At a glance
- Join our Pharmacy internship in Ghana and learn from experienced pharmacists. This experience will give you a deeper understanding of the healthcare system in a developing country.
- Lend a hand at medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. Under supervision you’ll dispense prescription medicine and advise on the best way to take it, as well as the correct quantities.
Is a Pharmacy internship in Ghana right for me?
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a pharmacist, then our internship in Ghana is perfect for you. You’ll gain practical work experience by shadowing and working alongside professionals.
You’ll learn more about pharmacy, but you’ll also learn how to be adaptable and work with people with a different cultural background. You’ll find that the experience will give a new level of depth to your studies, and it will add relevant work experience to your CV.
No experience? No problem! You’ll be with qualified pharmacists every step of the way. They are there to teach you and answer any questions you may have.
You can join the internship at any time of the year from two weeks onward. However, the longer you stay, the more you’ll get out of your pharmacy work experience in Ghana.
What will I do at my Pharmacy placement in Ghana?
As an intern, you’ll observe the work of qualified pharmacists at a local teaching hospital. Here are a few of the tasks you’ll be involved in:
At your Pharmacy placement in Ghana, your work will focus on the following areas:
Shadow qualified pharmacists
You will observe and help the local pharmacists as they assist patients during ward rounds on a daily basis. You’ll also observe the pharmaceutical team while they dispense medication, and see how they interact with patients as they walk them through the the proper use of the medication.
Assist at medical outreaches
Many small villages and outlying communities are unable to access or receive medical attention. This is why you will be taking part in regular outreach projects. You'll help provide the local community with the care that they wouldn’t normally have access to. Under supervision, you will be able to provide them with the medication they have been prescribed by local doctors.
Provide drug information services
Under the supervision of qualified pharmacists, you’ll be able to inform patients on the necessity of various medication. During dispensing, you’ll guide patients on the correct usage, talk to them about the side effects, and let them know if it is necessary for a refill.
Where will I be working in Ghana?
Accra
As a prosperous trading centre and capital city, Accra is the perfect place to start your journey into West Africa. With a population of over 2.7 million of the most hospitable people, Accra is a city constant humid buzz of colourful happenings. You can expect crazy traffic, a vibrant culture, and streets dotted with Ghanaian restaurants and market vendors selling their handmade goods.
Akuapem Hills
Located in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Akuapem Hills is characterised by vibrant green vegetation and rich red earth. As one of the quieter regions, children calling 'Obroni’ (foreigner) as they try to catch your attention will be unmistakable. The villages are welcoming and know how to entertain! When volunteering in Ghana, join in on the street festivities or try dried fish and yams at a food stall on the main street. The bustling city of Accra is within easy reach for a day trip.
A typical day on the Pharmacy internship in Ghana
Wake up each morning at your host family before eating breakfast, donning your white coat, and grabbing a tro tro or shared taxi that will take you to the hospital. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way.
A typical day starts at 8am, and ends at 4pm, Monday to Friday. Since the pharmacy is open day and night, you can also organise a night shift with your supervisor. At 12.30pm, you’ll have a chance to eat during your lunch break. You can either bring a lunch from your host family, or you can buy food at the hospital cafeteria.
At the beginning of each day, you’ll check in with the local pharmacist who is to be your supervisor for the duration of your internship. You’ll start each day by shadowing the doctors during ward rounds. They will go around and visit each patient who stayed the night, seeing how they are doing and recommending any necessary change in their medication. You’ll assist the pharmacist with the dispensing of this medication.
A few times a week, you’ll go with the medical staff and assist with the dispensing of medication at community outreaches. You’ll fill doctors’ prescriptions and ensure patients are aware of how to take the medication and how often. All of this work is supervised by an experienced pharmacist.
At the end of the day, you can head home and enjoy a home cooked Ghanaian meal with your host family. This is the perfect time to get to know more about their culture. Over the weekends, you can spend time with other interns, explore the many historical sites around Cape Coast, take a hike in the beautiful Akuapem Hills, or just relax on the beach.
What are the aims and impact of this project?
Our aim for this internship is to provide you with practical pharmacy skills and get you involved in our ongoing efforts help disadvantaged communities.
You’ll get to learn by shadowing qualified pharmacists, and exchange medical knowledge if you have medical training and experience. You’ll also get a deeper insight into the healthcare challenges people face in developing countries everyday.
Ghana has a growing number of healthcare issues. Diseases such as malaria and cholera are the leading causes of death. Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are also on the rise due to poor diets and ageing populations. You’ll provide much-needed assistance to medical professionals as they treat patients at schools and a leprosy camp.
We have identified five key goals in our Medicine Management Plan, which we are working towards with your help:
- Encourage an understanding of medical practices and promoting an exchange of medical knowledge
- Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups through outreach work in leprosy camps and schools
- Promote awareness of non-communicable diseases
- Improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients
- Reduce the number of cases of malaria
Join our Pharmacy Internship in Ghana and learn more about the pharmaceutical field while helping communities in need.
Medical electives for students
This project is also perfect for university medical and healthcare elective students. The real-world insight and knowledge you gain will help shape you as a future medical professional. You will also learn to work with different people and get a broader perspective of global healthcare systems and issues. This benefits your career for years to come. We can organise a placement that meets all of your university's requirements.
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
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Ghana. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Ghana and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Volunteering in Ghana is an ideal way to explore this colourful West African country. There’s a huge variety of different activities to do while you’re there, giving you plenty of exciting ways to spend your free time.
Music is a central part of Ghanaian culture. In the bigger towns, especially Accra, you will hear some great live bands and have some memorable nights out. Evenings spent at buzzing restaurants will also give you a taste of some of the delicious local cuisine.
For a look into Ghana’s history, you can tour the slave forts of Cape Coast and visit museums. Nature lovers will relish trekking through the rainforests of Kakum National Park or Mole National Park.
We run a wide range of projects in Ghana so there’s sure to be other volunteers there during your trip. This means you can explore the country solo or connect with other volunteers and travel as a group.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Ghana
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