5 Places to Find Impactful Medical Internships Abroad

Learn the immense benefits of doing medical internships abroad. If you saw this article and thought, “Damn it, Jim, I’m a doctor not a world traveler!” THINK AGAIN. The answer to your medical internship requirement is waiting for you overseas. If you’re looking for a worthwhile enterprise, think about medical internships abroad. 

… or can you be both?

You’re probably pretty savvy to the requirements of your chosen career (i.e. you gotta lotta school ahead of you). Since you’ll be spending a good chunk of your life (and your change) pursuing a badass career in medicine, why not spend some of it abroad? Medical internships abroad are a great way to check off some needed credits, get a head start on the residency process, or blow your med-school application out of this world. There are medical internships abroad for undergraduates, people already in medical school, in dentistry, in nursing school, and even some volunteer opportunities for people with no medical background. 

Getting hooked up with medical internships overseas will give you a better idea of what healthcare is like around the world. There is so much variety in access, structure, and functionality of healthcare. Internships abroad can help you understand what it means to work in another country’s system. You’ll learn valuable things from other cultures that you can bring back home to your own practice, or maybe you have skills that can help influence peers abroad. Other things like learning a new language and HIPAA-less countries might make it easier to secure a medical internship abroad versus at home. 

Reasons to seek international medical internships

If you’re planning on settling in the US for your practice, you’ll probably encounter a ton of different cultures. Fun fact: by 2055, the U.S. will not have a single racial or ethnic majority. That means, more likely than not, you’ll encounter someone whose culture, frame of reference, maybe even language, is different than your own. Interning in medicine abroad is an opportunity for you to establish a multicultural understanding of the diverse world you’ll inevitably be working in.

Let's be honest: having an international internship on your resume is gonna look hella spiffy. There is a lot of competition for you as a medical student. Internships abroad are a great way to boost your chances of getting into medical school or snagging a life saving job. 

If you’re not convinced yet, think about all the people you’ll meet! Maybe your next bff, boss, coworker, or lover (McDreamy, anyone?) will be overseas! Networking is so important, and the wider you spread that net, the more likely you are to succeed. Trust us, your efforts won’t be in vein.

Common kinds of international medical internships

When you sit down to start your search for medical internships overseas, you should have an idea of what type of internship your after—what you want your work to focus on. Here are some general possibilities:

• General practice. General practitioner, GP, or simply a “generalist” is a doc who does a little bit of everything. They don’t have a specialty, but instead understand a range of medical care. Think routine physicals, immunizations, and an assortment of illnesses and injuries. You need 4-year undergraduate degree plus a 4-year medical program, and then 1 to 2 years of residency. Or perhaps medical internships overseas…?
• Public Health. Public health internships are generally meant for community development in terms of improving access to health resources and information in low income areas around the world. 
• Pre-med. People in undergrad programs, usually science majors, that specifically prepare them for medical graduate school. While the degrees vary, there are specific courses that prepare you for medical school and the MCAT. 
• Surgical. If you’re looking at surgical specific medical internships abroad, chances are you’re already deep into the schooling processes. You need to have your undergraduate degree, 4 years of medical school, and 3-10 years of residency to become a bonafide surgeon. You also need to get licensure and board-certification in the US. 
• Cardiovascular. Got a heart on for the vascular system? Study cardiovascular medicine—the branch of medicine that that focuses on diseases of heart, blood vessels, or vascular system (source).
• Nursing. One of the most trusted professions according to US polls, nursing provides a wide range of specialties and training requirements. If you love the medical world but don’t want to spend your whole life in school, maybe nursing is the route for you. Nursing internships abroad for college students are widely available overseas.
• Pediatrics. Think of the children. You can do just that in pediatric studies. It’s like being a doctor*, but for… kids. Sound complicated? Well, yes, considering you have to get your undergrad and medical school and 3-year residency programs and a board-certification (*pediatricians are indeed doctors). 
• Women’s Health. This category can apply to a few career paths. The term “women’s health” usually refers to an advanced branch of nursing that is specifically focused on care for women. But if you’re interested in the full-fledged physician route, you’re probably studying obstetrics/ gynecology (or OB/GYN), which is the specialty that looks into treatment of diseases of female reproductive organs and delivering babies. 
• Midwifery. If you’re into le bebes, maybe you’re into midwifery. A little off the beaten path, international midwifery programs are great for people exploring the wonderful world of childbearing. A midwife’s primary job is to help women throughout their pregnancy. They keep women healthy during their pregnancy then assist them during labor, delivery and after the birth of their babies. There are many different levels of certification, but they’re all trained health professionals (and yes, men can be midwives too). 
• Dentistry. Fixing teeth is a little more complicated than fixing toys, Hermey. To be a dentist, you need your BS + 4-years of dental school. Like most medical professions, a residency program is required, making dentistry internships abroad a perfect way to put in residency time or get academic credit!

5 great places for health internships abroad

Now that you’ve got the DL on all focus areas for international medical internships, it’s time to choose the perfect country to intern abroad. Since you’re probably spending all your free time studying for exams and filling out applications (someone told us medical school is a bee-otch), we helped you with a bit of research and narrowed it down to five amazing countries for your international medical internship.

1. Nepal

Nepal is a small, beautiful country tucked into the Himalayan mountain ranges. Unfortunately, a lot of the people in this developing country lack access to basic health facilities. Most of the population lives in rural areas where it’s difficult to get to health facilities due to poor road conditions, distance, and lack of finances. 

It’s clear that Nepalese people need better healthcare: Forty-eight percent children under five are underweight, and there are only 0.3 doctors and nurses per 1000 patients (WHO recommends 2.3). If you choose to do your medical internship in Nepal, you could be those extra hands, providing help to people who really need it. 

There are internship opportunities across medical fields. From surgical to dentistry internships abroad, going to Nepal will give you a chance to learn firsthand about basic healthcare in a developing country.

2. Bolivia

You better Boliv-ia this is a great country for medical student internships abroad: bright, vibrant, and full of cultural and career activities for you medically focused folk. Most programs accept applicants year-round in Bolivia, so it’s the perfect place for summer medical internships abroad. 

Why Bolivia? Like in Nepal, people there are in need of healthcare professionals. Despite the country having a wealth of natural resources, the money doesn’t exactly trickle down to the people. Bolivia ranks near the bottom among Latin American countries in key health factors, and a lot of that has to do with income disparity, poverty, and rural communities whose access is limited. 

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about the nurses! There are plenty of nursing internships abroad. For college students who want to spend time exploring medicine and the world, checkout CFHI’s internship opportunities in Bolivia.

3. Czech Republic

Czech out pre-medical internships abroad in Czech Republic. You’ll have a chance to work closely with mentors, make global connections, and get into the nitty gritty of real-world medical work. 

Interning in Czech Republic will give you a unique look into a universal healthcare model. While the country has made a much progress in this arena, it surpasses EU averages for mortality rates for diseases of the circulatory system and malignant neoplasms. This means that there is a lot of room for growth, and a need for people dedicating to making a difference in the medical world.

4. Philippines

There is a striking disparity in the distribution of health resources in the Philippines. Sixty percent of Filipinos die without seeing a doctor. Access to healthcare is one deterrent, but another issue is that there simply aren’t enough doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers to go around. 

If you haven’t noticed, developing nations tend to have a lot of opportunities for medical internships overseas. Interning in the Philippines would be a challenge, but it would also be rewarding. Not to mention it’s a perfect place to spend a summer! Medical internships abroad don’t have to totally drain you: give yourself time to relax on the beautiful beaches, indulge in the cultural cuisine, and explore a spectacular nation.

5. Portugal 

Backpacking across Europe is so last year. It’s time for a new trend. How about medical internships in Europe? Sure, backpacking would be a great gap year adventure, but you’re trying to get your career started, you have a vision, an academic calling! Portugal is perfect for you, ya little nerd. Immerse yourself in a range of specialties and connect with doctors through fellowships that are professional AF. You can continue your geeky journey through medieval towns and ancient architecture during your free time. Don’t worry, you can always go backpacking later.

[None Quite Right? Browse Health Internships Abroad in OTHER Countries]

Next steps to medical internships abroad

Don't pack your scrubs juuuust yet. There are a few items on your internship to do list you should check off first.

• Pick a place! Choosing WHERE to intern abroad is exciting! We’ve given you the inside scoop on five great destinations for medical internships abroad, but you should ultimately find a destination whose need overlaps your skills and interests.
• Decide when to go. Give your calendar a good-hard look and figure out what time of year—and how long—you want to live abroad as an intern.
• Choose from the best medical intern abroad programs. Pay attention to past participants’ reviews, program/job reputation, location, and your ease of getting settled. Some providers may even provide contact info for past interns if you want the REAL dirt. Here's more advice on how to find the perfect program provider for you. Pro tip: You can use MyGoAbroad to compare programs side-by-side.
• Plan your finances. Sort out your on-going funding before you go to afford daily essentials and splurge in travel (in addition to program costs and airfare). Do your research to have an idea of how much your day-to-day life abroad will cost, and get to work on learning how to pay for your international internship.
• Get prepared. Preparing to intern abroad is as fun as it sounds. With the days til departure number dwindling and your excitement boiling, it can be easy to overlook the details. Lean on us to help guide you through your pre-departure process—that's what we're here for.

You’re ready for international medical internships!

You got this, doc!

Scientifically speaking, the gauze and effect of medical internships abroad will result in a positive-curve in the graph that is your life. You’ll meet new people, try new things, and come home with a broader worldview that will benefit your future medical practice and personal life. 

Pursuing global health internships abroad gives you the chance to travel and write it off as career building experience. Because it is. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Just because you’ll have the time of your life doesn’t mean it won’t be hard work. Yes, it’s a challenge—accept it! We promise, it’ll be legend—wait for it—DARY.

Ready to scrub in for your next adventure?

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