At a glance
- Join a medical internship in Kenya for teenagers this summer, and gain experience by learning directly from doctors and nurses. Add value to your CV, and give benefit to your future career.
- You will work in a clinic or hospital. You will do health checks during outreaches in disadvantaged areas. This will give you a great insight into healthcare challenges people face every day.
- During your time you will live with a host family in a small town of Nanyuki. Project Abroad staff will be with you every step, and will be there to guide you. In your free time, there will be activates.
- Clinical Shadowing Hours: 25
- Volunteer Service Hours: 15
- Download a sample itinerary for this project.
Is a medical internship in Kenya for teenagers right for me?
A medical internship in Kenya for high school students is perfect for any teenager interested in getting medical experience. It will add value to your CV if you’re pursuing a medical career, and give you interesting points to talk about in interviews and essays.
You’ll also do hands-on work during medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. We’ll teach you the basic medical skills you’ll need to do this. Working at these outreaches will help demonstrate your dedication to medicine and helping others.
This internship is also a good fit for you if you want to make friends with teenagers from around the world, and travel to Africa with support and guidance every day.
Our High School Special runs over fixed dates in the summer. You pick the dates that fit your schedule. All activities will take place in groups, follow a set itinerary and happen under supervision. This ensures your safety and maximum enjoyment at all times.
What will I do on a Medical internship in Kenya for high school students?
On this medical internship in Kenya for teenagers, you’ll shadow doctors in health clinics or hospitals, and work in rural communities. Here are a few activities you’ll do:
1
Shadow doctors and medical professionals as they move through various departments
2
Get practical medical experience during community outreaches
3
Attend workshops designed to boost your knowledge and give you new medical skills
4
Go sightseeing and explore with teenage volunteers from around the globe
Your work will mainly focus on the four following activities:
Shadow doctors and medical professionals as they move through various departments
There is much to be learnt from observing medical professionals as they work. Keep your pen and notebook close as you shadow medical staff around the clinic or hospital. You’ll see how the staff engage with patients, and which instruments they use when examining patients.
You’ll also see the state of medical facilities in a developing country, and observe illnesses or diseases you don’t see in your home country. Doctors will teach you how to diagnose and treat these illnesses. We encourage you to ask questions, and learn as much as you can.
Get practical medical experience during community outreaches
Part of our medical internship for high school students in Kenya includes giving you a chance to gain practical experience.
To ensure that disadvantaged communities receive basic healthcare services, we organise medical outreaches. You will help healthcare professionals here. You’ll check people’s temperature, assist with weight checks, take blood pressure readings, and more. All work is supervised, and we have medical professionals on hand to assist with any questions.
Attend workshops designed to boost your knowledge and give you new medical skills
You will have more than one opportunity to take part in workshops aimed at expanding your medical knowledge. Workshops will cover topics like HIV/AIDS, tropical diseases, and more. You’ll also get training on how to take part in medical outreaches.
Go sightseeing and explore with teenage volunteers from around the globe
Evenings and weekends in Kenya are jam-packed with social activities and sightseeing. With a group of teenagers your age, you’ll travel and explore under the supervision of our staff. You will do things like:
- Take part in a Swahili class
- Taste local cuisine at restaurants
- Visit Lake Baringo
- Take part in a Kenyan cooking class
- Enjoy a visit to Naivasha National Park
Where in Kenya will I be working?
Nanyuki
On a medical internship in Kenya for high school students, you will live and work in Nanyuki.
Nanyuki is a small and safe town, sitting at the foothills of Mount Kenya. The weather is pleasant, not too hot, and not too cold. Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, is around a 3.5 hours drive away from Nanyuki.
Most of your medical internship work will take place in a health clinic or hospital, and you’ll go into disadvantaged communities to do outreach work. The medical facilities won’t be as advanced as they are in your home country, and doctors work with fewer resources.
All of your practical work is supervised. A Projects Abroad Coordinator will be with you throughout your project work as well.
What are the aims and impact of this internship?
The aim of this medical internship in Kenya for teenagers is to give you medical experience to prepare you for pursuing a career in medicine. The experience will add value to your CV, and give you an insight into the healthcare challenges people face in developing countries.
Kenya is listed as being one of the more disadvantaged countries in the world, and access to quality and low cost medical care can be challenging. We’re working to change this by going into underprivileged communities to provide the healthcare services they need. You’ll become part of these efforts by working on outreaches.
In 2017, high school medical interns in Kenya assisted 714 low-income earners in Kenya with receiving free medical care. Our interns did door-to-door nutrition assessments, and gave educational talks in Kenya. They also did door-to-door deworming and awareness campaigns.
Join this internship for high school students and become part of our efforts to achieve these goals, while building your medical knowledge.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Every year, thousands of High School Special volunteers and interns actively make a difference around the world. During their time abroad, they contribute towards achieving long-term goals and make a long-lasting positive impact on the communities where they work.
We produce an annual High School Specials Impact Report, which documents some of these achievements. Find out more about the impact of these projects, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Nanyuki. They'll welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and learn about yours. We believe this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Kenya and enjoy a unique experience.
We'll try to ensure you live alongside at least one other volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day. Get ready to try exciting new flavours like ugali (a maize staple), nyama choma (grilled goat meat), githeri (bean stew), and so much more. Your host will provide delicious local cuisine daily, while staff will take you to some of Nanyuki’s best restaurants.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have all the extra support you need as a young person travelling abroad. Our Projects Abroad staff are there for you 24 hours a day during the week and over weekends to provide constant support and guidance. Our staff also make sure you feel comfortable and safe at your placement and accommodation. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
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