Why Gen Z Students Are Choosing Internships Over Volunteering

Today’s pre-health students aren’t satisfied with just checking boxes. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z—those born roughly between 1997 and 2012—are choosing meaningful, skill-building internships over traditional volunteering. And for good reason.

Whether you’re preparing for medical school, PA school, nursing, or dental programs, experience matters—but how you gain that experience matters even more. Increasingly, Gen Z students are ditching passive volunteer hours in favor of structured, immersive global internships.

Here’s why:

Internships Offer Real Clinical Exposure

Volunteering often involves support roles—filing paperwork, delivering meals, or escorting patients. While noble, these tasks offer limited educational value.

In contrast, internships through Go Elective place students in active learning environments within public hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania. Interns can:

• Shadow doctors and clinical officers in real time
• Observe surgeries, deliveries, and emergency care
• Rotate through departments like OB/GYN, pediatrics, and internal medicine
• Participate in rounds, ask questions, and reflect with mentors

> Explore Pre-Med Internships Abroad

Gen Z Values Purpose and Career Preparation

Gen Z students are strategic. They want every activity to align with long-term goals. Clinical internships offer:

• Tangible skills
• Networking opportunities
• Stronger material for personal statements and interviews
• Experience that directly supports medical or PA school applications

How to Make Your Internship Count on Your Med School Application

Volunteering is often disconnected from clinical development, which makes it harder to explain in applications unless deeply reflective.

Internships Are Structured and Mentored

Go Elective internships are intentionally designed for growth, with:

• One-on-one mentorship from licensed professionals
• Weekly group debriefs and learning sessions
• Journaling and reflection prompts
• Access to a dedicated in-country coordinator

This kind of scaffolding is rare in volunteer roles and helps students process what they see, gain context, and deepen their understanding.

Volunteering Is Often Gate Kept—Internships Are More Inclusive

Hospitals and clinics in many Western countries are tightening rules around volunteering, especially for minors or pre-health students without certifications. It’s common to face:

• Long waitlists
• Limited patient exposure
• Liability restrictions
• Preference for current med/nursing students

Internships abroad, especially with Go Elective, open doors for undergraduates, gap year students, and international applicants by offering direct access to clinical environments under guided supervision.

Gen Z Is Globally-Minded and Seeks Impact

This generation cares deeply about:

• Health equity
• Cross-cultural learning
• Ethical global service
• Understanding systemic challenges
  
  

Global health internships match these values by offering experiences that are:

• Immersive, not extractive
• Focused on learning, not “saving”
• Grounded in humility, context, and sustainability

Internships Support AMCAS, CASPA, and More

Medical and PA schools increasingly ask:

• How much clinical experience do you have?
• What did you learn from it?
• Can you reflect on healthcare from a systems perspective?
  
  

Internships give you concrete stories and hours that can be:

• Logged under shadowing or patient care (depending on activity)
• Written about in your personal statement
• Referenced in interviews as defining learning moments

Affordability and Value Are Top Priorities for Gen Z

Go Elective understands that Gen Z is cost-conscious. That’s why programs are:

• All-inclusive (covering placement, accommodation, meals, transport)
• Transparent with pricing
• Available in short-term formats (2–8 weeks)
• Group-discount and fundraising friendly

> See Full Breakdown of Go Elective Program Costs

Internships abroad aren’t just for the elite anymore—they’re becoming the smart investment for driven students who want to stand out.

Conclusion: Internships Are the New Standard

Gen Z is setting a new bar for what it means to be “pre-health.” Volunteering alone no longer cuts it. Internships, especially global ones, are offering the clinical depth, cultural exposure, and mentorship needed to build thoughtful, prepared, and competitive healthcare professionals.

With Go Elective, students don’t just clock hours. They transform the way they see medicine.

> Apply Today to Join Our Upcoming Cohorts

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Medical Electives, Teaching & Volunteer Internships, Nursing Internships,

Author: Go-Elective Abrad

Date Published: Jul 2, 2025