Working in medical internships or residencies abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is working in medical internships or residencies abroad like?

• A medical internship or clinical placement abroad offers the opportunity to gain practical experience within a different healthcare system, a different culture, and sometimes under very different circumstances than is customary in your own country.
• During a medical internship, you work in a hospital, clinic, care facility, or research environment. Depending on your field of study, this may involve medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, midwifery, medical research, or other care-oriented studies.
• Clinical interns and medical trainees often shadow a ward doctor, specialist, or head nurse. As the internship progresses, you are usually given more responsibility and work increasingly independently, but almost always under supervision.
• In many institutions, you participate in daily care processes such as handovers, ward rounds, and multidisciplinary consultations. At the same time, you learn to perform medical and nursing procedures and gain insight into how care is organized in another country.
• The country where you intern also influences what you learn. In some regions, for example, the emphasis is more on tropical diseases, while in others it is on basic care, public health, or social care.

Common activities during a medical internship or clinical placement:

• Participating in morning and afternoon handovers.
• Shadowing doctors during ward rounds.
• Attending multidisciplinary team meetings (MDO).
• Taking a medical history and performing a physical examination.
• Assisting with medical or nursing procedures.
• Presenting patient cases.
• Contributing to patient records and reports.

Activities as a nursing intern

• Personal care of patients.
• Wound care.
• Administering medication or injections.
• Observing patients and identifying changes.
• Performing technical nursing procedures such as inserting a catheter, IV, or feeding tube.
• Preparing medical equipment and rooms.
• Administrative and reporting tasks.

Broad care duties

• In some internships, particularly within elderly care, rehabilitation, or community health, the work may extend beyond just medical procedures.
• You may then also:
• support patients and their families during illness or recovery. providing explanations and advice regarding health and treatment.
• contributing to the social well-being of patients.
• assisting with practical or household tasks within healthcare institutions.

What are the reasons for working in medical internships or residencies abroad?

• To grow professionally in an international context: working in a different healthcare system strengthens adaptability and clinical insight.
• To become aware of the environment: differences in resources, protocols, and culture increase understanding of global healthcare.
• To develop creativity: in some countries, resources are more limited and more improvisation is required.
• To strengthen analytical skills: comparing healthcare systems stimulates critical thinking.
• To be involved in global health issues: experience in diverse healthcare contexts broadens perspective.
• To collaborate in multidisciplinary teams: international cooperation forms an important part of the internship.

What skills and motivations do you need to work in medical internships or residencies abroad?

• Being professional: diligence and responsibility are essential in medical environments.
• Communication: depending on the country, knowledge of the local language is often important for communicating with patients and colleagues.
• Collaboration: healthcare is always teamwork between doctors, nurses, and other specialists.
• Awareness: insight into cultural differences and care structures helps to work effectively.
• Flexibility: adapting to different work structures, resources, and protocols is necessary.
• Working independently: taking initiative is important, especially when supervision is limited.

What are the best countries and locations to work in medical internships or residencies abroad?

• Interesting clinical rotations or internships can be completed anywhere, all offering something different. Below are a few examples.
• Clinical rotations: Aruba/Bonaire/Curaçao, Suriname, Colombia, Malaysia, South Africa.
• If you are looking for a nursing internship: Australia, Curaçao, Spain, Suriname, Nepal, on a cruise ship.
• Medical research internships: Curaçao, Spain, Malta, United States of America.
• Tropical medicine: Ghana, Costa Rica, India, Ecuador, Indonesia, Thailand.

What are the risks of working in medical internships or residencies abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

What are the risks of working in medical internships or residencies abroad, and what happens with some regularity:

• that protective equipment may not always be of sufficient quality or even available.
• that someone may be exposed to infectious diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, or tropical infections.
• that someone may contract a local disease and require medical care.
• that a less safe work environment may arise due to infrastructure, health risks, political instability, or local customs.
• that work pressure may be high due to long hours, emotionally challenging situations, and limited support.
• that the costs of medical care or evacuation to another country can be high.
• Medical liability may also play a role: errors or misunderstandings in healthcare can lead to substantial claims for damages or legal consequences in some countries.
• When you work in the medical sector, you may be exposed to greater financial or legal risks as soon as you start performing your work under your own responsibility. It is advisable, as far as possible, to also inquire to what extent your local employer is adequately insured for accidents, technical errors, or misjudgments. Of course, this is not always the case, nor can it be always ascertained in advance. Take this into account as much as possible when deciding whether to perform certain risky tasks.

Are you insured while working in medical internships or residencies abroad?

• There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when working abroad.
• Local employers generally offer limited or no supplementary insurance.
• During work, internships, or volunteering abroad where you receive compensation or a salary, your own health insurance coverage in your home country may lapse. See the pages on: insuring paid work, internships, or volunteering abroad.
• See also: insurance for working in the medical sector for paid work, for internships and for volunteer work abroad.