Choosing the Best Destination for Your Clinical Internship Abroad

Choosing where to take your clinical internship abroad is one of the most exciting, and sometimes overwhelming, parts of the process. With different countries, hospital settings, and cultural opportunities available, it can be hard to know where to start.

The good news? With a little clarity on your goals and preferences, you can find the destination that offers the perfect balance of clinical learning and unforgettable travel.

Looking for a premed internship or medical elective abroad? Inquire here.

Find the right balance

Every destination has its own blend of culture, environment, and healthcare challenges. The best clinical internships abroad give you a chance to experience all three.

At Go-Elective, we’ve built strong partnerships with hospitals across Kenya and Tanzania, so you can be confident your placement will combine meaningful hands-on experience with rich cultural immersion. Whether it’s observing surgery in a referral hospital or learning about traditional medicine in a rural community, you’ll leave with a well-rounded perspective.

Match your placement to your goals

Your career ambitions should guide your choice of destination. If you’re interested in emergency medicine, a busy city hospital may expose you to high patient volumes and urgent cases. If you’re leaning toward pediatrics or maternal health, a smaller facility may give you closer insight into family and community-based care.

Go-Elective placements are flexible. You can rotate through multiple departments. From surgery and pediatrics to internal medicine, and tailor your schedule to suit your goals. Our coordinators work with you one-on-one to make sure your internship supports both your learning needs and your long-term career interests.

Step outside your comfort zone

It’s tempting to choose a placement that feels familiar, but the greatest growth often comes from challenges. Working in a low-resource hospital means seeing conditions you may have never encountered at home and learning how local staff adapt creatively with limited equipment.

Many students say this experience gave them new confidence and inspired them to think differently about their role in healthcare.

Consider language and culture

You don’t need to speak a local language to thrive on placement but it’s worth thinking about how cultural and communication differences will shape your experience. At Go-Elective, we provide pre-departure language resources and free lessons at our student houses to help you connect with patients and staff.

This added cultural context often becomes a highlight of the internship, as students return home with not only clinical growth but also deeper cultural awareness.

Think about once-in-a-lifetime travel

Your internship is about clinical learning first, but weekends and free time are your chance to explore. Do you want to trek through national parks and see elephants up close? Or would you rather relax on the beach after a week on the wards?

Kenya and Tanzania offer everything from safaris and island getaways to cultural festivals and historic towns. Planning a little extra travel time after your internship is also a great way to make the most of the journey.

Let your environment inspire you

Finally, think about what kind of environment will motivate you most. Do you thrive in fast-paced, urban hospitals where every shift brings new challenges? Or would you prefer a more rural setting, where you can connect closely with patients and see how community healthcare works?

Knowing this will help you choose a destination that energizes you both clinically and personally.

Ready to choose your destination?

At Go-Elective, our team has years of experience creating customized internships abroad for medical, nursing, pre-PA, and other pre-health students. We’ll guide you through every step, ensuring your placement matches your career goals while giving you the adventure of a lifetime.

Start planning today by exploring our programs in Kenya and Tanzania, or submit an inquiry to speak with our team about the best fit for you.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Medical Electives, Dental Internships, Nursing Internships, PA Internships, Residency,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Sep 22, 2025