Medical internships are crucial for future doctors who want to enhance their careers and meet healthcare professionals from different countries. But is high school too early to think about internships? We’ll give you the short answer: no, it’s not! You can find plenty of internships that are tailor-made for high schoolers considering medical school.
If you choose to do your medical internship abroad, you will get to develop even more skills—you’ll travel on your own, improve your international network, and work with international patients and doctors. As you learn more about medicine worldwide, you will also see what area of the field interests you the most.
From the UK to Kenya, countries from all over the world offer medical internships for high school students.
What can a high school student do to prepare for medical school?
Besides internships, you can also volunteer at a local or an international organization, find a part-time job as an assistant, study abroad, and take classes that are relevant to premed majors.
By participating in a medicine program for high school students, you will be able to:
- Decide if it’s the right track for you. Although it’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world, it might not be suitable for everyone. Doctors undergo difficult training, work long hours, and need to handle stress well.
- Boost your resume and your personal statement. A medical internship abroad is an invaluable experience that will not only provide you with hands-on skills but also give you a new perspective on life.
- Help people that need you the most. There is a need for more medical staff in many countries. Your help will be much appreciated by the local doctors and the community.
6 best medical internships abroad for high school students
One of the best ways to develop yourself, improve your worldview as a future doctor, and help people is by doing a medical internship abroad. Here are the 6 best medical internships for high school students abroad:
1. International Medical Aid (IMA) Internship Program
International Medical Aid works tirelessly to provide healthcare to regions that need it the most, including East Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. To fulfill their aim, they need young minds like you. During your high school pre-med program, you can be sure to gain invaluable knowledge on how healthcare works in your host country.
Depending on your interests, you can choose an internship program between medicine, nursing, mental health, dentistry, physical therapy, and public health. No matter which one you choose, you will get to shadow doctors, nurses, and medical interns in different departments of hospitals. This will help you get a glimpse of what their workday is like.
IMA’s medical opportunities for high school students also include the 24/7 support of an expert mentor, travel insurance, and adventure retreats. Next thing you know, you could be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, visiting Machu Picchu, or going on a safari in Masai Mara Game Reserve.
- Where? Various destinations
- When? Year-round
- Read International Medical Aid reviews
2. Medicine Internships in Sri Lanka for Teens
In this two-week internship, you will have the opportunity to observe doctors and nurses in the general hospital and attend workshops on Sri Lankan medical practices. Your role as a teenage intern will be centered on shadowing, but you will still help with performing medical outreach and doing health checks, such as measuring the blood pressure of locals at community centers.
Along with fellow 15-18-year-olds, you will take the first steps to becoming successful doctors and participate in cultural events after work. The internship will take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital city, where you will stay with a host family. This is one of the best ways of immersing yourself in the culture, trying the local food, and building meaningful relationships.
- Where? Colombo, Sri Lanka
- When? Summer/winter break
- Read Projects Abroad reviews
3. Costa Rica: Healthcare Education & Medical Outreach
Travel for Teens and its partner non-profit organization offer teens the opportunity to travel to Jaco, Santa Ana, and Tortuga Island in Costa Rica. If you join, you will be part of a team that works closely with medical professionals to provide healthcare to those in need.
In the end, you will improve your communication skills, gain practical experience, and help locals with their mental and physical health. The program’s itinerary also includes trips to Jaco Beach, boat cruises to Tortuga Island, visits to Poas Volcano, and hikes to five different waterfalls. You will also get to try surfing and ziplining with Costa Rica’s wide green landscape in the background.
- Where? Jaco, Santa Ana, Tortuga Island; Costa Rica
- When? Summer
- Read Travel For Teens reviews
4. International Health Internship
OGVO Ghana accepts sophomores and juniors to its four-week internship program. If you’re interested in public health, this might be a great opportunity. The program covers a wide area in Ghana, which means that you will get to work in big hospitals as well as small rural communities.
Since they offer placements for people of all medical backgrounds, you will have the chance to meet fellow high school students as well as established doctors. A big resume booster for medicine, this program also includes sessions for college essay tips and medical site visits. In your free time, you will also get to participate in cultural activities in Ghana.
- Where? Accra, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Kumasi, Sunyani, Tamale, and Techiman; Ghana
- When? Year-round
- Read OGVO Ghana reviews
5. Medicine Summer School Cambridge
Are you wondering what studying medicine will be like as much as what working as a doctor is like? In this case, you might consider taking part in a study abroad program that offers practical experience.
This two-week program gives you insight into studying medicine, the life of a medical student, and future job prospects. You also get to join workshops that will improve your practical skills as an internship would. Your lecturers will be experts who work in world-class universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard.
Even if it’s just for two weeks, you will feel like a medical student in the UK. The experience as a whole is worth it as it will provide you with information you wouldn’t learn in high school.
- Where? Cambridge, United Kingdom
- When? Summer
- Read Immerse Education reviews
6. Summer Medicine Preparation for High School Students
Another medical study abroad program, Lite Regal International College’s summer school aims to prepare you for your med school application. The program talks about UKCAT, MCAT, and BMAT exam preparations and includes courses from expert tutors.
Since it takes place in Cambridge and London, you will have the chance to explore both cities and the rest of Europe once your studies are over. Open to students from all over the world, this is the perfect opportunity to make new friends and get to know other high schoolers who also want to study medicine.
- Where? Cambridge and London, United Kingdom
- When? Summer
- Read Lite Regal International College Reviews
Can’t pick? Compare these programs side-by-side for FREE with MyGoAbroad
Are you a pre-med high school student? It’s time to intern abroad!
This could be a game-changer for your academic career.
A pre-med internship will not only change your life but also the lives of others. As you help local communities with their medical needs, you will be providing them with the most important service—health. As for yourself, you will boost your resume, improve your chances of getting into medical school, and invest in yourself for becoming both a better doctor and more well-rounded person!
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.
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