What We Do
The U.S. International Health Alliance is dedicated to enriching the living conditions and improving the health status of people in underserved areas, while inspiring others to serve.
Our Programs
Health Care
IHA through its Guatemalan partner – Alianza Internaciónal de la Salud – provides medical care to the rural villages and inner city communities in Southeastern Petén that currently have no medical support staff. As a result of our permanent staff and volunteer efforts we now provide medical outreach to over 34 sites in Petén. Our health care visits are regularly scheduled with the communities. The majority of our health care consists of general medical visits for adults and children.
International Health Elective for Medical Students
IHA offers and since 2002 has continued to offer an International Health elective for medical students in their clinical training years. This is a 4-week general medicine elective with 3 components- language instruction, clinical supervision, and cultural participation. The students gain first hand clinical experience as they accompany our permanent staff on their regularly scheduled visits to the rural villages and inner city communities.
Subspecialty Elective in Ophthalmology
IHA offers a subspecialty elective in ophthalmology and optometry to medical and optometric students in their clinical training years. This elective is done in coordination with a residency training program from Guatemala performed under the supervision of a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. This 4-week elective has 3 components- language instruction, clinical supervision, and cultural participation. The first two weeks of this elective will be spent at an ophthalmology clinic associated with a Guatemalan residency training program. The second two weeks will be spent performing eye examinations in the rural communities of Petén, Guatemala.
Volunteer Immersion Experience
IHA offers a short-term volunteer immersion experience for university students accompanied by their mentor. Volunteers will have the opportunity to accompany our health care team on their regularly scheduled visits to the rural and inner city communities. Short-term volunteers should be groups of 4 or more with a supervising mentor.