COMMUNITY HEALTH
NURSING CLINICAL INTERNSHIP
COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING CLINICAL INTERNSHIP
Add Your Heading Text HereLearn about community health nursing on clinical rotations in Belize
July 12 – July 26, 2025
During this two-week community health nursing clinical internship in tropical Belize, you will participate in clinical nursing rotations where you will have the opportunity to shadow Belizean nurses and medical professionals.
During the program, you will spend one week shadowing nurses in hospital facilities in San Ignacio and another week with community health workers in surrounding towns and villages. You will develop an understanding of Belize’s health system and gain an appreciation of what it means to be a health worker in a different social and cultural context.
Although you will work hard, you will also have plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the culture and natural beauty of Belize, a multicultural, biodiverse country that borders the Caribbean Sea.
In addition to an organized wilderness excursion, you will have free time to explore, shop at the town market, get to know your fellow interns, and have some fun!
Examples of possible clinical placements include:
- Public hospital
- Private hospital
- Medical center
- Home visits with community health workers
Your clinical shadowing program will allow you to shadow in multiple settings throughout the program.
Highlights:
- Introduction to the history, culture, and society of Belize
- Overview of the Belizean health system and the Belizean Ministry of Health
- Interaction with a diverse array of nurses and other medical professionals
- Full-time two-week internship
- Rotations in public, private, and community health sites
- An organized wilderness excursion
- Free time to choose your own adventure in Belize
PROGRAM DETAILS
The Center for Engaged Learning Abroad’s Community Health Nursing Clinical Internship is a two-week clinical experience in community health nursing. Nursing students from any college or university are welcome to apply. During this internship, you will shadow Belizean nurses and community health workers and develop insight into different methods of healthcare delivery, effective cross-cultural communication, and the provision of culturally competent care.
You will be comfortably housed in a guest house in shared rooms with other CELA nursing interns of the same gender. WiFi is available. Transportation to clinical sites and breakfast are included in the program tuition.
During your program, you will get to know the people and culture of Belize, an English-speaking Central American nation that borders the Caribbean Sea. Referred to as “the Jewel” by those who visit it, culturally diverse Belize is known for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and ancient ruins.
You do not need a visa to travel to Belize and, in most cases, can use U.S. dollars. English is the country’s official language, so language is not a barrier. You may need to provide us with a simple resume for placement at some clinical sites.
For this program, you can receive 1 credit from our partner University, Culver Stockton College.
Want to spend a month in Belize? CELA also offers a two-week Global Perspectives in Health program, which is a great complement to the community health nursing clinical internship. Add the Global Perspectives in Health course and spend an entire month with us in Belize! See the program page for the four-week program for more details.
Exact program itinerary is subject to change.
Belize is a top destination to travel!
The travel experts at Lonely Planet named Belize a top destination for travel. In doing so, Lonely Planet wrote, “Belize is where chilled out vibes and adventure combine…With one foot in the Central American jungles and the other in the Caribbean Sea, pint-sized Belize is packed with islands, adventure and culture.”
Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2022: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/belize
PROGRAM DATES
July 12 – July 26, 2025
PROGRAM TUITION
Tuition is $3,380, not including airfare, medical insurance (required), and some lunches and dinners. Transportation to clinical sites and organized program activities are included in your tuition. For those who wish to take the course for credit, there is an additional $499 transcript fee.
The first $500 of your tuition (your program deposit) holds your space in the course. The deposit is non-refundable. All prices are in U.S. dollars.
Interest-free payment plans are available
Included in program tuition:
- Airport transfers in Belize
- Orientation and welcome dinner
- Lodging
- Breakfast each day
- Any lectures, guest speakers, or learning activities
- Clinical supervision
- All in-country transportation for program activities
- All fees for included tourist activities
- Final program dinner
- Program tee shirt
- 24/7 staff support
Not included in program tuition:
- $30 application fee
- Airfare
- Medical insurance (required)
- Transcript fee
- Personal budget for meals (lunch and dinner), laundry, souvenirs, etc.
- Free day and evening-time activities
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT US
For over a decade, the Center for Engaged Learning Abroad (CELA) has provided academically challenging and transformative pre-health study abroad experiences. With a full Belizean staff in our Belize office, you have the benefit of local expertise on every CELA program, with a U.S. contact for ease of communication pre-travel.
CELA’s Community Health Nursing Clinical Internship and the Global Perspectives in Health study abroad program provide nursing students a unique chance to see healthcare from a variety of perspectives while giving them the opportunity to explore Belize, meet new people, and have some fun!
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
CELA prides itself on its valued partnerships with the local community. In addition to its relationships with local experts and community health workers, CELA has a memorandum of understanding with the Belizean Ministry of Health, which is the largest provider of public health services in Belize and is responsible for the oversight of the entire Belizean health sector.
CELA is committed to social responsibility and ensuring that our business activities benefit the culture and biodiversity of Belize. We actively pursue and value cooperative relationships with organizations across the country in pursuit of this goal.SAFETY
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CELA is committed to student health and safety. We support students in managing their safety by providing them with up-to-date health and safety information and guidance. Our staff in Belize is available 24/7 should students need emergency assistance. CELA follows strict safety protocols in clinical settings based on CDC guidelines, local healthcare facility directives, and other pertinent sources.
We strongly recommend that participants be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
CELA encourages students to enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to learn more about the best practices for safe travel.
CUSTOMER CARE
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CELA is an American-owned organization with Belizean and American staff in Belize and support staff in the United States. .
EDUCATION
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CELA is a recognized center of excellence for study abroad, engaged scholarship, and experiential learning.
EXPLORE OUR OTHER PROGRAMS IN BELIZE
SCHOLARSHIP AND FUNDING IDEAS
Want to study abroad but not sure if you can afford it? You are not alone! While studying abroad gives you an appreciation for the world outside of your home country, grows your character and confidence, and gives you great opportunities, many still worry about paying off student debt in the future. Thankfully, you can pursue a couple of options that may make that trip of a lifetime a little bit more affordable.
Crowdfunding
