Costa Rica internships

Private dental clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15 minute walk from the Praxis Center.

These are small private dental clinics. Students may shadow procedures, help to sterilize instruments, and generally assist with all the work of the clinic. They will most likely learn how to do injections and how to detect and treat cavities and other dental problems. In addition to general dentistry, at some clinics students may also be able to observe orthodontic procedures one day a week.

Private nutritionists

Location :Various private offices in Heredia and Tibas, within a 30 minute bus or train ride from the Praxis Center.

These nutritionists generally work together with a primary care clinic, giving advice and creating nutritional plans for patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cancer. Requires an intermediate level of Spanish.

Private Medical Clinics – Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 20 minute walk from most homestays

These are several small clinics with private physicians.  Students observe primary care doctors, and are able to ask questions about different diagnoses as well as taking vital signs.  Physicians are able to take time to explain the diagnosis to students and invite them to learn how to do a physical exam, vital signs, some basic tests and the uses of a wide range of medicines.  Students with a high level of Spanish may also be able to do some parts of an initial patient interview.

Clinica Cristiana La Carpio

Location: La Carpio, La Uruca, about a 50 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center.

This is a primary care clinic run by a faith based organization, located in a low income immigrant community, serving primarily people from Nicaragua.  Past students have assisted with taking vital signs, helping to organize the pharmacy and the preliminary parts of a patient interview.  The doctors on staff are Costa Rica, although they do have visiting doctors from the United States from time to time.  Only students with a very advanced level of Spanish are eligible for this internship.

Instituto Nacional de Meteorología (National Weather Institute)

Location: Downtown San José, about a 15 minute train ride.

This is the government institute in charge of monitoring, predicting and reporting on all weather related activities in Costa Rica. Past interns have been invited to share in many aspects of the team´s work. They are the provider of all weather information for the country.

Laboratorio de Plasma, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica

Location: Cartago, about an hour and a half train and bus ride.

This is a very high level nuclear plasma research institution, housed within the premiere public technological university. Currently they are researching many civilian uses for nuclear plasma, including for disinfecting surfaces. Since the commute is long, past students have lived with host families closer to the university in Cartago.

Private Optometrist in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15-20 minute walk from the Praxis Center

This is a small optometry office which offers the full range of services. The student would learn about all aspects of optometry and different options for correcting poor vision.

Equipo Verde, Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana

Location: Cedros, San Pedro, about a 45 minute train and bus ride from the Praxis Center.

This is an urban community gardening project sponsored by a faith based university. Past students have been involved in composting, preparing raised beds, planting and harvesting a wide range of vegetables and tropical fruits.

A Rocha Costa Rica

Location: A 5 minute walk from the Praxis Center offices

This organization sponsors various neighborhood environmental projects, ranging from community composting and organic gardening to tree planting at the local river.

Casa Nube retreat center

Location: San Rafael de Heredia, about 30 minutes from the Praxis Center offices.  

This is a retreat center in a cloud forest. Past students have carried out research projects about the quality of the water in local streams, the amount of carbon sequestered by the trees, as well as counting the number of species of birds, trees and other wildlife.

Private Physical Therapy clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: Santo Domingo, about a 15 minute walk from the Praxis Center

These are small private physical therapy offices.  Students will be able to observe and learn about the full range of physical therapy treatments and exercises for different populations, for instance in the case of accidents, post-surgery, sports injuries, and older adults.

Blue Valley School

Location: San Rafael de Escazu, an hour bus ride from Santa Rosa

This is a private school that teaches most subjects in English. They also have International Baccalaureate. There are opportunities for a student to assist in biology, chemistry and physics classrooms.

The European School

Location: San Pablo de Heredia, a 20 minute bus ride from the Praxis Center office.

This is a private school that teaches most subjects in English. They also have International Baccalaureate. Students may work with teachers of mathematics, chemistry and biology.

Private veterinary clinics in Santo Domingo

Location: About a 15-20 minute walk from the Praxis Center

These are a small private veterinary clinics that mainly work with cats and dogs. The environment is very friendly and warm. Possible volunteer responsibilities: The senior veterinarian and assisting staff require volunteers who care about animals; helping with daily activities and routines such as medical procedures and standard check-ups and vaccinations. There is also an opportunity to observe castrations and other surgeries.  

Wild Animal Rescue Center, Alajuela

Location: Alajuela. Students normally live right at the center, in dormitories with other volunteers.

This is a center that receives exotic animals that have been injured or who have been rescued for the illegal pet trade. They care for the animals and try to prepare them to return to the wild. Previous interns have been invited to share in all of the daily tasks involved in caring for the animals, including some animal behavioral training. After doing this internship, one previous student got a job at the zoo of a major US city. Since there is an extra cost involved with this internship, most previous students have done this as a week long special rotation (working the rest of the time at a small animal veterinary clinic).