Volunteering Guide for IB Students Interested in Medicine | Pre-Med

For students finishing the International Baccalaureate (IB) and setting their sights on medical school, the summer after graduation offers a rare chance to explore the world beyond exams. Even if you’re from a country where volunteering doesn’t directly impact university admissions, it can still be one of the most transformative experiences for an aspiring healthcare professional.

This article is for students who would love to volunteer, and want to make that time matter, even if it won’t be counted on a formal application.

> Explore Go-Elective Pre Med Internships Abroad For Undergrads and Highschoolers

Volunteering Isn’t Just About Admissions

In many countries like the UK, Germany, and the Nordic region, medical school admissions rely heavily on academic metrics and entrance exams. You may not be asked for recommendation letters or a log of community hours. But that doesn’t mean experiences like volunteering, shadowing, or internships are useless. Far from it.

Volunteering builds the human side of medicine. It teaches empathy, communication, resilience, and cultural sensitivity—skills no textbook can teach and no standardized test can measure.

Key Benefits of Volunteering for IB Graduates Pursuing Medicine

✅ Personal Growth

Volunteering in a clinical or community setting pushes students outside their comfort zone. You’re exposed to people in pain, families in distress, and professionals making life-saving decisions. It’s a powerful way to find out why you want to become a doctor, and whether the path is truly right for you.

✅ Better Insight into Healthcare Systems

From shadowing in clinics to supporting public health campaigns, volunteering shows you the real world of medicine—beyond lectures and labs. You’ll see how systems work (or struggle to), especially if you volunteer abroad in a low-resource setting.

✅ Enriched Applications (Eventually)

While your home country’s universities may not weigh extracurriculars, graduate-entry or postgraduate medical programs abroad do. U.S. medical schools, for example, place a heavy emphasis on shadowing and service. Early exposure now can lay the foundation for broader opportunities later.

✅ Stories That Stick

Whether you’re writing a personal statement, sitting for a medical school interview, or simply reflecting on your career goals, volunteering gives you stories—authentic, personal, powerful ones—that define your journey.

Best Types of Volunteering for Aspiring Medical Students

If you're thinking beyond resume-building, here are a few options that offer genuine learning and impact:

Clinical internships abroad

Programs like Go Elective place IB and pre-med students in real hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania, where they shadow doctors, attend ward rounds, and see conditions rarely encountered in high-income countries.

Community health outreach

Helping with public health education, maternal care support, or vaccination drives provides a broader view of medicine at the grassroots.

Caregiving or disability services

Working with the elderly or those with disabilities fosters empathy and sharpens soft skills—key qualities for any future doctor.

Mental health volunteering

Volunteering with helplines or community wellness programs helps develop communication and psychological insight.

How to Choose the Right Program

When volunteering is not for admissions points, it should be personal, meaningful, and challenging. Ask:

Will I be exposed to real patient care settings?
Will I be supervised or mentored?
Will I gain insight into public health, ethics, or healthcare disparities?
Will I grow—personally and intellectually—from this experience?

For example, Go Elective offers structured internships for high school graduates and IB students with an interest in medicine. You’ll learn alongside medical professionals, explore global health, and even go on safari or cultural excursions as part of the experience.

> Learn more about Summer Internships for High School & Pre-Med Students

Conclusion: Do It Because You Care

If you love to volunteer, you already on the right track. Medicine is not just about grades—it’s about people. And those who understand that early tend to become the best clinicians.

Volunteering might not open university doors directly in your country. But it opens your mind, expands your world, and reminds you why medicine is worth pursuing in the first place.

> Apply Here