American Medical Foundation's Clinical Education Program Will Offer Care To Costa Rica's Poor
A Washington, D.C. - based medical relief foundation has been approved by the Costa Rican government to offer a clinical education rotation program that will provide medical care to those who are not covered by Costa Rica’s socialized healthcare system: the poorest of the poor.

The Executive Director of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) - the Costa Rican Social Security System - has approved a proposal by the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) to offer this program. The approval by Dr. Olga Arguedas, allows FIMRC to offer six-week clinical education rotations for residents, medical students, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses in and around Alajuelita, Costa Rica.

FIMRC recently opened a medical clinic in Alajuelita, which is located about 5km south of downtown San José. It is a community of over 12,500 Nicaraguan refugees and Costa Ricans, consisting mostly of single mothers and their children who are uninsured.

The students and professionals will have full access to the staff at the Hospital Naciónal de los NiñosN, the hospital’s medical curriculum, and social workers. CIMA San José, a private hospital affiliated with Baylor University in Texas, has also agreed to take students for the new program.

In addition to its clinic in Alajuelita and the two hospitals in San José, participants in FIMRC’s clinical education rotation program will also have access to:

• Santa Ana Public Clinics: participants have an opportunity to shadow physicians, teach health education, and participate in health campaigns.

• Santa Ana Public School System: participants can gather height/weight and other markers for children and work with physicians.

• Aldea Arthour Gould Orphanage for abused and abandoned children: Participants will conduct special health-related projects.

• Oratory Don Bosco: a special school for abused/abandoned children. Participants will assist physicians with a bi-monthly health education program.

Persons interested in participating in FIMRC’s clinical education program should send an email to e-mail protected from spam bots for more information.

FIMRC is a 501(c)3 global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children by providing both direct and indirect medical support. Its foremost goal is to ensure that children in underserved communities have their basic medical needs met. This is accomplished by establishing pediatric medical clinics in areas of need around the world.