Summer: Rutgers-Addressing Health Inequities in Latin American Communities

Manizales, Colombia

Program Overview

Term Start Date End Date Application Deadline
Summer 2025
May 31, 2025
Jun 14, 2025
Mar 01, 2025
Language(s) of Instruction
English
Spanish
Yes
No
No
Class Standing
Junior
Senior
Graduate
Good Academic Standing
Credits

3

Program Advisor

The Program

Learn about health inequities in Latin American communities with an emphasis in Colombia and Latinos in the United States.

This course examines health inequities in Latin American communities with an emphasis in Colombia and Latinos in the United States. The course examines, analyzes, applies, and evaluates conceptual frameworks, models, and research utilizing an interdisciplinary perspective drawing on Public Health, Dentistry, Medicine, and other health related disciplines. The course uses an experiential learning approach to gain a deeper understanding of the sociocultural, economic, environmental, and political factors that contribute to health inequities and their solutions in Latin American communities. Students will engage with community-based organizations, health care facilities in the private and public sector, community members, and guest speakers all with an eye on addressing health inequities in Latin American communities.

manizales colombia

Program Locations

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manizales colombia

Colombia

Manizales

Manizales is a city located in the mountainous coffee-growing region of western Colombia. It is renowned for its culture, steep streets, and stunning views of the nearby Nevado del Ruiz volcano. The course will be held at the School of Health Sciences at the ‘Universidad Autónoma de Manizales’, a Colombian university compromised with sustainable development and social responsibility.

Academics

By the completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of social, cultural, political, and historical factors at the individual, community, and societal level that shape health inequities in Latin American communities.
  2. Discuss the impact of migration and changing demographics on health inequities in Latin American communities.
  3. Describe how race, ethnicity, nationality, acculturation, and legal status affect health inequities.
  4. Analyze theoretical frameworks relevant to addressing health inequities in Latin American communities.
  5. Discuss the evolution and manifestation of health inequities in Colombia and among Latinos in the US.
  6. Critically assess and articulate interventions designed to address health inequities relevant to Latin American communities.

INFORMATION SESSION

To attend an informational session (11/12, 12/10, or 2/4 at 12pm) register here: link

Housing and Meals

Students in this course will stay at the Hotel Benidorm in Manizales, Caldas, Colombia. They will share double rooms during their stay. Room amenities include 2 beds, WiFi, a security box, and a television. The hotel will provide a continental breakfast.

For more information about the stay: https://www.hotelbenidorm.co/es/  

Financial Information

Program Costs

This is the billed amount that will appear on your Rutgers term bill during the term you study abroad.
Graduate
NJ resident $5,703
Non-NJ resident $6,174
Program Cost includes:
  • 3 credits Graduate tuition
  • Breakfast
  • Housing
  • In country transportation
  • Some meals
  • Excursions
  • Administrative Fees
  • Emergency Medical Access Abroad

Out-of-Pocket Costs

These are estimated expenses that are not part of your term bill. Students will need to pay for these expenses out-of-pocket.
Flights $900
Meals not included $300
Books and Classroom Materials $50
Personal Expenses $100
Total $1,350.00
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:

The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.

Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket, while some of these expenses, such as meals and personal expenses, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.

Scholarships

Available to all Rutgers students participating in a Rutgers Global–Study Abroad program. Applications can be found inside of your study abroad program application. For more information, please visit the Scholarship section of our website.

Available to study abroad students who receive a Pell Grant.  For more information about the scholarship and additional eligibility requirements please visit the Gilman website.

Faculty Leaders

Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa

I study the mechanisms through which historically and contemporary under resourced communities experience health inequities. I do this by engaging in theoretically driven research that seeks to disentangle the effects of different social determinants of health on the outcomes of these communities. Most of my scholarly work focuses on public health issues related to HIV/AIDS prevention and care, substance use and abuse, harm reduction, mental health, and healthcare utilization. I use different community-engaged approaches to study these issues, focusing on the interplay between social, structural, and environmental factors that influence health systems in which inequities are embedded. I emphasize on conducting community-engaged research work and public health practice that directly aligns to the translation, diffusion, and implementation of evidence-based health strategies into community practice and policies.

 

Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa, MD, MPH (he/him/el)

Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Public Health Service; Associate Professor of Urban-Global Public Health

One Riverfront Plaza Suite 1020, Newark, NJ, 07102

Email: rp1196@sph.rutgers.edu