Midwifery Internship in Sri Lanka

Gain work experience and learn directly from local midwives in different maternity units at hospitals

Destination

Sri Lanka

Age

18+ y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s included

Transportation

To and from the airport, plus everything in between. Daily transport to your placement and back.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

Pre-departure Support

Everything you need to prepare for your trip, including visa advice, cultural awareness training, access to your dedicated pre-departure portal, and more.

Socials & Fun

Regularly organized social events with other participants.

Request info

Starting at €1,630 for 1 week

Flexible 0% Interest payments
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Trip Overview

Practical midwifery experience

Observe experienced midwives in various maternity units, including prenatal care, labour, and postnatal care, giving you real exposure to your field.

Learn from local experts

Gain valuable knowledge and skills from qualified midwives and healthcare professionals, working in a different culture and healthcare system.

Contribute to community health

Participate in medical outreach to provide essential care to underserved communities who might not have easy access to healthcare.

Explore a tropical paradise

Live with a local family, visit ancient temples, relax on pristine beaches, and sample delicious Sri Lankan cuisine in your free time.

Embrace a new culture

Develop cultural sensitivity, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of global health challenges through an incredible immersive experience.

What you need to know

Overview

Are you planning on a career in midwifery? Maybe you’re a midwifery student or recent graduate looking for work experience? If so, this internship may be the perfect choice for you.

You’ll get to learn from skilled midwives and other healthcare professionals at hospitals.You’ll get insight into how mothers and newborns are cared for in a developing country. You’ll also be able to add midwifery work experience in Sri Lanka to your CV, and have interesting points to talk about in applications or interviews.

This internship is largely observational, but you will be able to learn a great deal. You’ll get to rotate through different maternity units, from theatre to labour. Practical work is available in the form of our regular medical outreaches. Here, you’ll do basic health checks for people in disadvantaged communities.

A Day in the Life

Once you’ve enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the home of your host family, it’s time to head to work. You’ll travel to your placement via bus or rickshaw. Sometimes you may even be within walking distance. Whichever option you take, a staff member will accompany you on your first day to show you the way.

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

Activities will vary according to your midwifery placement you’ve chosen in Sri Lanka. In general, you will spend your day observing midwives, doctors, and nurses at work. You’ll shadow staff in different maternity units, ranging from prenatal to theatre and labour. This is an exciting opportunity to gain insight into all aspects of maternity and child care.

On medical outreach days, you’ll get to take part in more practical work. Here you’ll help to take vital signs such as blood pressure or blood sugar, dispense medication and food, and assist wherever needed. This is important work that provides basic medical care in disadvantaged communities.

When you’re done for the day, it’s time to sit back and relax. We organise regular social events for our interns, so that you can get to know each other while having fun and learning about the local culture. Or explore your new surroundings, watch the sunset from the beach, and try out some Sri Lankan-style cuisine from a neighbourhood restaurant.

Aims & Impact

The main aim of this project is to provide you with an educational experience. Many of the interns who join us are looking for international work experience in a country different from their own. This is a great way to prepare yourself for your future career as a midwife, while enhancing your CV.

We give the opportunity to learn from qualified local professionals, and gain insight into midwifery practice in Sri Lanka. You will also take part in valuable cross-cultural exchange, sharing knowledge and experiences with medical staff.

Projects Abroad also organises monthly medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. Here you’ll provide basic medical treatment to locals under supervision. This is important work, as the communities we work in don’t have regular access to basic medical services.

We have identified the following goals as the focus of our medical work in Sri Lanka:

Promote the exchange of medical knowledge
Promote awareness of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure
Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
Improve hygiene standards
Reduce the number of cases of Dengue fever

Join us on a Midwifery Internship in Sri Lanka and learn from skilled midwives as they care for new mothers and babies.

Activities

On this internship, you’ll get to learn a great amount about midwifery practices in Sri Lanka.

We can arrange extra work for university midwifery 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.

Things you can do include:

Observe midwives as they go about their daily work in different maternity units
Take part in medical outreaches which benefit the local community
Learn from local doctors and gain new skills at medical workshops
Learn about traditional Ayurvedic medicine, an alternative healthcare practice

Here’s more information on the tasks you can get involved in:

Observe midwives as they go about their daily work in different maternity units

Your main role on this internship is to shadow midwives and other medical staff as they go about their day. You’ll have the chance to rotate through different maternity units, such as theatre, labour, and postnatal. This allows you to learn about all the different aspects of care for new mothers and babies.

Take part in medical outreaches which benefit the local community

We organise monthly medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. These provide basic healthcare checks and treatment for those who would otherwise not have access to medical care. While not directly related to midwifery, you’ll still gain insight into medical practices in Sri Lanka. It’s also an opportunity to take part in practical work, such as taking blood pressure and dispensing medication.

All of your outreach work is supervised by a medical professional.

Learn from local doctors and gain new skills at medical workshops

To ensure you get the most out of this internship, we also organise regular workshops for all our medical interns. These are run by local doctors, and give you the chance to learn new skills. For example, they will teach you techniques that you can put into practice at the medical outreaches. You’ll also find out more about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of common diseases in Sri Lanka.

Learn about traditional Ayurvedic medicine, an alternative healthcare practice

You also have the option to learn about traditional Ayurvedic medicine. This is not offered as part of the standard Midwifery Project, so please let us know if you are interested in pursuing this option.

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic treatment systems, and includes treatments such as herbal medicine, special diets, and acupuncture. In Sri Lanka, this traditional practice is officially recognised, and there are hospitals specifically dedicated to Ayurvedic medicine where you can intern.

Map & Location

Ayubowan! That’s “may you live long” in Sinhala, the language of Sri Lanka, a beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean. Experience a culture and tradition dating back thousands of years and try the exotic flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine.

Did you know Sri Lanka is thought to have world’s oldest wildlife sanctuary? While exploring, you’ll find ancient cities with distinct architectural styles, vast tea plantations in mist-covered hills, and the warm hospitality of its people.

Colombo

Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, sits on the west coast of the island where history, culture, and modern life intertwine. This city of over 750,000 residents experiences a tropical climate with warm temperatures year-round.

With a mix of architectural styles, Buddhist temples, cultivated parks, and winding canals, the city is varied and interesting to explore. You’ll find floating markets, beautiful waterfronts, and incredible people as you do!

Food & Accommodation

Experience the warmth of Sri Lankan hospitality and settle into your home away from home. We provide everything you need for a comfortable and enriching stay, including a cosy bed, three delicious meals a day filled with local flavors, and access to clean drinking water.

You’ll be welcomed into the home of a carefully vetted Sri Lankan family, offering a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture. We’ll take care of your daily transport to and from your placement, making your experience even smoother.

Your host family home will be a safe and comfortable space, and if you share a room, it will be with someone of the same gender and similar age. This allows you to connect with fellow travellers, share your experiences, and create lasting memories.

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 Sri Lanka Arrival Procedures page.