Costa Rica
Medical Plants and Tropical Diseases Elective Course
This 2-credit hour course offered through the SIUE School of Pharmacy explores medicinal plants, tropical diseases and climate changes in Costa Rica. Pharmacy students enrolled in this course travel to Costa Rica, allowing for the opportunity to experience hands-on research in medicinal plant use and tropical diseases.
Activities are in collaboration with University of Costa Rica faculty and staff members of the Carara National Park and Manuel Antonio Park. They participate in lectures, seminars and guided tours of the Natural Products Research Center (CIPRONA) and the national park rainforests. Students also have the opportunity to interview local healers and experts in alternative medicine treatments. Through this experience, students gain a greater knowledge of infectious global diseases, which is imperative for pharmacists who counsel patients who have traveled outside the U.S. or who are non-native residents. This experience is available for third year professional pharmacy students.
- Zac Hill, Student Pharmacist
The average cost is $1500 per student, with more than ten third year students traveling annually during the month of March. You may volunteer to facilitate students' participation in Costa Rica or sponsor a student. You can view a video created from the 2018 trip here.
Year implemented: Spring 2013
Faculty: Marcelo Nieto, Ph.D. and Cathy Santanello, Ph.D.
Contact: csantan@siue.edu
Make a Gift to the "Pharmacy Global Education Experiences" Fund
