Midwifery elective placements in Argentina, South America

For those that can afford private healthcare, a relatively high standard of care can be obtained. State workers and those without insurance face the other end of the scale, where a lack of facilities and busy wards are reminiscent of developing countries in Africa and Asia. It helps to have a basic level of Spanish to communicate with patients and medical staff, something we can help you with. For those wanting to improve their Spanish or learn the basics there is a great chance to see real diversity in patient care.

Government hospital - Mendoza's Government hospital looks after a huge cross section of society, particularly those with no state or private insurance, and is consequently very busy. It is the biggest maternity facility in the province of Mendoza, with approximately 7000 births per year. There is opportunity for proactive students to work in pre and post natal care, Neonatal Intensive Care, delivery and on ward rounds. The centre specialises in high risk pregnancies, with a separate Oncology ward.

State worker hospital -Argentineans who work for the state have access to healthcare facilities administered by their trade union. These are generally better equipped and have more specialist staff than the government hospital. Staff teams are very friendly, and wards are not as busy so there is more opportunity for teaching. The centre in Mendoza specialises in women's care, so midwives with good Spanish will be able to work in Neonatal Intensive Care, postnatal care or family planning, as well as assist with deliveries.

Don't forget - if your preferred speciality is not listed, give us a call as we can usually accommodate most requests. You could also think about other opportunities to make more of your elective:

Split placements - If you have four weeks or more, it is worth thinking about splitting an elective in Argentina. The Government and state worker hospitals offer two very different placements and time in each will give you a much better picture of how Argentinean healthcare is delivered to the general population.

Intensive Spanish course - To make the most of your elective in Argentina we recommend that you have a basic level of Spanish and are keen to learn more! We offer an intensive week long course that you can take when you arrive in Mendoza, giving you the opportunity to learn the basics as well as specialise in medical Spanish. It is unique to Work the World and is the best way to prepare for your placement. Read more on our Intensive Spanish Course page