A medical internship provides you with a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience that you’ll be able to carry with you throughout your personal and professional future. Being able to make a lasting impact in the world and earn firsthand experience can’t be replicated without volunteering abroad—but with so many choices, the question is: How can you choose the right internship for you?
Today, we’ll explore how to make an informed decision regarding your future volunteering opportunities, along with getting the ball rolling for your next adventure.
Choosing an Internship Based on its Elective
When choosing which medical internship to choose, the most important consideration is your elective. There’s no use pre-med students looking for midwifery internships, after all! Knowing your ideal elective reduces the number of internships you have to pick from, making the decision that bit easier.
At Med Trips, we offer internships for the following electives:
- Pre-medicine: Earn real-world experience while studying pre-medicine and get the chance to explore healthcare systems all over the world.
- Medical: Develop vital skills like adaptability and working under pressure while exposing yourself to comprehensive medical experiences.
- Dentistry: Broaden your perspective of dentistry and gain experiences to inspire your journey in ways textbooks never could.
- Midwifery: Discover unique insight into maternal and newborn care across the globe, helping pave the way for you to become a great midwife.
- Nursing: Nurses need to be clinically competent, adaptable and culturally aware—skills best learned through volunteering abroad.
- Physiotherapy: Expand clinical skills and knowledge by immersing yourself in the world of physiotherapy in diverse cultures.
- Radiotherapy: Gain international experience in medical imaging while making a meaningful difference around the world.
Choosing Where You Want to Volunteer
Medical internships are available worldwide, and many countries require assistance from multiple electives. Once you’ve decided which elective best suits your requirements, passions and future planning, the next step is to decide where you want to volunteer.
Med Trips works with medical groups and organizations all over the world, including:
- Europe: We currently offer dental and medical internship opportunities in Athens, Greece.
- Africa: If you’re passionate about volunteering in African communities, we offer programs hosted in Ghana, Morocco and Tanzania.
- South America: Peru is a wonderful country in South America, hosting volunteers from around the world in pre-med, medical and dental electives.
- Asia: There are plenty of opportunities to intern around Asia, including in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
When choosing a country to complete your medical internship, consider where you’ve always wanted to visit. Are there any countries listed above on your bucket list? Have you always wanted to explore Asia or see the white-sand beaches of Greece in person? Make sure you consider both personal and professional goals when deciding on one country.
Deciding How Long to Volunteer For
Med Trips offers medical internships that last from one to 24 weeks, giving you the freedom to choose how long you want your experience to last. Your schedule and the time of year you decide to go will determine how long you choose to volunteer, and the duration of your stay will influence what you get out of it.
Here’s how long you stay impacts your experience:
- Short-term internships (1-2 weeks) are good for breaks between semesters. They offer a quick insight into different healthcare systems and a brief overview of your chosen elective.
- Mid-term internships (3-12 weeks) are popular because they allow you to immerse yourself in the culture and healthcare system of your chosen country, giving you more time to make a meaningful difference and learn valuable knowledge.
- Long-term internships (13-24 weeks) allow you to make lifelong connections and soak in as much knowledge and insight as possible. You’ll leave knowing you made a significant contribution to the medical field and the local healthcare system.
We recommend our interns volunteer for at least two weeks to help them really immerse themselves in the culture and learn from the healthcare professionals. One-week experiences fast-track introductions and skip over important information to help you immerse yourself as quickly as possible, but this means you might miss out on key insights. Most of our medical internships require a minimum of two weeks for this reason.
Considerations for Choosing a Medical Internship Abroad
There’s more to volunteering than simply choosing a country and internship elective. Here are a few important factors to consider when choosing your internship program:
Work-Life Balance
Med Trips internships often provide time off to allow you to explore your chosen country. When choosing a country to volunteer in, it’s worth researching what each offers in terms of travel and culture, as well as what to expect clinically. Doing so means you’ll arrive with a basic understanding of what to expect and how to make the most of your free time. We always recommend choosing a country where you’ll most likely not have the opportunity to visit again!
Prioritize Experience Over Comfort
It can be tempting to choose a more comfortable destination to volunteer in, especially when the idea of new healthcare systems and unfamiliar illnesses is daunting. However, most volunteers agree that pushing themselves out of their comfort zone is the best way to make the most of their experience, reaping the benefits of facing these challenges head-on.
H2 Language Barriers
Most medical internships take place in countries where English isn’t the first language, so you’ll be provided with comprehensive resources to tackle this barrier. The host organizations will do their best to accommodate you and make your experience as insightful as possible despite this. However, if you’ve already got experience with another language, this will certainly help you communicate with patients and supervisors while in-country.
Visas, Vaccines and Other Prep
Depending on the country you’re planning to volunteer in, you may need to get vaccines before being approved for travel. Visas or other work authorisations are often required for long-term internships, so do your research before choosing a country and duration for your elective. Our team of advisers will be able to help best prepare for your upcoming journey.
Why Work With Med Trips
When volunteering for a medical internship abroad, it’s essential that you choose a reputable organization with experience in hosting in your chosen country. At Med Trips, we have over 17 years of experience working with volunteers all over the world, providing them with affordable programs without compromising on quality or safety.
Working with us ensures:
- Clinical placements in trusted hospitals: We vet all hospitals and programs we work with to ensure your safety and comfort.
- Accommodation and meals included: We provide accommodation and meals throughout the duration of your stay for your convenience and community.
- Safety first: Your safety and confidence are paramount to us, so we’ll set you up with friendly advisors and 24/7 in-country support.
- Support with local cultures and languages: We’ll provide resources prior to your trip to help boost your knowledge of local cultures and languages.
- Tailored prices and durations: You’re in the driving seat when working with us—tell us your budget and schedule, and we’ll match you with the right placement.
Ready to Start Planning Your Medical Internship Abroad?
Your medical internship experience is more than just developing your knowledge—it’s about growing both personally and professionally, meeting new people from all walks of life, and immersing yourself in new cultures and healthcare systems. Shape your future career as a doctor, nurse, midwife, dentist or radiologist with Med Trips by getting in touch today!
Explore our medical electives abroad to find the perfect placement for you, and take the first step in making a meaningful difference.
