Gaby Edgerton (24) is a fifth year medical student from Quito, Ecuador.

There are 24 medical faculties in Ecuador in public, state and private universities. The curriculum in Ecuador lasts six years. In the first two years we study basic sciences. In the third and fourth year we start our clinical phase, a combination of theoretical and practical classes. The fifth year here is called Externado, because you have classes outside and inside the hospital and work there. The sixth year is called Internado Rotativo, and you are called an intern, that is because you are practically living in the hospital. You are hired by the hospital, receive a salary and are considered hospital staff.

 

I’m living with my parents. In Ecuador you live with your parents until you are financially independent. Since we usually do not work besides studying, it is very hard to move to a place for ourselves. So basically until you go abroad for residency, get married or get a job, most students live with mom and dad.

 

Mostly yes. The private universities demand a fee of $ 4 000 to 8 000 per year. The fee for public universities is much lower, but of course they do not offer the same quality of education, infrastructure and services as the private universities do.

You have a lot of practice and during the clinical years you see a lot of patients. You develop skills in history taking, physical examination, laboratories, x-rays, etc.

 

That is a tough question. By then I will be 35 years old and I will probably finish my residency in surgery. Maybe I will do my specialization abroad and live in the USA, Spain or Canada. Eventually I will come back to Ecuador, depending on the political and economical situation. Another possibility, if I don’t have a family, is that I will work for a NGO for a year, maybe Médicins sans Frontières (MSF).

 

 

Photo by Gaby Edgerton