Medicine Internship in Sri Lanka

This medical placement is ideal for anyone with a strong interest in medicine. It’s an excellent way to add work experience to your CV and supplement your applications for medical school or university.

You’ll have a medical supervisor for the duration of your internship. They will ensure that you get the most out of your experience, and that you are well looked after.

You’ll be able to choose which departments you’d like to work in. This means you can pursue your interests if there’s a particular area of medicine that you’d like to focus on. Or you can choose to rotate through the different departments for a broader experience. The longer you stay, the more departments you will be able to spend time in.

Your role at the hospital will be purely observational. You’ll be able to witness consultations and procedures, and ask questions. However, there is an opportunity for you to take part in hands-on work during the medical outreaches.

After waking up in the morning and enjoying a delicious breakfast with your host family, you’ll travel to your placement by bus or rickshaw. In some cases, you’ll live close enough that you can walk to work. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way.

A typical day will run from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am – 12.30pm, and then from 2pm – 4pm. However, these hours may vary. The exact schedule will be discussed during your induction.

The specifics of your day will vary according to which placement you choose, and which department you’re in. In general, you’ll follow the doctors in the department as they complete their rounds, update charts, review case files, and assess patients for admission. There may also be the possibility to observe surgeries.

We run regular workshops for all our medical interns. Here you’ll have the chance to ask local doctors questions about procedures you’ve seen, or simply find out more about medical practice in Sri Lanka. They will also provide you with basic training.

Other days you may find yourself visiting a school or community to raise awareness about a particular health issue. This may involve giving presentations or organising activities, such as demonstrating how to correctly wash hands for improved hygiene.

On community outreach days, you’ll travel with other medical volunteers to a disadvantaged area. You’ll assist medical staff in setting up the outreach session, as well as checking vital signs, dispensing medication and generally lending a helping hand wherever needed.

At the end of your working day, it’s time to relax. Swap stories about your day over dinner with your host family, or fellow interns and other volunteers, or spend time getting to know them at one of our regular socials.

There are two main aims to this project: to provide you with an educational experience and to assist those in disadvantaged communities.

Many of the medical interns who join us are looking for international work experience. One of our aims is to encourage the cross-cultural sharing of knowledge. You will learn from skilled local medical staff, and in turn share your own experiences with them. It’s a wonderful way to not only learn about healthcare practice in a developing country, but to discover everyday life in another country.

This internship also aims to benefit those in local communities. You will take part in regular medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. While Sri Lanka does provide free healthcare services to all its citizens, these can sometimes be limited or inconsistent. You’ll work alongside medical staff to provide basic yet vital medical services to vulnerable groups of people.

We have committed to achieving four main long-term goals in our healthcare work in Sri Lanka:

• Improve hygiene practices
• Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
• Promote awareness of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease
• Help to reduce the number of cases of Dengue fever

Join us and gain medical work experience in Sri Lanka while helping people.

With a range of observational and hands-on activities, this internship gives you a well-rounded medical experience abroad.

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.

You will be able to get involved in:

• Observe local doctors and medical staff during their rounds
• Participate in medical outreaches which serve disadvantaged communities
• Learn about traditional Ayurvedic medicine practices
• Raise awareness about important healthcare issues

With several departments available, you can truly enhance your medical knowledge. Or pick an area in which to specialise:

• General Medicine
• Obstetrics
• Gynaecology
• Paediatrics
• ENT
• Emergency

If you’re interested in finding out more about traditional medicine, then you can also spend time in an Ayurvedic hospital. Let us know if you’re interested in this option when you apply.

Please note that you will only be able to spend time in one or two departments if you’re staying for two to three weeks. The longer you stay, the more departments you will be able to rotate through.