Overview
| Population | 331,900 | Area | 22,966 km² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language(s) | English | Timezones | Central Time, UTC-06:00 |
| Currency | Belize Dollar (BZD) | Climate | Sub-Tropical |
| Dialing code | +501 | Electricity | 110/220V, US plug |
Ever wanted to travel in Central America? The Medics Away elective in Belize is your opportunity to live life on the wild side, and get a good tan whilst you’re at it. Spend the weekends sailing out to islands to live like a cast away. Travel inland and trek about the jungle, traverse through lost caves and explore the wildlife reserves. Discover ancient Mayan temples in the deepest recesses of the rain forest. Scuba Dive or snorkel the largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere, and sit about on the beach in paradise.
Live Like a Castaway
Belize is well connected to itself. This small country has a fantastic public transport system; it really is very easy to get about. Daunted about the prospect of language barriers? Well there’s no need. Belize’s people use English as the predominant first language. Spanish definitely has its place in the culture also; perfect for those of you that want to start or brush up.
Please make an enquiry to receive a complete list of prices available for this elective.
Gallery
Itineraries
2 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary2 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation, Four Discovery Trips Welcome Dinner & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary4 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary4 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation, Four Discovery Trips Welcome Dinner & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary6 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary6 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation, Four Discovery Trips Welcome Dinner & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary8 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itinerary8 weeks accommodation (available in Shared / Single), Representation, Four Discovery Trips Welcome Dinner & Hospital Rotation.
Written itinerary Visual itineraryGetting There
There are several options for flying to Belize. Most flights travel through the United States, either through Houston or Dallas, on one of five carriers: Continental, American, U.S. Airways, Delta, or Grupo Taca (El Salvador). We no longer recommend Grupo Taca because of problems with their extremely-lame customer service. Students are asked to try to make reservations that arrives into Belize City during the working day, most of the North American airlines now do.
Quite often, students can find cheaper flights into Cancun, Mexico as opposed directly into Belize City. From there a simple 5 hour bus ride down the coast to Chetmal will link you to the ‘Thunderboat’ water taxi, that takes a few hours to reach San Pedro.
Once in Belize, students are expected to take public transport between host locations. The public transport network is very efficient, cheap and comfortable with air-conditioned buses. Services run all day and all week long (slightly limited service on Sunday’s).
Accommodation
San Pedro
In Belize, and certainly in the town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Pedro’s Hotel is certainly one of the friendliest, comfortable and fun places to be. Pedro’s pride themselves on providing excellent service and always enjoy receiving Medics Away students, The owners are active members of the community and are closely connected to the hospital and private clinics around the island. Pedro’s offer an onsite Concierge and Adventure Coordinator. They also have friendly and helpful Cleaning Staff and Amazing Bartenders. All rooms are air-conditioned. Breakfast is not included. Pool is available.
San Ignacio
A private five bedroom house awaits all Medics Away students in San Ignacio. Self contained, self catered, private internet, air-conditioned, close to local amenities and our Representative. Medics Away provides you with a small welcome pack of food to kick start your journey (milk, bread, etc.). Managed by the owners, the Cambranes family, they are the perfect ally’s for your trip.
Corozal
We are currently in the process of reviewing our accommodation in this location. Please be aware students are not routinely scheduled into Corozal unless discussed person-to-person to the student via the Medics Away team.
Discovery Trip
The Discovery Trip in Belize is really the high light of the whole elective. Set in three locations with loads of activities in each, it is something you will never forget.
Stage 1 - San Pedro
Spend the day out snorkeling in the beautiful reefs that surround the island of San Pedro on the Caye Caulker Sail & Snorkel trip. Finish your day with fresh fish caught and cooked especially for you, on the beach in front of your hotel.
Stage 2 - San Ignacio
A two day adventure in Barton Creek canoeing trip and the Actun Tunichil Muknal jungle tour.
Stage 3 - Tikal
Medics Away will take you across the border into Guatemala and off for a day trip to Tikal. Explore the ancient Mayan Ruins. As an optional diversion, students can be dropped off in the pretty island town of Flores where they can stay a night or two and return of their own accord back to San Ignacio (this is not included as part of the package).
Please refer to the Activities section of the Belize website for more details of each of the trips. Additional trips are available, please use the Add to Itinerary button to submit further requests for trips. Medics Away will add them to your itinerary and adjust your invoice accordingly.
Hospital
Medics Away has established multiple locations for hospital rotations in Belize: San Ignacio, Corozal and San Pedro. Students need to be aware the reason behind having three locations as opposed to only one. Hospitals in Belize are essentially Polyclinics, are very small with limited doctors available and often, limitations of patients as well. Specific Specialties are not available as patients will simply turn up with any ailment they happen to have. Politics in Belize is also very changeable. A Polyclinc can easily stop students attending at a moments notice if they feel overwhelmed or simply do not feel like having students. To protect ourselves and students travelling, Medics Away has opened numerous hospital locations to accommodate most eventualites and provide a wider variety of experience both medically and geographically. Medics Away makes considerable donations annually via the Medics Away Foundation. It continues to liase with government level authorities to establish long-term relationships with the Polyclinics of Belize; our relationship is now as strong it has ever been.
San Ignacio is a few hours bus ride west and inland from Belize International Airport. It is a centre for extreme sports and is a popular tourist location. The border to Guatemala is only half an hours drive away, and therefore a great opportunity to visit Flores and Tikal. The Polyclinic in San Ignacio is small and provides morning clinics to the local population.
Corozal Town is a town in North Belize and the capital of Corozal District. Corozal Town is located about 84 miles north of Belize International Airport, and 9 miles from the border with Mexico. The population is small with approximately 10,000 people, but the hospital provides health care for the people in the surrounding country side as well. Medics Away does not routinely organise students into Corozal as the location has less to do outside of working hours (activities etc...).
San Pedro is a town on the southern part of the island of Ambergris Caye, east of Belize International Airport and a short water taxi ride from the mainland. The town has a population of about 12,400. The hospital is small but provides Medics Away students with a very fulfilling experience.
Medics Away schedules students as groups into each location according to availability. For those students participating in Discovery Trips, schedules are also altered to accommodate as is necessary.
Activities
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Actun Tunichil Muknal
£60 / pp
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Barton Creek
£40 / pp
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Cave Tubing
£40 / pp
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Caye Caulker Sail & Snorkel
£50 / pp
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Tikal Ruins
£80 / pp
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Tobacco Caye
£70 / pp
Flights
Arrival into Cancun
- Cancun from Mexico City Int’l Aeromexico AM583 00:05
- Cancun from Dallas SY503 12:45
- Cancun from London Gatwick British Airways BA2203 15:05
- Cancun from London Gatwick Virgin Atlantic VS0093 16:10
- Cancun from Los Angeles Virgin Atlantic VX290 17:45
- Cancun from Atlanta Delta Airlines DL537 18:31
Arrival into Belize City
- Belize City Int’l from Miami British Airways BA5215 10:05
- Belize City Int’ll from Miami BA5215 10:05
- Belize City Int’l from Miami American Airlines AA2103 10:15
- Belize City Int’l from Miami American Airlines AA2103 10:15
- Belize City Int’l from Atlanta Delta 703 10:49
- Belize City Int’l from Atlanta DL665 11:00
- Belize City Int’l from Atlanta Delta 1743 11:06
- Belize City Int’l from Miami AA2103 11:10
- Belize City Int’l from Miami American Airlines AA2141 11:15
- Belize City Int’l from Atlanta Delta DL703 11:22
- Belize City Int’l from Philip Goldson Int’l US1141 11:25
- Belize City Int’l from Dallas American Airlines AA2145 11:40
- Belize City Int’l from Miami American Airlines AA2173 13:15
- Belize City Int’l from Houston United Airlines UA1410 14:45
- Belize City Int’l from Dallas American Airlines AA2193 14:50
- Belize City Int’l from Dallas/Fort Worth American Airlines AA2193 14:55
- Belize City Int’l from Houston United Airlines UA1410 15:18
- Belize City Int’l from El Salvador Taca Airlines TA0414 15:42
Departure from Cancun
- Cancun to Miami American Airlines AA2190 07:00
- Cancun to Mexico City Int’l Aeromexico 0538 12:35
- Cancun to Calgary Air Canada AC1865 16:25
- Cancun to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport AA1108 17:15
- Cancun to London Gatwick British Airways BA2202 17:4
- Cancun to London Gatwick Virgin Atlantic VS0094 15:45 19:05
Departure from Belize City
- Belize City Int’l to Houston United Airlines UA1478 11:15
- Belize City Int’l to Miami American Airlines AA2180 11:30
- Belize City Int’l to Atlanta Delta 664 12:03
- Belize City Int’l to Miami AA2104 14:10
- Belize City Int’l to Dallas/Fort Worth American Airlines AA2194 15:50
- Belize City Int’l to San Salvador TA415 17:20
Documents
- Last Date in Home Country
- Passport copy (VERY URGENT)
- Curriculum Vitae (VERY URGENT)
- University Accreditation Letter attesting to student’s Good Standing (VERY URGENT)
- Date of Exam Results, if Pass is Mandatory (URGENT)
- University Electives Coordinators - Names, Phones & emails
- Immunisation Record
- Health Insurance Certificate
- Medical Indemnity Insurance Certificate
- Email Airline Flight Confirmation to Medics Away
- Emergency Contact Details
- Pay Invoice
Impressions of Belize
Been on this elective? Send us your testimonial.
