Medical Internship in Belize

What is the Medical Elective Internship in Belize all about?

Spend your final year of med school on this medical elective/rotation/internship in Belize and consolidate your studies.  You will learn from local doctors and help in hospitals and clinics that serve the local citizens, regardless of their income.  Free public hospitals and clinics are typically underfunded, understaffed and struggling to meet the needs of everyone they care for.  Help is needed in all aspects of the running of the clinics, from basic nursing care to surgeries.  

You will gain valuable clinical experience, which will look great for future employers, and you’ll be providing valuable help where it is needed most.  You will work alongside a local qualified doctor who will mentor you during your stay.  If you do have a focus on a specific area of medicine, then please let us know, and we will place you in line with that.  This elective is designed to provide hands-on experience to students prior to graduating.

Why choose this Medical Internship?

The local hospital will benefit from additional pairs of hands when interns work alongside locally qualified doctors and medical staff. Medical students can get unique and valuable hands-on experience working with patients from communities in a developing country, and the practitioners will support and assess your work to feedback to your school body. It is a great opportunity for you to develop your CV/Resume.

Role of the Medical Intern

The role of the volunteer depends largely on their skills and experience. Medical students, duties may include administering medication, giving vaccinations, taking vitals and providing general health care, shadowing lead practitioners and providing assistance on daily routines. Those with specialist skills can be placed as required in areas including Urology, Gynecology, Dermatology, Pharmacy, dentistry, mobile clinics and General Practitioners. Your competence will be monitored by the local team and feedback given to you regarding your progress. Please be aware that any treatment will be at the discretion of the local team and will be determined by the skills, aptitude and attitude displayed during your placement.

Additionally, for those that are ‘STOP THE BLEED’ certified, you can help deliver workshops to the local schools and community, to teach this lifesaving skill to others.

What skills do I need to be a Medical Intern?

All volunteers must be in their final year of medical school to be accepted onto this placement.

You will be asked to send your CV/Resume and transcripts before being accepted on this project so that we can send it to the team in Belize to review, then they can select the best placement for you. All interns will be required to bring their own scrubs and appropriate shoes for working in a hospital.

Please bring a laptop with you to document your learning during your placement.

Placements for 3 weeks may be considered if this is in line with another elective in another country. Please speak to a Kaya advisor to find out more about this.

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Where will I work in Belize?

Kaya’s medical elective programmes is based in San Ignacio. San Ignacio, referred to locally as Cayo, is 2 hours from Belize City along the Western Highway. It is a tourist centre and market town. The town and the surrounding communities contain a diverse mix of creole, Maya and mestizo populations. Set among pleasant tropical hills it is a lovely location for volunteering. During your free time explore the local Mayan ruins or for those feeling a little more adventurous why not try your hands at cave tubing or horse-riding.