How to Document Your Elective or Pre-Med Internship Abroad | A Guide

Completing an elective or internship abroad is more than just shadowing doctors; It’s a transformative journey through some of the region's busiest teaching hospitals. Whether you're working in pediatrics, internal medicine, or surgery, documenting your experience effectively can help you reflect, grow, and demonstrate your readiness for a career in medicine.

Most schools and programs—including Go Elective—encourage students to submit reports or essays summarizing their clinical exposure and learning outcomes. Here’s how to structure a thoughtful, compelling, and professional account of a pre med internship in Mombasa.

> Explore Go-Elective Premed, PA and Medical Internships Abroad

Start with a Clear Title and Purpose

Your report or essay should begin with a professional title and a concise summary of your experience. Include key information:

• Your full name and academic year
• Dates and location of your internship (e.g., Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Mombasa)
• Type of placement (e.g., pre-medical shadowing, global health internship)

Introduce your overall learning objectives and what motivated you to choose Mombasa. Be brief but insightful—this isn’t a travel journal, so focus on your academic and professional growth rather than personal anecdotes.

Organize Your Report with Clearly Defined Sections

Help your reader navigate your report easily by breaking it into sections:

• Internship Overview
• Clinical Responsibilities
• Skills Acquired
• Reflections and Challenges
• Recommendations and Feedback

Use headers or a table of contents to enhance readability. Keep each section focused on a single theme to avoid repetition and confusion.

Describe Your Clinical Responsibilities

Internship responsibilities vary by department and daily schedules. In Mombasa, students may observe or assist with:

• Taking patient vitals (blood pressure, pulse, temperature)
• Recording patient histories under supervision
• Shadowing doctors during ward rounds, consultations, and procedures
• Assisting with triage or outpatient care in high-volume clinics
• Observing minor surgeries or emergency interventions

Be sure to describe what you did, how often, and under whose supervision. You can also highlight specific cases or moments that challenged or inspired you.

Reflect on What You Learned

Beyond technical skills, your Mombasa internship will expose you to complex healthcare delivery in a resource-constrained environment. Reflect on:

• Clinical knowledge you gained (e.g., diagnosing tropical diseases, patient communication)
• Soft skills like adaptability, teamwork, and cross-cultural communication
• Your evolving understanding of public health and systemic healthcare challenges

For example, you might discuss how shadowing in Mombasa’s labor and delivery ward enhanced your empathy or helped clarify your career goals.

Be Honest About Challenges and Growth Areas

Great reports don’t only highlight the positives. If you encountered difficulties—whether cultural, academic, or emotional—share them respectfully. Include:

• Questions you still have about procedures or practices
• Aspects of the experience that were surprising or eye-opening
• Suggestions that could improve the internship for future students

Go Elective values honest feedback as it helps us continuously refine our programs. Your insights might help future students prepare even better.

Use a Professional Tone with a Personal Touch

Keep your writing professional but engaging. Avoid overly casual language or travel blog-style narration. At the same time, don’t be afraid to include moments that left a lasting impression on you—especially if they shaped your decision to pursue medicine.

Final Tips: How to Make Your Internship Report Stand Out

• Keep your report between 1,000 and 2,000 words unless otherwise instructed
• Use bullet points or tables to summarize responsibilities or skills learned
• Include statistics if available (e.g., number of patients seen daily in your department)
• Proofread for clarity, grammar, and professionalism

Why This Matters

Your internship report may be shared with faculty, admissions committees, or even future employers. It reflects not only your clinical exposure but your ability to communicate, self-reflect, and grow professionally. Treat it with the same attention to detail you would apply to a research paper or personal statement.

By documenting your Go Elective experience, you’re not just meeting a requirement—you’re creating a meaningful narrative of your journey into medicine.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Medical Electives,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Jun 17, 2025