own.
My homestay was lovely and I felt safe in the area I was living in.
Country
Mexico is an amazing country with a vibrant culture - attending this placement during July with the Guelaguetza celebrations in Oaxaca was an unforgettable experience!
Project & Staff
The project was enjoyable and I loved meeting the doctors, nurses and interacting with the patients during my different placements.
Dra Martha was lovely and really accommodating, finding placements that aligned with my interests.
As expected it was not particularly hands on and is probably better suited for medical students than doctors.
Feedback:
It would be good to be provided with some information about the homestay prior to arrival in Oaxaca to know what to expect as a solo traveller.
It also would have been good to have confirmation of and more information about the locations and type of placement I was undertaking prior to arriving in Mexico. I had expected to be in one location for the duration of my placement but was in a different location each week.
I only received information on the location of my placement at the end of the week prior to the next location, which made it difficult to plan my week and hard to know what to expect in my role as a volunteer and was surprising as I had organised this placement over 6 months prior to my arrival.
I would have liked to have had more time in the public hospital as I felt this was where I learnt the most and was able to be the most helpful.
Dra Martha was lovely and really accommodating, finding placements that aligned with my interests.
As expected it was not particularly hands on and is probably better suited for medical students than doctors.
Feedback:
It would be good to be provided with some information about the homestay prior to arrival in Oaxaca to know what to expect as a solo traveller.
It also would have been good to have confirmation of and more information about the locations and type of placement I was undertaking prior to arriving in Mexico. I had expected to be in one location for the duration of my placement but was in a different location each week.
I only received information on the location of my placement at the end of the week prior to the next location, which made it difficult to plan my week and hard to know what to expect in my role as a volunteer and was surprising as I had organised this placement over 6 months prior to my arrival.
I would have liked to have had more time in the public hospital as I felt this was where I learnt the most and was able to be the most helpful.
Tips
Taking the bus in Oaxaca:
- Google Maps is not accurate regarding the bus routes, stops and times
- look for blue bus signs on the street to catch the bus from
- directly ask the driver if they are going to the location you want to go as it may not be clear
- always have cash handy, the fare is 10 pesos
If you are attending a public hospital and need white clothing:
- There is spare white clothing at the Language School including white lab coats, pants and tops to borrow - just ask Dra Martha.
- Google Maps is not accurate regarding the bus routes, stops and times
- look for blue bus signs on the street to catch the bus from
- directly ask the driver if they are going to the location you want to go as it may not be clear
- always have cash handy, the fare is 10 pesos
If you are attending a public hospital and need white clothing:
- There is spare white clothing at the Language School including white lab coats, pants and tops to borrow - just ask Dra Martha.