Hello,

Despite the price, I'm seriously looking into doing an international rotation with Child Family Health International. If anyone who has completed any of their programs would provide some feedback about the pros and cons, and whether it is worth the cost, it would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm looking into the Pediatric Health in La Paz, Bolivia and Reproductive Health or Andean Health in Quito, Ecuador. Any info. on those programs specifically would be lovely!

Thanks a bunch in advance!
Peace&Health :)

i did a rotation with them last year in Mumbai, INDIA. It was absolutely waste of time and money. Poorly organized and really didn't do anything. Even when you could do something it was mostly observational. I would never do it again.

i did a rotation with them last year in Mumbai, INDIA. It was absolutely waste of time and money. Poorly organized and really didn't do anything. Even when you could do something it was mostly observational. I would never do it again.

Thanks for the feedback!! :)

does anybody know about their south african rotation? I would be going as a 4th year so hopefully it wouldn't be as shadow-y

I did the andean health rotation in ecuador. It was basically all shadowing. You even had to sign something saying that you wouldn't touch the patients. We also had medical spanish classes everyday for about half the time we were there, which were tailored to your own level of spanish. I thought that it was interesting as a premed and had a lot of fun, but if you're looking for some great clinical experience, I wouldn't really recommend it.

If you are a medical student I definitely would not recommend traveling through CFHI. The clinical experience that you get is very poor. I traveled to India as a pre-med with 4th year medical students who, like myself, sat for 4 weeks watching a physician interview patients.

does anybody know about their south african rotation? I would be going as a 4th year so hopefully it wouldn't be as shadow-y


I had a largely positive experience in South Africa, no thanks to that God-awful program. Honestly, CHFI is a total sham. The preceptors are simply paid to babysit you, and the local coordinators aren't at all concerned with the quality of the trip, or the experience of those involved.

I made my trip what I wanted it to be. I told the coordinator where I was going to go and I went. I got involved, asked questions, and as a result was much more involved than I had expected I would be.

Anyway, unless you want to be highly proactive and independent and do your coordinator's job for him/her I recommend going with a different outfit.

South Africa is a wonderful country to do rotations in. The infrastructure is the best on the continent, the people are friendly, and the public health issues that the country faces are really quite fascinating.
Also, the sightseeing really can't be beat (Shark-diving, game drives, surf lessons, Cape Town, etc.) If you find a non-CHFI, school-affiliated program by all means go!