Porto Alegre, Brazil

Spring 2027

Description

Brazil is home to over 200 million people, of which over 20% live in poverty or extreme poverty. The country has received attention for its wide income disparities and other social inequalities. There is a shortage of resources for health, and significant inequities in access to health services across regions of the country in both the private and public systems (SUS).

The David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA has partnered with Pontifícia Universidade Católica Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Porto Alegre since 2016 in support of our Mozambique partners, including Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM) and the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane School of Medicine. As part of this academic collaboration, a new opportunity has opened for DGSOM students to participate in fourth-year clinical electives at PUCRS. Visiting DGSOM students will work daily with medical students, residents, and supervising faculty from PUCRS who speak English while they gain broad exposure to treating conditions such as HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, and dengue in an underserved and resource-limited setting.

Potential training sites in Porto Alegre include:

• Hospital Sao Lucas da PUCRS (HSL), the University hospital for training and research in Porto Alegre
• Centro de Extensão Vila Fatima (CEVF), the University primary care center in a very low-income community
• Hospital Presidente Vargas (HPV), a PUCRS-affiliated public hospital in central Porto Alegre

The rotation in Porto Alegre has been developed with formal goals and objectives. We are seeking students with an interest in caring for underserved populations, and those with enthusiasm for global health, tropical medicine, and health care delivery in resource poor settings. Students will be expected to demonstrate the highest level of maturity, professionalism, and cultural humility.

Details

Details

Funding and Housing

Students will receive roundtrip airfare and an additional $1,000 in financial support for the Porto Alegre clinical rotation. The host institution will provide housing recommendations. These funds are intended to help offset expenses such as housing, local transportation, and other travel-related costs. Students should anticipate contributing personal funds, as the total cost of the rotation may exceed the financial support provided by the Global Health Program.

Application and Orientation

Applications for this elective are due Monday, September 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Interviews for this elective will primarily be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Limited interview appointments may also be available on Friday, September 18, 2026, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Thursday, September 24, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Students selected for this rotation must attend a mandatory, full-day pre-departure orientation in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Rotation Dates and Post-Rotation Requirements

Rotation dates for this elective have been confirmed. Students applying to this three-week elective must be able to commit to the rotation from April 12 through April 30, 2027. Please note that international travel will require departing Los Angeles approximately two days before the official start of the rotation to allow sufficient time for travel and arrival in Porto Alegre.

Following the rotation, students will be expected to complete written evaluations, participate in a mandatory full-group debrief on Thursday, June 3, 2027, from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., and attend a site-specific debrief, which will be scheduled following their return and prior to graduation.

Questions

Questions regarding this rotation should be directed to Dr. Traci Wells at TWells@mednet.ucla.edu.