How to Navigate Culture Shock During a Global Health Internship

Global health placements can be thrilling, eye-opening, and deeply rewarding. But they can also challenge your assumptions, routines, and comfort zones. Whether you're shadowing in a public hospital in Mombasa or observing rural care delivery in Arusha, you'll encounter a new rhythm of life, healthcare system, and social norms. That’s where culture shock comes in.

This guide from Go Elective breaks down what culture shock is, why it happens, and—most importantly—how to navigate it effectively during your internship abroad. Because the goal isn’t just to survive in a new culture, but to grow through it.

> Explore Go-Electives Pre-Med, PA and Medical Internships Abroad

What Is Culture Shock?

Culture shock is a common psychological and emotional response to being in an unfamiliar cultural environment. It often happens in stages:

• Honeymoon Phase: Excitement, novelty, and wonder.
• Frustration Phase: Confusion, discomfort, and disorientation.
• Adjustment Phase: Growing familiarity, better coping.
• Acceptance Phase: Adaptation and appreciation.

It's important to remember that culture shock is normal—especially when travelling to a new country or for students participating in an international internships. You're stepping into a new clinical culture, language, and worldview.

What Might Trigger Culture Shock on Your Placement?

In East African healthcare settings, you may encounter:

• Resource limitations: Equipment shortages or limited access to labs and imaging
• Different provider-patient dynamics: Less emphasis on shared decision-making
• Language barriers: Swahili or local dialects in daily use
• Religious or cultural practices that influence care
• Different time perception (polychronic time culture—less rigid than in the West)

Outside the hospital, you might also experience new foods, different gender roles, unfamiliar hygiene norms, or modes of public transport that feel overwhelming at first.

Signs You're Experiencing Culture Shock

• Feeling unusually tired or irritable
• Getting frustrated with small things
• Comparing everything to "back home"
• Withdrawing socially or emotionally
• Feeling homesick or isolated
• Doubting your decision to participate

These are not signs of failure—they're signs of transition.

Strategies to Navigate Culture Shock Effectively

1. Prepare Before You Go

Learn about the country’s history, healthcare challenges, and local customs. At Go Elective, we offer pre-departure orientation sessions that cover cultural expectations, hospital etiquette, safety, and what to pack.

We also encourage you to:

• Watch documentaries or vlogs from past interns
• Read blogs from students who’ve been placed in Kenya or Tanzania
• Learn basic Swahili phrases to help break the ice

See our packing and preparation checklist

2. Be a Humble Learner, Not a Western Fixer

It can be tempting to judge or try to “fix” things in a low-resource setting, especially as a pre-health student. But remember, you’re there to observe, learn, and engage respectfully—not to impose outside standards.

• Avoid phrases like "This would never happen in my country."
• Recognize that resourcefulness looks different in every setting.
• Be curious, not critical.

Mentorship from our local doctors and clinical staff will help you understand why things work the way they do—and how to contribute meaningfully.

3. Build Cross-Cultural Communication Skills

Communication is more than just words—it includes body language, tone, and timing. Be aware of:

• Indirect vs direct communication styles
• Concepts of personal space
• Hierarchies in the clinical setting

If you're unsure how to interact with a supervisor or approach a patient, ask your local coordinator or peer mentor for guidance.

4. Reflect Daily and Journal Often

Use your journal or phone notes to record:

• Clinical observations
• Feelings of discomfort or confusion
• Moments of joy or connection
• Questions you want to explore further

Go Elective encourages students to participate in weekly reflection sessions, where you’ll process your experience with others, gain insight, and receive support.

5. Stay Connected to Home—but Not Too Connected

Keeping in touch with family and friends is healthy, but constantly scrolling social media or comparing your experience to someone else's can delay adaptation.

Try setting boundaries like:

• Designated check-in times
• A digital detox day once a week
• Sharing reflections in a group blog or journal instead of daily updates
  
  

6. Get Involved in the Local Community

Culture shock eases faster when you immerse yourself in the community. Attend cultural excursions organized by Go Elective, try local foods, learn a traditional dance, or volunteer for a health education outreach event.

This kind of participation will make you feel less like a visitor and more like a global health learner.

Bonus: What Reverse Culture Shock Feels Like

Re-entry can be just as jarring as departure. After living and learning in East Africa, returning to your home country might feel strange. You may notice:

• Discomfort with waste or excess
• Frustration with inefficiency despite resources
• A desire for deeper conversations about public health

This is all part of your growth. Sharing your story, writing a reflection blog, or joining a global health group on campus can help you integrate what you’ve learned.

Final Thoughts

Culture shock is not a sign that something is wrong. It’s a sign that something is happening. It’s a powerful part of your global internship that stretches your mindset, empathy, and emotional resilience.

At Go Elective, we prepare you before, support you during, and empower you after your placement to not only navigate culture shock. But thrive through it.

Ready to begin your global health journey? Apply today or contact us with your questions at hello@goelective.com. 

You bring the curiosity; we’ll handle the rest!

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Medical Electives, Travel Tips, Dental Internships, Nursing Internships,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Jun 29, 2025