This five-week program awards students the following credit:

TLS 393: Pre-Health Internship (6 units) (Honors section available!)
Note: If you have already received the maximum of 18 TLS 393 credits, you will be enrolled in TLS 493. Grades are Pass/Fail.

Prior to arriving in Spain, students will complete an online Medical Spanish course to help prepare for the shadowing experience. In-country, credit will be awarded based on 25 hours of shadowing doctors at local hospitals and additional volunteering hours within the community or teaching English to the hospital staff. Students can expect a typical week to go as follows:

Please Note: Students should have an intermediate level of Spanish language proficiency (completion of SPAN 202 or the equivalent) before the start date to participate in this program.

Burgos, Spain

Burgos is located in the northern region of Spain. With a population of about 180,000, this city is rich in historical Spanish landmarks, such as the Cathedral of Burgos, a large number of other elaborate churches, palaces, and other medieval style architecture. The size of the city and its central location in northern Spain makes it a great spot for students to immerse themselves in Spanish culture while also being able to easily travel to other destinations in Spain and Europe. 

The University Hospital of Burgos, inaugurated in 2012, is located in the northeast part of the city of Burgos in northern Spain. It is made up of 5 buildings, has 744 beds, and an additional specialty center where most outpatient consultations take place. With 24 operation rooms and multiple departments, this hospital is sure to inspire future physicians while providing a window into Spain’s socialized healthcare system.

Móstoles, Madrid, Spain

The Municipality of Mósteles, Spain is located in the Community of Madrid. Bordered by the Guadarrama river to the west, Móstoles is the region's second most populated municipality, with over 200,000 residents. Móstoles is home to museums and the Community of Madrid's modern art gallery, as well as an extensive walking and cycling infrastructure. 

The University Hospital Rey Juan Carlos, inaugurated in 2012, is a center integrated into the public health network, designed to offer universal, close and effective care to nearly 174,000 citizens. The design of the hospital building stands out for giving special importance to the control of sunlight and the quality of the spaces intended for patients and families. It has 12 operating rooms, 358 rooms and 18 ICU positions, and is a university hospital, which makes it a great learning environment.

**Please note, space is limited at each site. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee your placement in your first-choice location.

Good to Know:

LGBTQ+ Equality Index rating: Spain rates 80/100 (with 100 being the most equal) on Equaldex’s LGBTQ+ Equality Index.

Global Peace Index rating: Spain ranks 32/163 in the Global Peace Index. The lower the score, the more peaceful the country.

Languages spoken: Castilian Spanish 74% (official nationwide); Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% (each official regionally)

Last year's location:

All students will book their flights in and out of Madrid, Spain where they will have airport pick up to their assigned site.

Teruel is a small, high-altitude town in the mountainous Aragon region of eastern Spain. Founded in the 12th century, the town's unique architecture found almost exclusively in the region of Aragon makes it part of a UNESCO world heritage site. A 2016 Fellow says "I had such an amazing trip in Teruel Spain! The hospital taught me so much more than I could imagine, seeing first hand consults, procedures and surgery. The other fellows I was located with became some of my best friends and the excursions were absolutely amazing."

Hospital (public, approx. 215 beds)

Hospital Obispo Polanco is located in Teruel, Spain, across the street from the beautiful and relaxing Parque los Fueros. Teruel is located between Madrid and Valencia. The hospital carries out teaching activities at the undergraduate level of nursing and medicine and postgraduate training of MIR specialists in family medicine, MI, general surgery, traumatology, psychiatry and radiodiagnosis. They boast a wide variety of specialties including those listed previously and more.

There is a city bus network in Teruel, as well as transportation by taxi. As a generally safe place, we recommend students use common sense and maintain awareness of their surroundings as they live in Teruel and travel in Spain. The city is in a mountain region with opportunity for hiking, and beautiful cultural heritage is very evident in the Moorish-influenced architecture.

Students will be housed in dorms, apartments, or similar accommodations (the type of housing depends on the location). These are fully furnished, single-gender double rooms with shared bathrooms, kitchens, and common space. Linens, blankets and towels will be provided, but purchasing additional household items may be needed. Participants are required to utilize the housing provided by the program.

The cost of housing is included in the program fee. One group dinner per week is also included, while breakfast and lunch on a daily basis and remaining dinners are at the expense of each student. 

UA Global Study Abroad Scholarships

Gilman Scholarship (for Pell Grant recipients)

Fund for Education Abroad