Why Public Hospital Internships Are Better Than Private Clinics

Choosing the Right Setting for Your Medical Internship

As a pre-med, PA or medical student preparing for a clinical internship, one of the most important decisions you'll make is where to complete your placement. While private clinics may seem attractive for their modern equipment and polished settings, public hospitals offer a richer, more formative experience. Especially for students seeking meaningful preparation for medical school.

At Go Elective, we partner with major public teaching hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania, such as Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, to ensure that students are placed where they’ll see real medicine in action.

Here’s why interning in a public hospital is better than shadowing in private clinics—and why medical schools value it.

1. Diverse and Complex Patient Cases

Public hospitals serve the largest and most varied patient populations—often from underserved communities with limited access to healthcare. As a result, you’ll observe:

• High patient volumes and fast-paced clinical decision-making
• A wider spectrum of illnesses, including late-stage conditions and tropical diseases
• Emergencies and complications not often seen in private practice
• Patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds, age groups, and regions

✅ Why it matters: Exposure to complex, real-world cases helps you develop clinical insight, cultural awareness, and empathy which is critical traits for future doctors.

2. Increased Learning Opportunities and Shadowing Access

Private clinics typically cater to a narrow range of specialties or procedures. Many are outpatient-only, meaning you won’t observe:

• Inpatient care or ward rounds
• Major surgical procedures
• Emergency response protocols
• Hospital teamwork across departments
  
  

Public hospitals, on the other hand, give students access to rotations across multiple departments, including:

• Surgery
• Pediatrics
• OB/GYN
• Emergency Medicine
• Internal Medicine

✅ With Go Elective’s programs, you can choose to stick to one department or specialty, or hop between different departments.

3. Hands-On Observation in Resource-Limited Settings

Medical schools want to see that you can handle uncertainty, pressure, and improvisation. Public hospitals often operate under resource constraints, making them ideal environments to learn:

• How physicians diagnose without over-relying on technology
• The importance of clinical intuition and history-taking
• How health systems adapt when resources are stretched
• The critical role of communication, community outreach, and triage

✅ Why med schools value this: It proves you're prepared to work in tough situations, think critically, and serve vulnerable populations—something not always possible to witness in high-tech private clinics.

4. Exposure to Public Health Challenges

Public hospitals are closely tied to national health priorities. As an intern in a public facility, you’ll gain first-hand insight into:

• Maternal and child health
• Infectious disease management
• Community-based care
• Health education initiatives

Go-Elective internships also include public health outreach, where students participate in hygiene campaigns, nutrition workshops, medical camps or dental clinics and health screenings in schools and rural communities.

Bonus: This experience is particularly valuable for future MD/MPH applicants or anyone passionate about global health and social justice.

5. Mentorship from Doctors Who Teach

Public hospitals often double as teaching hospitals, which means physicians are accustomed to working with students. You'll benefit from:

• Structured learning moments
• Willingness to explain cases and answer questions
• Feedback and potential letters of recommendation
• Opportunities to attend academic discussions and case presentations

Go Elective students often join case reviews and discuss treatment protocols directly with residents and attending physicians.

6. Greater Immersion in the Realities of Medicine

While private clinics can offer a clean, controlled environment, they rarely reflect the full scope of what it means to be a physician. Public hospitals expose you to the human side of healthcare:

• Patients who’ve walked hours to seek care
• Difficult choices due to affordability
• Emotional resilience needed to serve underserved populations
• Cultural competence and humility

✅ These are the stories that stay with you—and that interviewers remember. They form the foundation for personal statements, AMCAS reflections, and your deeper “why medicine” narrative.

7. More Impact, Less Observation-Only

In private clinics, interns may be relegated to the waiting room or allowed only minimal observation. In contrast, public hospitals are more welcoming to student presence and often encourage participation (within appropriate boundaries).

With Go Elective’s public hospital placements, interns are guided to:

• Observe live procedures and deliveries
• Assist with non-invasive tasks (e.g., taking vitals, patient prep)
• Join outreach teams in the community
• Engage in reflective learning with clinical mentors
  
  

8. Stronger Personal and Professional Growth

Interning in a public hospital challenges you physically, emotionally, and intellectually. But that’s precisely what makes it so rewarding.

By stepping into a busy, unpredictable environment, you’ll develop:

• Confidence in navigating clinical settings
• Clarity about your future path in medicine
• Cultural humility and adaptability
• Stories and experiences that will shape your future patient care
  
  

Final Thoughts: Private Clinics Offer Comfort—Public Hospitals Build Character

While private clinics may be quieter and more polished, public hospitals offer the depth, diversity, and intensity that prepares you for the realities of medicine. They offer more opportunities for mentorship, patient exposure, and personal growth—especially for pre-meds, pre-PAs, and nursing students looking to stand out.

If you're looking for a transformative, hands-on clinical internship, choose a public hospital through a trusted program like Go Elective.

Want to Intern in a Public Hospital in East Africa?

Go Elective offers pre-medical and healthcare internships in public hospitals in:

✓ Western Kenya
✓ Mombasa, Kenya (Coast General Hospital – 800+ beds, referral center)
✓ Arusha, Tanzania (Mount Meru Regional Hospital), and more.
✓ See all destinations

> Apply today to start your clinical journey in a setting that will challenge, teach, and transform you.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Medical Electives, Nursing Internships,

Author: Go-Elective

Date Published: Jun 26, 2025