Factors to consider while undertaking hospital internships abroad: A letter from a medical placement advisor

Factors to consider while undertaking hospital internships abroad: A letter from a medical placement advisor

While some healthcare and pre-health students opt to undertake their programs within their countries many others opt to undertake their internships abroad.

Having worked as a hospital placement abroad advisor with Elective Africa for the last 3 years, I have worked on a one on one with participants who opted to undertake their programs in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania. It has been an amazing learning experience and is happy to share five factors to consider while undertaking hospital internships abroad:

1. Narrow down your objectives

In case you are seeking an elective or a pre-health shadowing internship abroad one of the key questions to ask yourself is what are your objectives to traveling abroad. Are you seeking to just get an abroad hospital immersion experience, or seeking learning and adventure? Once you narrow down your objectives then you are set

2. How do you organize your program?

This is very key as you do not want to travel to a new country and then start experiencing challenges while over there. You have to define how your logistics will be, starting from travel logistics to when you are on the ground and how you will get back home and of course not forgetting the hospital part itself. Would you like to independently organize your internship program or work with a placement abroad organizer like Elective Africa to put all your logistics in place? Important to mention is that placement organisers

3. What is the cost and budget?

One of the main questions for the students seeking to travel abroad for the elective is the costs.  The question of how much it will cost is a collection of cost items in accommodation, meals, air tickets, and transport among others. To make sure you are well set, I would recommend that students start early in advance planning for the electives and internships, as well as exhaust the costs that they will incur while on the ground to avoid instances of unplanned for costs. Get the details of how much each of your item breakdowns will cost and plan effectively. In the case, you are using a placement organizer make sure you are clearly aware of the package that they are offering to avoid disappointments when on the ground. For this, always chose a reputable company

Blog: How to fund for your healthcare internship abroad

4. What kind of setting would you want to work in

This is very important as it helps you choose the right destinations that will give you the best experiences. Elective Africa destinations range from rural to urban to coastal destinations. Whatever you choose, we have your needs catered for. The type of destinations also help you define the kind of adventure activities and excursions that you are able to take part in. Check out our destinations.

5. Security

This is one of the most crucial factors to consider. You want to make sure that you have a safe stay and go home safely after your program. Research keenly on the destination you would like to visit, the location of the hospital and your accommodation as well as the characteristics of the surrounding community in terms of friendliness and hostility.

6. What if a problem arises while on placement abroad? Click here to read

Blog: How We Plan For Your Healthcare Placement Life Abroad.

This is just but a few factors, there are many more. For more information and discussions feel free to contact us at info@electiveafrica.com. If you would also like to take part in our healthcare electives, pre-health shadowing internships or safari’s, submit your application at http://electiveafrica.com/apply/#/

by Elective Africa