10 Reasons to Do a Medical Internship Abroad

As someone in the healthcare field, you may be curious about medical internships available to you

Medical internships offer a variety of benefits, from providing insight into your chosen profession or specialty to expanding your network. If you want to level up and participate in a medical internship abroad, the benefits increase exponentially!

While there are many reasons to do a medical internship, especially an international one, you’ll want to pick the best option for you based on what you’re trying to gain from the experience.

Do you want hands-on training in a different environment? To travel the world while furthering your career? What about learning about a new culture to better serve communities you will work with in the future? All of these reasons and more are why you should do a medical internship abroad.

Can I do my medical internship in another country?

Doing a medical internship abroad is one of the best (and most fun) things you can do for your career.

If you’re sold on doing a medical internship and curious about traveling abroad for one, look no further. In addition to having a greater selection of options to choose from, opting for an international medical internship will allow you to expand your worldview, prepare you for working cross-culturally, and improve your hard and soft skills (if you’ve ever traveled before, you know how true this is)!

And oh, the places you’ll go! Organizations like International Medical Aid (IMA) offer a wide range of internships in destinations like Peru and Kenya. You could also find yourself in Spain, South Africa, or Korea with an internship program, shadowing doctors, working at a community health center, learning about public health and biology from experienced professionals, and more.

Make sure to select a reputable organization (like IMA!), which will support you before and during your trip, making sure you know what to expect every step of the way.

How long does a medical internship last?

Whether you have a summer or entire semester to spare, there’s a medical internship for you!

Why do a medical internship for only a couple of weeks? While short term internship programs are an option, consider a longer stint, especially if traveling to another country.

To fully immerse yourself in the daily life and culture of your host community, and to get the most out of the experience, you’ll want an internship that lasts at least a month. Consider a full summer or semester medical internship abroad.

If you only have a short amount of time to spare, a medical internship abroad is still worthwhile! However, if you have the time and resources to extend your journey, you’ll reap the benefits.

Plus, you’ll have more time with the new friends and colleagues you’ll be sure to have made within the first few days of your program, and even more to share with your loved ones when you return home!

10 reasons to do a medical internship abroad

When asking yourself why you should do a medical internship, reflect on where you want to be, both professionally and personally, in the future.

If you want to be a better healthcare professional, provide the best care possible to your patients, and feel you’ve received holistic training and education, a medical internship in another country and culture is a great next step for you!

Check out our top reasons to do a medical internship abroad:

1. Gain experience

Your internship will provide invaluable experience.

Medical internships can provide essential, hands-on experience for participants. For example, an internship with International Medical Aid comes with mentorship from physicians and healthcare professionals, as well as a program tailored to your educational background.

You’ll deliver needed services to the local community while being exposed to a variety of specialties, which will give you valuable insight into what to expect from a job/career in that area.

An internship abroad is a great opportunity to add to your resume while still figuring out what exactly you want your future to look like.

READ: What Should Pre-Med Students Do in the Summer?

2. Learn a new language

Learning a language isn’t easy, but it’s much easier when you’re fully immersed in it! Living and working in a new country where people are speaking a different language is a great way to learn and grow.

Knowing another language will help you serve more patients and understand their unique needs. It’s also a great way to learn more about the culture of your new community.

3. Acquire new skills

Skills like cross-cultural communication and being able to see another’s perspective are critical in today’s globally connected world.

Traveling abroad for a medical internship will also make you more adaptable, resilient, and curious about the world around you.

During your medical internship, you’ll pick up technical skills from the doctors and professionals you work with. You’ll also become more independent and be able to solve problems more easily.

4. See the world from a new perspective

Traveling will transform you in many ways.

Everyone has biases and different understandings of the world. Traveling, especially to live and work abroad, will allow you to see the world through another lens.

Getting to know the life and culture of a new place and its people broadens your worldview. It may help you not only see the world in a new way, but also how those you treat may see it, helping you to help them in the future.

READ: 9 Best Pre-Med Summer Internships Abroad

5. Add to your resume

The experience and skills you gain while abroad will stand out on your resume and set you apart from your peers.

Note the technical and non-technical skills you acquired from your internship and any activities you participated in (both as part of your internship and as a community member, like volunteer work).

An international experience looks great to hiring managers—leverage your time abroad and see how far it will take you!

6. Create an international network

You are sure to meet many new people during your medical internship abroad. These will include international travelers like yourself and those from the local community.

These newfound connections may very well open doors for you in the future and provide a support system while you’re in another country.

The personal and professional relationships you build while abroad can last a lifetime!

7. Try new things

Don’t forget to leave your comfort zone!

Why not experience the country you’re in with your newfound friends? Even if exploring solo, being in a new place is the perfect time to try and see new things.

You’ll most likely have free weekends, holidays, or other opportunities to take in nearby natural attractions, museums, restaurants, and more.

Take advantage of invitations, recommendations, and suggested destinations from locals. Traveling is the perfect time to spread your wings and try things you may not have had the chance to before.

READ: How to Find Medical School Electives Abroad

8. See the world while giving back

Many medical internships abroad are provided to aid the local community.

Healthcare providers and medical institutions need additional help to provide services in their area and medical interns provide valuable help.

By participating in an internship, you’re helping the local community and traveling in a sustainable, responsible way!

9. Experience a new culture

In addition to seeing the world from a new perspective, experiencing another way of life improves your cultural sensitivity and awareness. You’ll get to try new foods, experience new traditions, participate in new holidays and rituals, and gain a whole lot of knowledge!

10. Create lifelong memories

Make friends and have experiences that you’ll never forget.

Many put off an international experience for when they have more time, money, less responsibilities at home, etc. and many of those people end up never traveling at all.

Take advantage of the opportunity to do an international medical internship and create memories that will last a lifetime.

There is no better time than the present to experience the world and grow as an individual. Your experience could put you on a path that you didn’t expect!

Get matched with 5 medical internships abroad right now

Your medical internship will build your resume and make you a more well rounded professional!

It’s not about where you’re from, it’s about where you’re going. A medical internship in another country, whether it be closer to home or on the other side of the world, will better prepare you for your future as a medical professional.

Through your internship, you’ll acquire new skills, become a more well rounded person and professional, and connect with others in your field and those you may never have met.

It’s a wide, wide world, and you don’t want to miss out on seeing it, but traveling does not mean you need to give up or even pause your career aspirations. On the contrary, going abroad to complete a medical internship is the perfect way to open doors, create new opportunities, and reach your goals.

Explore ALL Medical Internships Abroad on GoAbroad.com!

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.