What Is a Medical Internship Abroad?

A medical internship abroad is a chance to gain real healthcare experience in another country while helping communities in need. Healthcare is a global issue, and these programs let you develop skills, share knowledge, and make a lasting impact while exploring a new country.

Medical internships are incredibly rewarding and important. Our guide focuses on what you can expect from an internship abroad, who’s eligible to participate, and how Med Trips can assist you with planning it all. 

What Does a Medical Internship Abroad Involve? 

A medical internship is a period of time spent on supervised practical training for people currently studying at a recognized university or medical school, or who’ve recently graduated. As an intern, you’ll gain experience in low-resource clinical settings and have the opportunity to rotate through various departments, gaining a broader understanding of healthcare systems and global issues. 

The benefit of completing an internship abroad is that you’ll encounter conditions rarely seen in your home country and work under the qualified supervision of some of the best healthcare professionals in the world. You’ll be given the choice of specialties to focus on in accordance with your studies, but the ability to provide assistance in other electives offers a well-rounded experience to benefit your future career. 

Medical Internship Electives

An elective is a specific type of medical training that you can choose to gain experience in a specific area. Interns can choose a specialization to focus on during their time abroad, or opt for a broader spectrum with a premedicine or medical elective. 

Med Trips offers seven medical electives to our interns: 

Premedicine

Premedical internships are designed for people interested in a career in the medical profession, but who haven’t necessarily begun formal training yet. Premed interns get the opportunity to shadow professionals, observe procedures, and help spread the word about the importance of health and medicine. 

This elective allows you to experience general medicine and various specialties, helping you determine what you’re passionate about. 

Medical 

Aspiring doctors need exposure, adaptability and a global outlook, and a medical elective abroad is the ideal way to gain this. Medical electives cover a vast range of topics and specialties, awarding you comprehensive knowledge and a practical understanding of the wider medical field. 

You’ll have the opportunity to practice and further develop your current skills while continuing to learn in a fast-paced and unique environment. 

Dentistry

Dentistry students can also participate in internships abroad, which are designed to utilize their knowledge and experience to improve local communities. Dentistry electives often take place in a clinic or medical center, where you’ll educate the public about the basics of oral hygiene. You’ll be mentored by an experienced dentist who can assist you with research, training, and practical application. 

Dentistry electives go beyond a textbook and give you the chance to grow in confidence, broaden your perspective, and gain inspirational experiences. 

Midwifery

Midwifery electives abroad open up the world of maternal and newborn care for students, graduates and aspiring midwives. You’ll get the opportunity to shadow experienced professionals from all over the world and observe childbirth practices, gaining valuable insights into maternity care across different cultures. 

A global understanding is incredibly important and valuable in midwifery, and an abroad internship gives you advantageous knowledge of birth and maternal health in many contexts. 

Nursing

Nurses are essential all over the world, and students aspiring to enter this career path are encouraged to choose a nursing elective abroad to widen their knowledge, improve their cultural awareness, and provide important help where it’s needed most in local communities. You’ll learn how to assist in medical procedures, take vitals, and support staff as and when you’re needed. 

Nurses must be clinically competent, culturally aware, and incredibly adaptable; one of the best ways to strengthen these skills is through international internships. 

Physiotherapy 

Physiotherapy students or recent graduates can use a physiotherapy elective abroad to expand their knowledge and clinical skills. Experience with unique healthcare systems allows you to learn new ways to approach certain conditions, giving you a deeper insight into how to assist patients in your future career. You’ll be able to make a significant impact while advancing your own professional journey. 

Med Trips offers world-class physiotherapy placements that allow you to gain an understanding of practice beyond your home country’s healthcare system. 

Radiography

Radiography electives abroad give students the opportunity to explore how healthcare systems operate around the world, allowing them to gain international experience in medical imaging. You’ll have the opportunity to shadow professionals from around the world, observe diagnostic imaging procedures, and gain insight into the vital role of radiology in patient care. You’ll also further your current skills to perform X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds. 

Choosing a radiology internship helps you gain valuable exposure to various settings and circumstances, improve cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and a global perspective. 

Who Can Apply to Be a Medical Intern?

Unlike volunteer programs, medical internships aren’t as widely available to the general public. Various organizations may have their own eligibility requirements, but at Med Trips, our internships are specifically designed for individuals studying medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, dentistry, or allied healthcare. 

Unlike some internship organizations, we welcome students of all levels to join our programs. Whether you’re a first-year student or have recently graduated, we’d love to find an internship that aligns with your expertise. We can tailor placements for most healthcare disciplines, so long as you’re enrolled in a relevant healthcare degree program. 

Medical Internship Destinations: Where Are Internships Offered? 

While your healthcare system may be advanced enough to offer support to those who need it in a timely and efficient manner, this isn’t always the case in other countries. There is a huge deficit of adequate access to healthcare around the world, creating internship opportunities across multiple continents. 

Different countries contain various opportunities depending on what the healthcare system currently requires most. Med Trip offers medical internships in the following continents: 

• Africa:

Explore countries such as Ghana, Morocco, and Tanzania, and learn about the prevalent diseases across Africa, including Malaria, Diabetes, and Malnutrition. Assist in providing healthcare to rural communities without consistent access to hospitals and clinics.  

• Asia:  
  Med Trip works with internships in 11 countries within Asia, including: 
  • Cambodia
  • India
  • Nepal
  • Sri Lanka
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam

As so many countries offer internships, most electives can be found in Asia. The maternal and child health sector is always in need of extra volunteers, making Asia an ideal option for those passionate about midwifery, medical and premedical electives. 

• Europe:

No matter whether you’re studying medicine or dentistry, Med Trip offers internships to teach and hone the fundamental skills of your chosen elective. Practical internships aren’t often offered in Europe due to its advanced healthcare systems, which is why our internships in Greece are highly sought after. 

• South America:

Much like Europe, medical internships aren’t often found in South America, and when they are, they’re often limited to administrative office tasks. However, working with Med Trips provides access to premedical, medical, and dentistry internships. You’ll earn insightful knowledge from healthcare professionals in a developing country, such as Peru.

How To Become an Intern With Med Trips

Applying for an internship with Med Trips has never been easier, thanks to our helpful advisors and online application process. Once you’ve found an internship program that you’re genuinely interested in and excited about, apply through our website for the relevant destination and project type. 

One of our advisors will be in touch within seven to 10 working days to finalise your trip details and provide assistance should you need it before boarding your flight. 

How Long Is a Med Trips Internship?

A huge benefit of working with Med Trips is that you’re in control of how long your internship lasts. Our programs range from one to 24 weeks, allowing you to slot your internship into your school schedule. 

We recommend an internship of at least two weeks to make sure you’re not rushing your experience. By the time orientation ends, you may not have much time left of a week-long internship. Longer internships are often found to be most beneficial for creating a lasting impact and learning as much as possible. 

Will I Need a Visa or Insurance? 

Where you’re travelling will determine whether you need a visa and insurance, but most countries we work with do require documentation prior to travel. Med Trips will assist you every step of the way in obtaining and applying for these travel documents, so please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns. 

Travel insurance is compulsory for our interns. We’ve arranged a comprehensive package specifically designed to help interns, covering medical coverage, emergency evaluation, local ambulance expenses, trip interruption and Covid 19 medical treatment expenses. Our team is happy to assist with explaining this more thoroughly. 

What’s Included Within the Internship?

Once you arrive in your chosen country, Med Trips provides a number of amenities to make your trip as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Our service includes:

• Airport transfer: We’ll pick you up from the airport and take you to your accommodation, no matter what time your flight is. 
• Accommodation: Med Trips offers accommodations in the form of host families, intern houses, and private guesthouses. These are managed by local teams and often come with amenities such as washing machines, WiFi, and dorm-style bedrooms. 
• Meals: Two or three meals are provided per day, focusing on freshly prepared local cuisine to help you immerse yourself in your new environment. 
• 24/7 in-country support: The safety and confidence of our interns are paramount to us, which is why we offer 24/7 in-country support to assist you whenever you need us. 
• Orientation: We will organize a detailed program orientation to help you settle in before your internship begins, including health and safety training, culture presentations, project-specific presentations, and an orientation tour. 

Ready To Plan Your Medical Internship Today?

Medical internships are incredibly worthwhile for personal and professional development. Not only will you be actively working towards your future career goals, but you’ll also have the privilege of making a meaningful contribution to local communities and global healthcare. 

Med Trips makes planning an internship easier and more relaxing, meaning you can travel with confidence that your internship will be the most rewarding experience possible. Check out our medical internship opportunities abroad and start planning your once-in-a-lifetime experience today.