A Parent's Guide to Pre-Health Internships Abroad

So your child wants to become a doctor and you’re looking for the best ways of helping them get into medical school. You’ve come across overseas medical internships for high school students and are wondering if sending your child abroad is a good idea. We’ll give you the short answer: with a trusted organization that includes 24/7 support, yes it is!

Besides high school students, these organizations offer medical internships for college students as well and come with many benefits. Interns experience the healthcare system of another country, learn about a new culture, and make countless memories along the way.

What types of medical internships abroad exist?

From medicine to dentistry, it’s possible to find internships in many healthcare fields. Here are some examples of medical internships for both high school and college students:

• Pre-Medicine: These internships are targeted at undergraduate students, usually science majors, who are on the track to becoming medical students.
• Pre-Physician Assistant: Also for undergraduate students, this internship is for students who want to continue their studies to become physician assistants.
• Pre-Dentistry: After their Bachelor’s degree, dental students need to specialize as a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Dental internships are great ways of getting practical experience in between.
• Pre-Nursing: Pursuing a nursing internship will imply working with registered nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals for aspiring nurses.
• Nutrition and Dietetics: With many eating disorders and food scarcity in the world, the jobs of nutritionists are critical. Students pursuing a nutrition internship will learn about the unique struggles in the country they are visiting.
• Public health: Unfortunately, not everyone has access to healthcare resources and information. This is when public health comes in. Public health interns will have the chance to make a difference by working with local communities.
• Physical Therapy: By working in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and clinics, physical therapy interns will observe how licensed physiotherapists use massage and exercise techniques to treat patients.
• Mental Health: Psychological well-being is as important as physical well-being. A mental health internship abroad will educate students on the challenges people face across the globe.
• Midwifery: In a midwifery internship, students will learn about maternal health and child health in another country, while observing midwives and doctors in hospitals and birthing centers.

Are medical internships abroad worth it?

Medical internships abroad focus on practical experience and cultural immersion. What could be more worth it than that?

Yes! Medical internships abroad equip future doctors with a lot of practical experience as well as social skills. Here are the top reasons why they’re worth it:

1. Medical internships improve students’ chances of getting into medical school.

Medical schools are among the most competitive schools to get into. Besides excellent grades, they also want to see that candidates have hands-on clinical experience. This can be acquired through medical volunteer programs and internships. The experience students gain in such programs will also help them while writing their cover letters for medical school and preparing for interviews.

2. Students gain a lot of experience and skills.

By shadowing healthcare professionals and observing patients, students improve many technical skills. They also develop soft skills, including problem-solving and teamwork, which are essential to becoming a successful doctor. An internship abroad will also expose them to different medical cases that they may not encounter in their home country.

3. There are many networking opportunities with healthcare professionals.

Your kid will get to work with professionals, ask questions, and build a network.

Working with healthcare professionals, especially overseas is an invaluable experience. As students learn about the healthcare system of a different country, they also get to see the daily life of a medical practitioner and ask questions about their job. When it’s time to apply for medical school, having a network to provide letters of recommendation will be even more important.

4. Traveling, learning about a new culture, and making new friends help develop a global perspective.

Through a medical internship abroad, students not only discover a new country but also engage in meaningful travel and meet with people from all over the world. Living and working in a foreign country challenges interns to step out of their comfort zone while creating new memories with friends who might one day become their colleagues.

5. It’s an unforgettable experience.

This first work experience combined with the excitement of traveling and living abroad will stay with interns forever, even when they become healthcare professionals with years of experience. It’s a worthwhile, life-changing way to kick off one’s career path.

Is it safe to go abroad for a medical internship?

With the right program, yes. A trustworthy program provider will take care of all the logistics so you don’t have to worry. This includes offering accommodations in safe neighborhoods within gated or high-security communities.

Interns are also accompanied by experienced program mentors who will help them with planning the trip, booking flights, and providing vaccination advice. In most cases, interns will also have access to WiFi and a local SIM card while abroad, which will make it easier to stay in touch with family and friends back home.

Make sure to check what’s included in a program before booking to make sure that it checks all boxes, safety or otherwise.

Use MyGoAbroad to compare program inclusions side-by-side—it’s free!

Where are medical internships available?

You’ll find pre-health internships all over the world, but some places stand out from the crowd.

You can find medical internships all over the world, from Europe to Latin America, Asia to Africa. Here are some recommended countries with medical internships for college and high school students.

1. Kenya

• Why it’s a good choice: Especially in informal settlements outside Nairobi and Mombasa, there is a lack of healthcare facilities which leads to high mortality levels. Going to Kenya for a medical internship means making a difference, helping those in need, and developing a deeper understanding of global healthcare challenges. During their time off, interns will have the chance to go on trips with professional guides, including safari and national parks.
• Recommended program: International Medical Aid Internships in Kenya

2. Peru

• Why it’s a good choice: Interning in a hospital in Peru will expose students to various medical cases, and give them the opportunity to learn about surgery, OB/GYN, internal medicine, and more. With its historic cities, high mountains, and lush rainforests, Peru is one of the most beautiful countries in South America. For candidates learning Spanish, it’s also a great opportunity to practice medical Spanish.
• Recommended program: International Medical Aid Healthcare Internships in Peru

3. Ghana

• Why it’s a good choice: In this West African country, you can find many internships focusing on medicine, dentistry, mental health, and psychology. Ghana welcomes healthcare interns throughout the year, both in urban and rural areas. During the internship, interns will have many tasks, such as educating the public about diseases like malaria, typhoid, and cholera. Interns can visit Ghana’s national parks and historic sites on weekends.
• Recommended program: OGVO Medical and Healthcare Programs in Ghana

4. Nepal

• Why it’s a good choice: Nepal faces significant challenges in providing healthcare to its population. Interns will be learning about tropical diseases, helping vulnerable groups such as women and children, and seeing how doctors work in this developing Asian country. In their free time, interns will have the possibility to explore temples, the Himalayan Mountains, and Chitwan National Park.
• Recommended program: ELI Abroad Medical and Dental Internships in Kathmandu, Nepal

5. Czech Republic

• Why it’s a good choice: Offering various highly-specialized programs, such as cardiac surgery and neurosurgery, the Czech Republic is the right country for students who would like to gain experience in a European hospital. Interns will get to shadow busy healthcare professionals working in specialized centers and participate in day and night shifts. The program takes place in Prague which is a beautiful city with a rich culture and history.
• Recommended program: Czech Hospital Placements Program Medical and Nursing Internship in Cardiac Surgery

Are there paid medical internships abroad?

While it’s possible to find paid medical internships abroad, this is not usually the case. Associations organizing medical internships usually ask for a registration fee and a program fee to cover accommodation, meals, transportation, training programs, activities, 24/7 support and security, and travel insurance for students. This also includes clinical rotations, shadowing experience in hospitals, and any extracurricular activities included in the program. In most cases, the fees do not cover flight tickets, vaccinations, entrance visa, and personal expenses.

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Your student will have a transformative experience as a medical intern abroad!

This is one of the best investments you can make for the aspiring medical professional in your family!

Making a difference in the lives of patients, contributing to healthcare in another country, and experiencing meaningful travel will be something future doctors will cherish all their lives. No matter where your child chooses to go, you can be sure to hear many amazing stories once they’re back!

This article was written with help from International Medical Aid, who also provided all photos seen above. IMA is a not-for-profit organization that offers medical programs for students in places like East Africa, South America, and the Caribbean through an ethics-based approach to care. They offer summer, fall, and winter programs.