Medical Work Experience for 14 to 18 year olds

“My daughter had a wonderful time on the program. She learned so much and formed some great friendships along the way. I was initially hesitant to send her overseas on her own, but she has returned home with a real sense of maturity and a strong drive to pursue both medicine and future travel.” – Jodee from Australia on Trustpilot

“Best month of my life so far, hands down. I was lucky enough to spend 4 weeks in Tanzania on a medical internship, and never have I been more heartbroken to leave a place. Those 4 weeks reminded me why I want to study medicine.” – Nina from Germany on Trustpilot

“The medical experience provided by Projects Abroad was beyond anything I could have imagined and provided absolutely life-changing and invaluable experiences and access I don’t think I could really get anywhere else. It 100% confirmed my passion for medicine and desire to pursue this in the future.” – HM from the UK on Trustpilot

View more independent reviews on our Trustpilot page. 

Our international opportunities allow participants aged 14 to 18 to get work experience in a hospital as a volunteer.

Our medical High School Specials will give you exposure to life working in hospitals and other key medical facilities around the world. They are designed specifically for young people, with age-appropriate activities and safety at their core.

“As soon as I turned 16 I started looking for work experience that would help me with my application [for a medical degree]. Projects Abroad came up with an amazing choice of fantastic countries that ran a two week special programme for Medicine, perfect!” – Medicine High School Special in Tanzania by Elena L

For students interested in getting medical work experience overseas, we have two kinds of volunteer opportunities:

• Medicine High School Specials
• Public Health High School Specials

Medicine

This mainly focuses on clinical experience. Here are some highlights:

• Observe doctors in different hospital departments, like General Medicine or Paediatrics
• The departments you work with vary between destinations. For example, in Nepal, you can spend time in departments like oncology, and sit in on lectures with local medical students. In Spain, you’ll get experience in a state of the art “virtual” hospital, usually reserved for medical students!
• Learn important, basic medical skills like suturing, measuring vital signs, or treating minor wounds.
• As treatment is just one of many aspects involved in healthcare, you’ll also focus on preventative care through outreach and education. This element is not only deeply rewarding, but crucial to providing communities with effective healthcare

These projects are ideal for young people interested in becoming doctors and nurses. It may also help inform your decision that a medical career is right for you before committing to a university course.

Public Health

During Public Health High School Specials, most of your time will be spent out in the field. Here are the project highlights for a public health volunteer abroad:

• Help medical professionals provide healthcare services through community outreaches, in countries like Cambodia and Mexico
• Assist with education, and help spread awareness around relevant topics. For example, you may educate communities about nutrition in an effort to prevent diabetes
• Have opportunities to practice healthcare in a clinical setting. We offer this to better inform your approach to preventative care

Public Health Projects are a great option for people interested in Healthcare, Advocacy, International Studies, and Social Sciences.

“The most exciting part for me was to be able to go into the surgery room and see a C-section and a hip replacement. I feel that being able to see these surgeries gave me experience that will be very useful when I pursue a career in medicine.” – Public Health High School Special in Mexico by Erica S

Beyond the practical skills you will learn by shadowing medical professionals, a medical volunteer experience abroad will also help you develop transferable, personal skills.

We regularly survey our participants to find out about their experiences and what they learned on their trip. Here are some of their answers:

• 97% became more independent and capable of managing new situations
• 96% say it has increased their ability to handle unfamiliar or demanding situations
• 93% feel more confident in themselves and their abilities
• 93% think they developed a broader understanding of global issues, cultures, and perspectives

We also ask additional questions to medical participants, and found that:

• 96% believe they couldn’t have had their experience at home
• 88% feel more confident in healthcare or clinical environments
• 87% say their experience helped them confirm or rule out medicine and healthcare as a career

Read more: The personal growth behind international volunteering

We offer more than 15 medical placements abroad that are exclusively available for teen volunteers aged 14 to 18. Each project has its own dedicated itinerary

Due to local requirements, some projects are only available for participants who are 15+ or 16+. You can find out the eligibility requirements of all our High School Specials here.

We have a strict code of conduct for medical volunteering. This policy helps us ensure that our projects are ethical, and that we really help the local people we work with.

Plus, all our projects are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and prioritise the needs of local communities. Our partnerships are set up and directed by local medical professionals, so we are always targeting the needs of the community.