Overview
This immersive two-week program combines clinical hospital exposure, community outreach, and cultural adventure on Sri Lanka’s stunning southern coast. Designed for pre-medical, medical, and nursing students, the program provides structured morning placements in local hospitals and health projects, balanced with enriching afternoon and weekend experiences. Participants gain a unique perspective on healthcare delivery in a developing country while also contributing to conservation and community initiatives. Afternoons and weekends include cultural immersion, wildlife exploration, adventure activities, and relaxation — ensuring both professional growth and unforgettable memories.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1 (Sat) – Arrival in Sri Lanka
Arrival at Colombo International Airport. Transfer to accommodation in Galle (~3 hrs).
Evening: Welcome dinner & program briefing.
Day 2 (Sun) – Orientation Day
Morning: Welcome orientation & training (Sri Lanka overview, cultural awareness, health & safety, hospital/project briefing).
Afternoon: Guided orientation tour of Galle & Unawatuna (beach, market, highlights).
Day 3 (Mon) – Clinical Placement + Galle Fort Tour
Morning (Clinical Placement): Observation-based shadowing in different department allocations.
Afternoon: Guided walking tour of Galle Dutch Fort (UNESCO site).
Day 4 (Tue) – Clinical Placement + Beach Visit
Morning: Hospital placements continue (rotations in different wards/units).
Afternoon: Relaxation at a local beach.
Day 5 (Wed) – Clinical Placement + Temple Visit
Morning: Shadowing/rotations in hospital departments.
Afternoon: Visit to a prominent Buddhist Temple for cultural immersion and understanding of Buddhism.
Day 6 (Thu) – Clinical Placement + Surfing Lesson
Morning: Continued hospital placement exposure.
Afternoon: Surfing lesson with qualified instructors (boards provided). Non-surfers may swim, snorkel, or relax at the beach.
Day 7 (Fri) – Clinical Placement + Beach Clean-Up
Morning: Final hospital placement session (feedback, reflection, and wrap-up).
Afternoon: Group beach clean-up as part of environmental conservation. Evening free.
Day 8 (Sat) – Full-Day Wildlife Safari
Early start (~5:30 am).
Full-day Jeep Safari at Udawalawe National Park (elephants, buffalo, deer, birdlife, and more).
Includes meals, transport, entrance tickets, and guided safari (~4 hrs in the park).
Day 9 (Sun) – Free Day / Optional Excursion
Free for rest, exploration, or beach time.
Optional trip (e.g., Sinharaja Rainforest hike, tea plantation visit, or cultural heritage tour).
Day 10 (Mon) – Elderly Care Volunteering + Yoga
Morning: Volunteering at a local elderly care home (games, activities, service work, interaction).
Afternoon: Group Yoga class with an experienced teacher (all levels).
Day 11 (Tue) – Ayurveda Learning + Peace Pagoda Sunset
Morning (Community Activities): Introduction to Ayurveda medicine:
- Lecture on Ayurvedic principles.
- Demonstration of massage therapies & Panchakarma.
- Preparation of Ayurvedic medicine & treatments.
Afternoon/Evening: Visit to Japanese Peace Pagoda for sunset & reflection at the Tsunami Memorial.
Day 12 (Wed) – First Aid Training
Morning (Community Activities): Train local children & community groups in basic first aid (students prepare materials & deliver sessions under coordinator guidance).
Afternoon/Evening: Free for beach or local exploration.
Day 13 (Thu) – Hygiene Training + Tropical Medicine Lecture
Morning (Community Activities):
- Conduct hygiene awareness sessions in schools & community groups (handwashing, sanitation, preventive practices).
- Local medical staff deliver lectures on tropical diseases, offering electives valuable insight into region-specific healthcare challenges.
Afternoon: Free time for shopping, beach relaxation, or packing.
Evening: Farewell dinner & reflection session.
Day 14 (Fri) – Departure
Private transfer to Colombo Airport for onward flights.
Placement Requirements
Placement Requirements
The trip is available for Pre Medical, Nursing and Medical students looking to gain valuable international exposure and experience abroad. All participants must be above 18 years of age at the time of joining the trip. All group members will be required to provide certain essential documentation such as department preferences, passport copy, qualification documents etc.
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Living
Living
Airport Transfers
Group members are picked up from the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Airport by the local coordinating team on the program arrivaldate. Participants are also dropped off to the airport upon completion of the trip.
Orientation
A detailed program orientation will be provided to the group upon arrival.All participants on arrival get a welcome presentation including health and safety training, culture presentation, project specific presentation and area orientation tour.
Accommodation
Group members will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighbourhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two houses which are located near to each other.
The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.
The other larger house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There's a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.
The office is located on the ground floor of the house near the main entrance – this is where the local team operate from every day. The house is located in a peaceful, nature-filled neighborhood adjacent to a small Buddhist temple (nestled away from the main tourist areas). To ensure the safety and security of the participants, there are CCTV cameras installed, and an in-house security guard for night-time surveillance. Hot water and high-speed Wi-Fi are there and you can opt for air-conditioning and laundry facilities at an additional charge.
Private (single and double) room upgrades are available at additional charges for the group members. During busy months participants are also provided accommodation in nearby guesthouses in case of low capacity in the houses or non availability of private rooms. Private rooms are provided in guesthouses within walking distance to the houses.
Group leaders are provided accommodation in twin or private rooms depending on the requirements of the group.
Meals
We provide 3 freshly cooked meals per day all week long (Monday to Sunday): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Fresh ingredients are purchased from local markets to prepare these meals. The homes have cooks from the local community who come daily to cook fresh, homely and tasty local meals for the participants. We can cater to a range of special diets including vegan, gluten free, nut free and lactose-intolerant diets. If there are any other allergy or food requirements mentioned to us beforehand, we always do our best to accommodate those needs.
Local Transportation
All local transportation to and from the project and for all local tours and sightseeing is included as per the itinerary.
During Free Time
There is plenty to do during the free time and weekends for the group members.The following activities are provided free of charge and included in your program fee:
Evening Rooftop Yoga Session (weekly)
Movie nights on large screen projector at the house (weekly)
Bike tour across paddy fields and local villages (monthly)
BBQ for volunteers and staff in the garden (monthly)
Night Fishing for anyone into fishing (on demand)
Dates
Dates
January
04
11
18
25
February
01
08
15
22
March
01
08
15
22
29
April
05
12
19
26
May
03
10
17
24
31
June
07
14
21
28
July
05
12
19
26
August
02
09
16
23
30
September
06
13
20
27
October
04
11
18
25
November
01
08
15
22
29
December
06
13
20
27
January
03
10
17
24
31
February
07
14
21
28
March
07
14
21
28
April
04
11
18
25
May
02
09
16
23
30
June
06
13
20
27
July
04
11
18
25
August
01
08
15
22
29
September
05
12
19
26
October
03
10
17
24
31
November
07
14
21
28
December
05
12
19
26
Costs
| Duration |
Program Fee
Choose your currency
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 2 Weeks | $1499 |
Please Note: An application fee of is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. A 5% international banking fee is charged for credit card payments of program fee in USD/AUD.
Note : The above price is based on a group size of 20 students. Depending on the group size and requirements of the group the price can vary.
What are you Paying for?
- Pre departure support and communication from Med Trips Team
- Pre departure Info sessions for the group
- All projects and activities listed above
- Accommodation in shared rooms for the students (private for group leaders)
- Group airport transfer (both ways) in private coach/bus
- Orientation and training on arrival
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day
- Local transportation to all projects and activities
- Dedicated Group Coordinator (senior staff member) supported by multiple staff members on all projects and activities
- 24/7 local emergency support
- All Tours and activities listed above
- Discounts for Group Leaders
- 1 pair of Medical Scrubs
- Medical Insurance
What's NOT Included?
- Flights
- Visa
- Vaccinations
- Personal Expenses
- Any items not mentioned in the inclusions above
FAQ's
Eligibility and Preperation
-
Who can apply for the program?
-
Interns need to be a current student or recent graduate of a medical/nursing studies to be accepted in the Sri Lanka Healthcare Internships/Electives. This includes Pre-med, medical school, nursing, public health, pre-nursing students. All participants must be above 18 years of age.
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Are vaccinations or health checks required?
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Yes, students should consult their doctor or travel clinic for recommended vaccinations before travel.
Accommodation and Living
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What kind of hospital/clinical experience will I get?
-
Placements are primarily observation-based but tailored to student level (pre-med, nursing, or medical). Students shadow professionals in departments such as surgery, pediatrics, emergency, physiotherapy, OBGYN, and more. All students need to give preference of 3-4 departments of their choice. Depending on the preference and internship/elective duration department allocation shall be done.
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Can I know more about accommodation and food arrangements?
-
Interns joining the placements in Galle, Sri Lanka, will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighbourhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two volunteer houses which are located near to each other.
The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.
The other larger volunteer house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There's a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.
All interns are provided with 3 meals a day from Monday - Sunday.
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Can vegetarians be accommodated?
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Yes – please do ensure that you inform the local team about your food preference and they can help ensure you are able to order the best food! Also, please do mention your specific food preference in the application form as well.
Program and Learning Experience
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Can I perform medical procedures?
-
Due to local regulations and ethical standards, students will not perform hands-on procedures. However, they will observe, learn, and gain insight into patient care, local health systems, and medical practices. Depending on level of experience and skills, students in Sri Lanka do sometimes do basic assisting work with the doctors depending on the department allocated.
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What are the benefits of doing a Medical internship with Med Trips?
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Some major benefits include:
- Meeting other interns and participants from all around the world
- Get international exposure by observing and shadowing in major hospitals of Galle, Sri Lanka
- Being able to work with patients of different cultures and understand cultural dynamics of a new city or country
- Being able to travel during weekends and in the evenings to explore your destination
Travel and Logistics
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How do I get around during the program?
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Daily local transport to and from the hospital to accommodation is included in the Sri Lanka program.For any other commute, students usually use the tuk tuk for commute.
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What are the recommended airlines to fly to Sri Lanka ?
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The Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo is well connected with all major airports across the globe and flights are easily available. The recommended airlines are:
- Sri Lankan Airlines
- Air India
- Indigo
- Emirates
- Etihad Airlines
- Qatar Airways
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Do I need a visa?
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Visa requirements depend on your nationality and destination. We provide guidance during the pre-departure process
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Is airport transfer included ?
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All interns need to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on the starting date of their project. Interns are picked from the airport by the local coordinator or representative and are transferred to their accommodations. Accommodation will be provided in the shared intern house located near your placements.
Safety and Support
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What kind of support will I have?
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You will have excellent on ground support from the local coordinating team in Galle.In case of any emergencies or problems, the staff will be there to support you and assist you always.
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What about medical facilities in case of an emergency?
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We partner with modern hospitals where English-speaking staff are available. In case of any medical emergency, the local team will be there to provide support and assistance to you.
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How safe is Sri Lanka in general ?
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Sri Lanka is one of the popular tropical destination in Asia and attracts travelers from all around the world. The locals are friendly and helpful as well, however, it is recommended to consult your in-country coordinators before you step out alone or go to any other locations in Sri Lanka. Also, it is recommended to be with your group whenever you venture out or stay out late in the night. It is strongly recommended to follow the safety rules and regulations provided by the in-country coordinator.
