Learn Spanish in Arenal
Our Arenal campus specializes in Medical and Nursing Spanish immersion programs along with our standard Spanish Immersion programs. Medical Spanish is not required to learn in beautiful Arenal!
Effective communication with patients is paramount when it comes to providing quality healthcare. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the United States, making it imperative for healthcare practitioners to learn how to speak Spanish.
By enrolling in AEC’s medical Spanish immersion program, you can enhance your medical Spanish comprehension and establish a deeper connection with your patients and their loved ones. This will not only improve communication but also increase cultural sensitivity and comprehension for you and your team.
We encourage you to seize this opportunity to enhance your Spanish skills, elevate the standard of your patient care, and create a positive impact on your community by learning medical Spanish with us in Costa Rica!
Medical Spanish in Arenal
Medical Spanish immersion students are trained in medical terminology, anatomy, vocabulary, tropical diseases, and medical practices of the Costa Rican system that will build on top of their daily Spanish language program. Language skills increase drastically via our four-week medical program with over 25 hours per week of Spanish and medical building blocks. Through this, students reach the ability to communicate directly and better understand a patient’s needs.
Additionally, living on a daily basis with a Costa Rican family via opting for our homestay program builds even stronger communication by hearing and speaking Spanish every day in the household, which adds to overall medical/language exposure. Students will gain a better understanding of Latin culture and come away with an understanding of how to communicate in a more sensitive and nurturing way with other Spanish speakers. Many of our students say that after 4 weeks of only speaking and hearing Spanish that they began “thinking” in Spanish.
In addition to our morning language sessions there are afternoon hours devoted to enhancing the medical experience and application of language for each student. The medical work is spent with AEC’s teaching staff, helping with correct pronunciation, an understanding of medical terminology in Spanish context, as well as time with a Costa Rican doctor going over key points of building communication skills by taking histories, evaluations and patient interviews.
Every week staff will provide additional homework assignments, so students can build on what they are learning from their classroom setting. These are all enhanced in the later weeks in a mock clinic setting so students can practice those skills in a more relaxed environment.
The combination of language immersion, medical terminology, patient communication, small class sizes, and living directly with a Costa Rica family combined with the pure immersive language experience of locals in the country of Costa Rica means that this program presents a unique opportunity for medical students to build a lasting understanding and better communication with their patients in the United States or anywhere else with Spanish speakers.
IMMERSIVE MEDICAL ROTATIONs
In addition to our standard Medical Spanish programs, we have two intensive options with clinic hours for medical professionals and students alike that are held at our Arenal Medical Clinic. This option includes a clinic component in addition to our Spanish language component and is a little more selective.
- 20 hours Private Medical Rotation in our partner clinic per week
- 10 hours of Private Spanish lessons and 10 hours of Private Medical Rotation per week
Private Medical Rotations require an intermediate level Spanish and consists solely as a rotation at a private medical clinic, there are no specific Spanish classes as a part of this option.
The 10 & 10 program is two hours/day of private Spanish classes followed by two hours/day of clinical rotation. This is also only for students with an intermediate or higher level of Spanish.
Prospective students will require a short phone interview with our head of Spanish Studies in order to qualify linguistically for the program. Since students spend a great deal of their time in the clinic, they will need to be able to understand and participate in patient interviews and treatment.
Nursing And Medical Spanish
Study the language, explore the land
Immerse Yourself In Costa Rica
Our programs are not limited to the classroom and learning environment of any one place and you will find there is plenty to do in Costa Rica while learning Spanish. We can arrange hikes, horseback rides, ziplines, local tours, and more!
If you yell in Spanish instead of English while flying down a zipline above the jungle canopy we will know that we have done our job well.
Work with the best
Spanish Immersion Programs In Arenal
Although we focus on Medical and Nursing Spanish in Arenal, we can also arrange private lessons for you and your family based on your needs and goals.
Nursing Spanish Programs
Our Nursing Spanish Program is Kaiser Permanente approved and specifically built for nurses.
Medical Spanish Programs
Strong intermediate language level join a full working clinic in Costa Rica.
Airport Pickup: San Jose
We will pick you up from the airport in San Jose. .
Contact AEC for current pricing
Private lessons
Medical Spanish not required!
Less than 10 hours: $32/hour
Private Lessons At Your Hotel: $35/hour + teacher transport cost
2 Students with 1 Teacher: Both students must have same proficiency and you must pay to transport the teacher.
Classes Start Every Monday
Your class can start any Monday that is not a national holiday in Costa Rica. If a National Holiday falls on a Monday, we will start on Tuesday and you will still be able to makeup any Private Lessons that you miss on account of a National Holiday.
Homestays available
Live with a Spanish speaking family while you learn Spanish and employ it with patients and medical staff at our clinic.
Weekly: $250
Extra Night: $50
Seamless process
How It Works
01 Choose A Spanish Program Below
Choose from one the Spanish programs below.
03 We will be in touch
An AEC Trip Coordinator will call or email you quickly to answer your questions and tailor your trip details.
04 Implementation
Join us in Costa Rica for Spanish immersion!
Arenal
Private Spanish Lessons For Nurses and Healthcare Workers
Private Spanish lessons with a focus on healthcare workers and nurses. These classes focus on Spanish in the context of healthcare but don’t include any medical rotations at our clinic.
Arenal
10 Hour Spanish + 10 Hour Private Medical Rotation
An accredited Spanish language immersion program in Costa Rica, Students will spend several hours each day taking private Spanish lessons focused on medical professionals and then deploy what they learn in our clinic for several hours afterwards. This program is for Intermediate and Advanced Spanish speakers. Requires a brief phone interview.
Arenal
Standard Spanish Lessons
An accredited Spanish language immersion program in Costa Rica, designed for all types of students. Class sizes vary between 1 and 6 other Spanish students.
Arenal
Private Group Lessons
A small group standard Spanish language immersion program in Arenal, our Semi Private programs consist of 2-3 people of similar language levels sharing the weekly cost.
