Internships in Manila, Philippines

I attended the 4-week Global Health in the Philippines Program under CFHI from May 23, 2026 to June 20, 2026. This opportunity was also made possible through a scholarship from Friends of the Philippines, for which I am eternally grateful. For a little context, I’m a Health Sciences graduate from the Philippines, so I’m already relatively familiar with our country’s political, social, economic, and public health landscape. Even so, my experience with CFHI proved that every space I step into is an opportunity for growth and learning – even if it’s in a country I’ve lived in my whole life. The program was divided into two parts: an urban exposure (1 week) and a rural immersion (3 weeks). During the urban exposure, we began by touring historical landmarks around Manila, the country’s capital, and took a deep dive into Philippine history. Afterwards, we traveled to the Municipality of Ternate in Cavite, where we visited the Rural Health Unit and all 10 barangay health stations in a single day. We also toured several tertiary hospitals, including Philippine General Hospital (the country's largest public hospital), St. Luke’s BGC (one of the country's leading private hospitals), and Quiapo Memorial Medical Center (a local community “hospital”). This urban component was thoughtfully structured to provide students with a strong foundation before entering the island immersion. We first understood the country's historical context, then explored its primary healthcare system through the barangay health stations and Rural Health Unit, before progressing to the varying realities of tertiary healthcare. The entire experience was incredibly organized, and I considered it an essential foundation before beginning the rural portion of the program. For the rural immersion, we were assigned to Carabao Island, an isolated municipality composed of five barangays with a population of around 12,000 residents. We shadowed the Municipal Health Officer, who also served as the island’s only primary care physician. Our internship was both structured and spontaneous, making the experience feel authentic and reflective of real-world practice. It was structured because we had scheduled visits to different barangay health stations throughout the week, allowing us to complete clinical rotations across all five barangays. At the same time, it was spontaneous because our daily activities depended largely on the island's ongoing health programs and community needs. During our rotation, we participated in cervical cancer screenings, ultrasound consultations, PhilHealth YAKAP registrations, anti-rabies vaccinations, family planning services, well-baby clinic immunizations, insertion and removal of contraceptive implants, planning for a Nanay-to-Nanay peer support program on nutrition, and many other community-based health initiatives. We were also entrusted with leading patient history-taking under the guidance of our preceptor, which allowed us to build meaningful conversations with residents while applying our understanding of the social determinants of health to better appreciate the context behind their health conditions. Unlike the urban exposure, much of what we learned during the rural immersion depended on how deeply we allowed ourselves to become part of the community – how curious we were about the local health situation, and how observant we were of the island's environmental, social, and cultural context. Personally, that became both the greatest challenge and reward. The lessons were rarely spoon-fed to us. Rather, they had to be intentionally sought out. Fortunately, the local health team was among the most welcoming and accommodating groups of people I have ever met. Because of them, I left the internship having learned and grown far beyond what I could have imagined. I am incredibly grateful to the entire CFHI team for giving me the opportunity to experience my own country through a different lens and for helping shape me not only as an aspiring healthcare professional but also as a human. I entered this internship hoping to gain experience and exposure, but I left with a deeper passion for global and public health and a much clearer vision of the kind of physician I aspire to become. If I could do it all over again, I absolutely would. But today, I know the best way to honor this life-changing experience is to carry its lessons with me as I move forward in my journey toward becoming a physician.🩺 [Additional] Outside of our internship, we also made the most of our weekends by exploring Carabao Island and its neighboring islands. We joined a 5 km fun run, went parasailing and cliff jumping, completed an 18 km bike ride, played pickleball, and experienced so much more. Those side-quests made the program even more memorable, reminding me that some of the best connections and lessons happen outside the workspace as well.

I had the opportunity to intern for the Child Family Health International (CFHI) Global Health in the Philippines Program under the Friends of the Philippines Scholarship. This experience was an extremely eye-opening immersion into the Philippine Health System. Our program started off in Manila, the Philippine capital. We observed and learned about the various tiers of health systems in the city, including the highly-regarded public Philippine General Hospital, private St. Luke’s Medical Center, and local Quiapo Medical Center. We even took a day trip to Cavite, a more rural community close to Manila where we were introduced to the healthcare system within rural communities in the Philippines. I found this introduction to the Philippines valuable prior to our journey on the San Jose island as it provided cultural context and awareness, along with a baseline comparison of how health systems functioned within the mainland. Then began our program on the island of San Jose in the Romblon province. Here, we stayed in a lodge within Poblacion, the main barangay (or small village) in the island. For the next few days/weeks, we interned at the San Jose Rural Health Unit (RHU) underneath the Municipal Health Officer (MHO), who was also the only primary care doctor on the island with a population of over 12,000. We experienced clinic days within the RHU, where the doctor would communicate, assess, diagnose, and prescribe treatments to various patient complaints. The doctor involved us in the clinic by supervising our own health history interviews and discussing various symptoms with their corresponding diagnoses and treatments. The RHU was also heavily involved in family planning, prenatal care, animal bite treatment, and dental care, so we were able to observe ultrasounds, birth control injectables, baby vaccinations, anti-rabies injections, etc. I was happily surprised by the organization of the health system on this island. They offered various free services to the people, including health assessments, basic screenings and lab tests (i.e. cervical cancer screenings, urine and blood sugar tests, H&H labs, etc.), and commonly-needed medications (i.e. antihypertensives, diabetes, tuberculosis, etc.). In a lot of ways, I found their system more organized and accessible than from where I come from! The doctor and local government were passionate about providing accessible and equitable care to the entire community. This routine would continue throughout the week in various Barangay Health Units, or smaller and more accessible sectors of the RHU. On weekdays, we were able to enjoy life on and around the island. We visited Boracay beach (one of the world’s most beautiful beaches) , ran a 5K marathon together, biked around the entire San Jose Island, went caving and cliff jumping, sang karaoke, and explored Kalibo, a city within the mainland. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed by the people and the community and were encouraged to immerse ourselves within the culture. We ate Filipino food, participated in the weekly flag raising ceremony, and watched the procession of Flores de Mayo, a May Festival devotion to the Virgin Mary. Overall, I found this program to be an amazing immersion to learn, observe, and experience the Philippine Health System through various settings and sectors, while also involving ourselves with the Philippine people and culture. Each part of this program felt very genuine and purposeful in providing a holistic and well-rounded learning/immersion experience. The local preceptors and coordinators were more than accommodating and talented in not only planning this program, but also teaching and encouraging us and being responsive to all our questions and ideas. I would do it all over again if I could!

Participating in the CFHI Global Health in the Philippines program was one of the most grounding and intellectually honest learning experiences I have had in my public health training. Rather than positioning global health as something to “do” to communities, this program teaches you how to observe, listen, and understand systems in context—and that distinction matters. The program began in Manila, where our learning was intentionally framed around history, politics, and structure before any clinical exposure. This was critical. Through site visits, discussions, and guided reflections, I gained a deeper understanding of how the Philippine health system functions within a decentralized governance model, how colonial legacies continue to shape health delivery, and why disparities between public and private care persist. These conversations were not superficial; they asked us to confront uncomfortable realities about financing, access, and trust in health institutions. For someone pursuing public health at the graduate level, this systems-level grounding was invaluable. What stood out immediately was CFHI’s ethical clarity. The program is explicit about scope, responsibility, and humility. Observation is not framed as passivity, but as a discipline—one that requires restraint, respect, and accountability. CFHI’s principle of “If you wouldn’t be allowed to do it at home, don’t do it here” may sound simple, but it profoundly shaped how I approached every interaction. It created space to learn without centering myself, and to value the expertise of local health workers rather than treating communities as training grounds. The remote island placement further deepened this learning. Being based in a Rural Health Unit made it clear that healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings is not just about scarcity—it is about coordination, relationships, and community trust. I observed how Barangay Health Workers, nurses, midwives, and physicians function as an integrated system, often carrying multiple roles out of necessity. Care here is not siloed. It is relational, adaptive, and deeply human. What I found most powerful was witnessing how much of the health system’s strength rests on people who are often invisible in traditional medical narratives. Barangay Health Workers are not auxiliary; they are foundational. They bridge households and clinics, policy and practice, prevention and care. Watching them work reshaped how I think about primary health care and community-based systems—not as “alternatives,” but as essential. CFHI also creates space for reflection, not just observation. Structured debriefs encouraged us to interrogate what we were seeing: Why are services organized this way? What constraints are structural versus political? What solutions are realistic, and who should lead them? These conversations reinforced that global health is not about quick fixes or heroic interventions. It is about patience, systems thinking, and long-term commitment. Beyond the formal learning, the warmth and generosity of the communities we lived among left a lasting impression. Hospitality was not performative; it was genuine. Daily life—shared meals, conversations, quiet moments after clinic hours—became part of the learning. These experiences reminded me that health does not exist in isolation from culture, family, and place. This program did not give me answers—it sharpened my questions. It reaffirmed that meaningful global health work begins with humility, ethical boundaries, and respect for local expertise. CFHI does an exceptional job of modeling what responsible global health education should look like. I would highly recommend this program to students and professionals who are serious about understanding health systems, equity, and ethical engagement. If you are looking for an experience that will challenge your assumptions, deepen your perspective, and stay with you long after you return home, this program will do exactly that.

THE PROGRAM The Global Health in the Philippines program has been a one-of-a-kind experience for me! I was assigned to Carabao Island, San Jose, Romblon, Philippines, for a 4-week program that started last June 21, 2025, and ended yesterday, July 19, 2025. From the first week of the program in Manila, the local coordinator and the medical director gave us a quick overview of the historical context of health systems of the Philippines through visits to museums, hospitals, and public health discussions with primary care physicians. That gave us a context before our assignment on an island to have a grasp of the public health systems of the Philippines. From our 2nd to 4th week of the program, I shadowed our local preceptor doing general check-ups for the residents, and observed maternal and child health check-ups. It was truly eye-opening as it gave me a first-hand experience in seeing how the patients and the healthcare workers work hand-in-hand to deliver healthcare in the island. EXPERIENCES IN THE ISLAND I really hope more people will be assigned to Carabao Island! The locals are very kind, friendly, and warm, and will really check up on you from time to time to see how your experiences on the island have been so far. The healthcare workers, particularly the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), midwives, and nurses, are very hands-on as they always teach us new information about the locals’ perspective in healthcare. Moreover, the Municipal Health Officer, Doc Ian, is also very kind and hands-on. He is very friendly and tries to involve us through shadowing him in consultations with patients and check-ups with pregnant women to see how it works on the island. This became our weekly routine, and we truly enjoyed it. I miss everyone on the island! The location of the island is also very pretty; we always watch the sunset and walk by the beach after our duty to appreciate the beauty of the island. In the afternoon, we eat local snacks and delicacies to have a legit taste of Filipino food. One of the best things in the island is the halo-halo and barbeque, which I never tried before anywhere else in the Philippines. I wish I had more of those before leaving. FEEDBACK I would highly recommend the program to anyone who is looking for a Global Health experience! If you are looking for a sign that this is the program fit for you, this is the sign! It gave me a new perspective and exposure in viewing primary healthcare, local health delivery, and local ethnomedicinal practices engraved into the island's culture in the Philippines. As a Health Sciences graduate, this public health experience is one of the best I have had that I will never trade for anything else. I hope more students, both local and international, get this experience at least once in their lives! I truly loved every single day and the people behind the success of the program. Thank you so much, CFHI, the local team, Doc Lopao, Doc Joel, Doc Kat, Doc Ian, and the generous sponsor of the Friends of the Philippines Scholarship for making this experience possible! I’m forever grateful!

Participating in the Philippines–Remote Island Medicine Internship with Child Family Health International (CFHI) has been personally transformative and eye-opening experience that surpassed my initial expectations. I’ve learned opportunities of studying abroad because of the fellowships I had in my community college. As a transfer student, I spotted a UC Davis flyer promoting the Philippines–Remote Island Medicine Internship in 2022 and envisioned it as a possible goal. At the end of 2022, I found there could be scholarships such as Kerr-Lacy Study Abroad and CFHI Scholarship which we can apply for as an Aggie. I chose the Remote Island Medicine internship in the Philippines to broaden my global health perspective as a dual citizen. I chose it not only because I will have a chance to see my families but reflect on what I can do today to address health disparities in rural and urban areas. I aspire to find ways to integrate professionally. But most importantly, to learn what public health means to me as a global citizen and learn together with my co-interns. The interactions we had could be a way to forge relations with students like ourselves who may someday lead their programs internationally. My internship abroad turned out to be the last class I had as an undergraduate—solidified my future plans of participating in public health as an aspiring nurse. The words of Dr. Joel Buenaventura's sharing on his seven years of community medicine on the island resonates deeply: 'It is not the island that’s changed, it’s me.' This sentiment echoes CFHI’s powerful slogan, 'Let the World Change You.' The immersion and interactions I had in the Philippines and their healthcare system profoundly impacted my perspectives on global health and nursing as a student, seeing essentially how our connections with one another is. We stayed in Metro Manila (capital of the Philippines) for about 2 weeks. From here, one of the experiences that provided me insight into public/global health was walking through UP-PGH (Philippine General Hospital) with Dr. Paulo “Lopao” Medina while talking about a part of the Philippine health system where there is more subspecialty than generalist doctors (inverted primary to tertiary). This topic has been included in the healthcare system/situation lecture at the university along with the reiteration of the disjointed healthcare system where we sat with 4th year medical students. While being mindful of the values of CFHI, another local team experience I appreciate was walking at the 'Quiapo Medical Center' (complementary/alternative medicine) tour and the National Museum of Natural History tour, where Dr. Jerry mentioned how topography (typhoons) affects healthcare distribution and the lifestyles of a culture. In a piece of information in a public health class, I read a women's health article “Why The Philippines Has So Many Teen Moms” informed me about rising teenage pregnancy, access to abortion and the need for sex education. It is a topic I yearn to know more about. One of the most significant experiences I had was learning more about it in Manila and at Tablas Island, Romblon. In Manila, Dr. Jomer led us to see the Red-light District and rotations at the HIV clinic where CFHI opened me to see sensitive patient-doctor interaction, and how affordability could affect referrals/quality of interventions. I remember Dr. Jomer shared that he has been doing an outreach similar to HIV clinics since high school, to community college, at UC Berkeley and meeting him today at CFHI as an Aggie. Another thing that stood out to me in Manila is our CFHI Debriefing Session/Exit Conference at the University of the Philippines where we are presenting what we learned as well as being in conversations between leaders at RHU in Tablas Island and in Manila—how they creatively communicate, collaborate, and value the work that they do in their respective fields in public health. I recall “How the book isn’t always what could occur in actuality and how there could be times of what is needed should be the action. Trial and Error with the importance of guidelines in Public Health. And always remember that at the center of public health are the people”. These immersive experiences reminded me of the significance of words: “pagpapakatao” (humaneness and the importance of narrative humility) and kapwa– “(I) self in the other” in patient care. At CFHI Philippines, I also realized how politics and healthcare are tied together. In our last 3 weeks at Tablas Island in the province of Romblon, we stayed at Mama Le’s home where she also takes care of her granddaughter—it made me reflect on the advantages of close-knit family ties. The “everyday” after our clinicals looks like walking near the pier with my co-interns, where we sometimes stargaze or watch lightning from a far. One of the fun aspects of the program here is having our orientation at the beach, going to Bon Bon Beach and taking boat rides, hiking near the Blue Hole, and exploring another Romblon island—walking more at the Marble Capital of the Philippines with Dr. Jobin Maestro. In addition to that, I am thankful for being invited by the Municipal Health Officer (Dr. Jobin) on his Birthday joined by families and the RHU staff (forever karaoke). On the island, there are clinical observations on the dental clinic and observation of procedures done mostly by the nurses including circumcision, removal of birth control, immunization and outreach/communication on HPV vaccine (since 2023) on HS students. At the Rural Health Unit, observations of what midwives do such as newborn screening tests, assessing mother-child who gave birth at home in a remote place, and vaccines/supplementations given to pregnant women (if luckier, will witness birthing). I noticed that Dr. Jobin and the mayor (she’s a doctor too) have a positive relationship. We also got to visit the DOH Regional Office. I had the chance to observe more about: rural vs urban resources and compare it in global health, private vs public hospitals, the fragmented/disjointed healthcare system, and the task shifting of their nurses and other healthcare workers. Another thing that stood out to me is visiting the Looc Marine Sanctuary with my co-interns on Tablas Island (my first time jumping, ofc with a life vest) and reflecting with Drs. Ged and Ken on the reproductive health presentation to a high school population by the RHU that had a “wasted” acronym. But most importantly, I am grateful for CFHI Philippines because it reminded me of my WHYs. I was also flabbergasted by meeting the CHFI Philippines lead, who is part of the Department of Health International Relations (migration health), as an undergraduate. I learned how they have secured OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) health insurance to the country they are about to arrive. The information of fitness goes to the country of arrival or where they will migrate to. I specifically asked this because I heard there are less studies tracing mental health for migrants and the different types of Visas they hold from the Philippines to the US. In here, I perceive that there might be loss of data for analysis of health outcomes and I speculate that transnational ties are already embedded in global health. I am grateful for Child Health Family International for the latitude of insights in global/public health and valuable experiences it provided me. Moreover, I am reminded of the two time zones I have had since growing up. As an Aggie, I’m asked about my hometown that I’ll go home to–-here and there after the program. My internship at CFHI became a journey back home while I am at home.