Unfortunately, most medical students aren’t able to study abroad in the traditional sense by spending a full semester abroad. However, medical students can spend their summers abroad volunteering or partaking in one or two international clinical rotations to gain valuable hands-on experience and give back to the local community.

The summer before you start medical school and the summer between your first and second year of university is a great time to go abroad through service learning programs for credit. There are many service learning programs across the globe, with most concentrated in Africa and Latin America, for pre-med and medical students wishing to make a positive impact in the local community through public health educational programs, community clinics, and a chance to spend some quality time shadowing doctors and learning new skills.

Additionally, some medical and graduate schools offer summer courses focused on tropical medicine, infectious disease, public health research, and other global topics that might be of interest to you, especially if you’re considering volunteering or working abroad as a physician in the future. Over recent decades, medical schools have partnered with international universities and hospitals to provide international clinical rotations for third and fourth year medical schools. As the world continues to become globalized and many western countries become increasingly culturally diverse, it is important that doctors gain experience treating patients of different cultures. International clinical rotations may entail anything from surgery to emergency medical to pediatrics. Often times these clinical rotations are offered in developing countries where the local people do not have access to the critical medical care they need so your skills and knowledge have a huge impact on the communities.

Pick your favored destination and book a plane ticket to study medicine abroad now!