Medical Internship in Kenya
Gain medical work experience by learning directly from doctors and doing health checks during outreaches
What’s included
Activities, Training & Equipment
Meals
Accommodation & Amenities
24/7 Support
Starting at €2,245 for 2 weeks
Trip Overview
What you need to know
Overview
Are you a student considering a career in the medical field? Or perhaps you’re a medical student looking for practical experience? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this is the internship for you.
You’ll learn directly from experienced local doctors and nurses, and you’ll have a supervising doctor to shadow. You’ll gain a valuable insight into the healthcare challenges people face everyday in Kenya. This will add a lot of value to your CV, and give you interesting points to talk about in interviews and essays. The outreach work will also help demonstrate your commitment to healthcare and helping those in need.
There are no requirements to join. All you need is a strong interest in medicine and a willingness to learn. There are a number of different placement options you can choose from, so that you can pursue your area of interest. Depending on how long you stay, you may also be able to rotate through many different hospital departments.
Our medical internship in Kenya is available year-round. Our start and end dates are entirely flexible, so you can choose a time which suits you. We encourage you to stay longer, so you can learn more and get involved in multiple outreaches.
A Day in the Life
Once you’ve enjoyed breakfast with your host family, it’s time to head to work. You’ll travel to your placement via a minibus, which will pick you up and drop you off at your host family each day.
A typical day on this internship runs from 8am – 4pm, Monday to Friday. Your exact working hours will be worked out between you and your supervisor on a weekly basis. There is also the option to work night shifts, upon agreement with your supervisor and our Medical Coordinator.
Your exact daily activities will vary according to the placement you choose, as well as your level of experience. Medical students and graduates will be able to take part in more practical work.
In general, you will spend time observing the local medical staff on their rounds. It’s a great way to see what a day in the life of a doctor looks like, especially in a limited-resource setting. If they are not too busy, doctors will often take the time to explain procedures or cases with you.
You may also find yourself assisting where needed on tasks such as taking blood pressure or giving oral vaccinations. On days where there are medical outreaches you will also be given more hands-on work. This may involve taking vital signs or dressing wounds.
At the end of the working day, it’s time to immerse yourself in local life. You can spend time getting to know your host family over a delicious Kenyan-style barbecue, or join in on our regular social events. These are a great way to make friends with your fellow interns and Projects Abroad staff!
Aims & Impact
There are two main aims to this project: to provide you with an educational internship, and to provide basic healthcare services in disadvantaged communities.
Many of the interns who join us are looking for practical work experience to supplement their studies and CV. On this internship, you will learn from doctors and nurses and gain new skills. We encourage a cross-cultural exchange of knowledge, where interns and staff can share experiences with one another.
There is also an altruistic dimension to this internship. Many Kenyans do not have access to healthcare services, due to financial constraints or a lack of services in the area. Projects Abroad organise regular medical outreaches in the local community. These provide disadvantaged people with basic medical treatment that they would otherwise not receive. This treatment can include wound dressing, HIV testing, deworming, and more.
We have identified several key goals for our medical work in Kenya:
- Promote the exchange of medical knowledge
- Improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients
- Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
- Improve hygiene standards
- Reduce the number of cases of malaria
In 2016, we treated more than 3,700 patients thanks to the help of people like you. Join us on a Medicine Internship in Kenya and broaden your medical expertise while making a positive impact in a disadvantaged community.
Activities
This internship consists of a mixture of observational and practical activities, which makes for a fantastic learning experience. You can get involved in:
We can arrange extra work for university medical and healthcare elective students to meet all of your university’s requirements. This includes meeting a set amount of clinical hours or working in a specific department.
Your work will focus on the following areas:
Shadow experienced doctors and nurses on their rounds
Your main role in this internship is to learn by observing local doctors and nurses at work and shadowing them on their rounds. You’ll encounter a range of conditions and diseases that you wouldn’t usually see back home, and we’ll teach you how to diagnose and treat them. We encourage you to take notes and ask questions to get the most out of your internship. This is a great way to gain medical work experience during your internship in Kenya.
Assist with a range of different medical tasks
Depending on your level of experience, you may have the opportunity to assist with more practical tasks. These include writing charts, taking blood pressure, and giving oral vaccinations. You could help with wound dressing and stitching as well. Previous interns have had the chance to work on diagnoses, treatment, and counselling for patients with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malnutrition.
These activities are supervised. You will only be permitted to do them if you have the training and have proven your capability to the local staff.
Take part in medical outreach sessions which benefit disadvantaged communities
Projects Abroad organises regular medical outreaches at community centres or schools in local villages or rural areas. These outreaches serve people in disadvantaged communities who would otherwise not receive regular medical care.
Under the supervision of qualified medical staff, you’ll help to carry out medical checks and provide basic treatment to members of the local community. These checks may include taking vital signs such as blood pressure or blood sugar levels. You will also dress wounds, administer oral vaccinations, and administer HIV tests.
Learn new skills at educational workshops from medical staff
You will also have the chance to broaden your knowledge and learn new skills at our medical workshops, which are usually run by our Medical Coordinator. Here you’ll have the chance to ask questions and share experiences with fellow interns. You’ll also learn new techniques which you can then put into practice during outreaches or at your placement.
Medical Departments
If you choose to work in the teaching hospital, there are a number of departments you can rotate through:
- General medicine
- Dentistry
- Surgery
- Maternity
- Paediatrics
- Palliative care
- Laboratory
- Pharmacy
You can also choose to work at a government health centre, a maternity and children’s hospital, or a palliative care centre instead. Palliative care centres are institutions which provide specialised care for people with terminal illnesses.
Map & Location
Home to the Maasai Mara National Park and the second-tallest mountain in Africa, Mount Kenya, this East African gem is a bucket list item for nature lovers worldwide. Witness the Great Migration, taste delicious coffee, and be welcomed into a traditional way of life.
Nanyuki
In central Kenya, three hours north of Nairobi, lies the charming town of Nanyuki, the gateway to Mount Kenya. Home to about 70,000 residents, Nanyuki enjoys a cool climate and serves as a base for eager mountain climbers.
Nanyuki has a mix of modern amenities and natural beauty. The town is surrounded by wildlife conservancies, offering popular game drives and safaris, but is also steeped in history. It is famous for its markets, British colonial heritage, and sitting exactly on the equator.
Food & Accommodation
Feel like a local with a caring host family. Our host families in Nanyuki are all carefully vetted and will provide you with everything you need for the experience of a lifetime. This includes a comfortable bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water.
We guarantee that your host family’s home will be safe, secure, and clean. They will share Kenyan culture with you and will be eager to learn about yours through conversations or games over home-cooked meals.
Our team will organise your daily transport to and from your placement and will also take you to some of the best restaurants in town. We will try to place you with other Projects Abroad participants of the same gender and similar age, the perfect opportunity to build lasting bonds with people from around the world.
Your Arrival Made Easy
When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Kenya Arrival Procedures page.
Book your adventure
Starting at €2,245 for 2 weeks
Call +353 (0)1 571 5080 to discuss special discounts or group bookings.