exclusive program
Medical Internships for High School Students Abroad
Reviewed by
Mark Jones, Managing Director, Program Admissions
Last reviewed October 15, 2026
settings, engage in direct service through community outreach, and receive mentorship from experienced medical professionals. The program is built around the AAMC’s Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students. It gives you real clinical exposure to write about in college applications. It does not guarantee admission anywhere. International Medical Aid is proud to be a trusted HOSA–Future Health Professionals partner and the largest HOSA-affiliated organization offering structured pre-clinical experiences abroad. Our programs are specifically designed to align with HOSA’s mission to develop future healthcare leaders through experiential learning, global exposure, and real-world clinical observation in underserved communities.
Globally Trusted, Alumni Approved
Premier Partner
High School Medical Internships in Kenya and Peru
01
IMA Summer Internships for high school students and our Pre-med internships for High School students offers placements in unique global destinations such as East Africa (with our flagship site in Kenya), South America (with our flagship site in Peru), and other international locations. Our programs last two to twelve weeks, with most participants participating in at least four-week experiences. They are available during summer and gap year periods. Participants choose their destination and receive placement in structured rotations, including hospital shadowing, community health outreach, and cultural learning opportunities.
Interns rotate through hospital departments, including general medicine, pediatrics, emergency care, surgery, and women’s health. High school students also attend lectures on global health presented by healthcare professionals and university faculty. Each program includes medical language instruction, weekend excursions, and service-learning projects designed to deepen interns’ understanding of how culture and health intersect across our flagship site in Peru and other international locations as part of our healthcare internships for high school students.
Modeled on international pre-medical experiences developed at leading U.S. institutions, IMA’s high school internships offer unparalleled access to global medicine at an age when few students can engage in direct, structured healthcare experiences.
What High School Interns Do in the Hospital
02High school interns do three things: work alongside clinicians in a hospital under supervision, learn how culture shapes care, and study global health in lectures. Interns assist with noninvasive tasks under supervision; medical procedures are reserved for licensed professionals.
Clinical Exposure
Medical internships for high school students provide an opportunity to shadow doctors and medical teams in real-world hospital and clinic settings. Students are introduced to patient interactions, medical procedures, clinical documentation, and public health campaigns. While tasks are non-invasive and appropriate to the student level, interns are embedded in meaningful ways that promote observation, learning, and reflection. Interns gain a sense of medical responsibility and witness the communication and collaboration that define professional healthcare delivery.
Cultural Competency
Interns develop cultural awareness through structured immersion, including home visits, peer exchange events, and guided reflection sessions. Understanding cultural values that impact healthcare access, patient beliefs, and treatment options helps students develop empathy and become more thoughtful, inclusive future providers. Cultural competency is at the core of every IMA program, whether understanding how patients respond to public health messaging or how religious practices influence care.
Global Health Awareness
High school students attend weekly seminars and workshops exploring global health disparities, infectious disease management, chronic disease burden, healthcare infrastructure, maternal-child health, climate change, and policy. These sessions equip students with a broader understanding of medicine and the ethical issues inherent in global health practice. Students are encouraged to lead group discussions and present case-based reflections connecting clinical experiences with larger social issues.
Hospital Internships for High School Students: Where You Learn
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Real Clinical Environments
These are hospital internships for high school students in working public and private hospitals, community clinics and outreach programs. You observe patient consultations, help with health education and assist with basic noninvasive tasks, always under the supervision of licensed providers. These real-world settings provide context and purpose, reinforcing what medicine looks like globally.
Global Health Curriculum
All students participate in our structured Global Health Lecture Series, led by U.S. and internationally trained medical professionals. Topics include:
- Infectious diseases and public health
- Healthcare infrastructure in developing countries
- Maternal and child health
- Emergency medicine and trauma
- Health equity and disparities
Personalized Mentorship
Cultural And Language Immersion
Travel And Gap Year Opportunities
How the Program Maps to the AAMC Core Competencies
Our internships for high school students directly support the development of the 15 AAMC Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students, including:
- Service Orientation: Interns actively engage in community health campaigns and volunteer projects.
- Social Skills and Teamwork: Students collaborate across cultures and learn to work in diverse healthcare teams.
- Cultural Competence: Language immersion, cultural programming, and real-time clinical interaction develop awareness and empathy.
- Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others: Interns reflect on ethical challenges, observe patient confidentiality practices, and participate in supervised care.
- Oral Communication and Professionalism: Students improve communication with healthcare professionals, mentors, and patients, building confidence in medical environments.
These competencies are foundational for aspiring healthcare providers and stand out during college and medical school admissions.
Program Sites in Kenya and Peru
04After High School: IMA's Pre-Med Internships
05Once you are in college, you can return for IMA's pre-med internships for undergraduates, which add:
Clinical Rotations in Major Hospitals
Mentorship From Licensed Physicians
Harvard HMX Course Access *Additional Fee
Weekly Cultural Treks and Excursions
Our healthcare internships for high school students are ideal for those students who want to continue building their medical resume, apply to BS/MD programs, or gain specialized clinical experience in areas like pediatrics, cardiology, surgery, or tropical medicine.
Interns are placed in departments that match their goals and interests. They attend daily clinical rotations, simulation clinics, and global health lectures, with support from local and U.S.-based coordinators. Each program includes:
Shared Housing in Gated Communities
Three Daily Meals and Filtered Water
24/7 Staff Support and Transportation
Cultural Immersion and Weekend Exploration
After High School: IMA's Pre-Med Internships
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Students also receive:
Personalized Recommendation Letters
Certificates of Completion
Ongoing Access to IMA’s Advising Network
Impact on College and Medical School Applications
Admissions committees seek applicants with real-world exposure, clarity of purpose, and service orientation. IMA internships provide students with all three. Interns gain:A meaningful story to tell in college essays
Enhanced interview readiness through deeper understanding of healthcare
Recommendation letters from U.S.-licensed physicians who supervised their performance
How Our Internships for High School Students Prepare You for College and Medical School
Those who complete IMA medical internships for high school students consistently cite these experiences as formative in their educational journey. Our programs support students by helping them:
Develop clarity about a future in healthcare through sustained exposure to real medical environments
Reflect deeply on ethical, interpersonal, and global aspects of medicine
Strengthen their personal statement and college essays with authentic, compelling narratives
Earn letters of recommendation from U.S.-licensed physicians based on direct mentorship and clinical observation
Build confidence for future patient interactions, medical interviews, and the academic demands of pre-medical tracks.
Reviews From High School Interns and Parents
Read third-party verified reviews on GoAbroad, where International Medical Aid is consistently rated as the top pre-health internship program by students and parents alike.
Five words. That’s it. The ultimate definition of short and sweet. At the end of each week during debriefing, we were asked to present the group with five words that encompassed our experience in our respective departments. Every Friday, this…
Post-Internship Support and College Advising
Interns join the IMA alumni network after completing their medical internship.
Ongoing support includes:
- 1-on-1 personal statement editing and college essay coaching
- Mock admissions interviews for BS/MD and pre-med programs
- Advising on course selection and gap year planning
- Mentorship from physicians and past participants who are currently enrolled in medical programs
Alumni receive priority consideration for college-level IMA internships, and many return during their undergraduate years.
What's Included in the Program
All IMA Healthcare Internships for High School Students include:
Daily clinical shadowing in hospitals and health centers
Volunteer work in mobile health clinics and public health campaigns
Global health seminar series and facilitated discussions
Medical language instruction tailored to clinical communication
Safe and secure accommodations with private dormitory-style rooms
Three nutritious meals per day with dietary accommodations available
24/7 local staff and U.S.-based program coordination
Ground transportation for all official activities and airport pickup/drop-off
Weekly guided excursions, cultural workshops, and community events
Completion certificate and personalized physician-authored recommendation letter
IMA Programs for College Students
Pre-Med Internships Abroad
Pre-med internships abroad for undergraduates, gap year students and medical students. Shadow physicians on hospital rounds, attend global health lectures and clinical simulations and join community clinics in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Physician Assistant and Pre-PA Internships Abroad
Pre-PA and physician assistant internships abroad for pre-PA undergraduates, PA students, recent graduates and licensed PAs. Shadow clinicians in hospitals in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru, attend global health lectures and join community clinics. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Dental Internships Abroad for Pre-Dental and Dental Students
Dental internships abroad for pre-dental students, dental students and recent dental graduates. Shadow dentists in hospital dental units, attend global health lectures and help teach oral health in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Nursing Internships Abroad for Nursing and Pre-Nursing Students
Nursing internships abroad for pre-nursing students, nursing students, recent graduates and licensed nurses. Shadow nurses on hospital wards, attend global health lectures and simulations and join community clinics in Mombasa, Kenya and Cusco, Peru. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Nutrition Internships Abroad in Kenya
Nutrition internships abroad for nutrition and dietetics students, graduates and licensed nutrition professionals. Observe dietitians and nutritionists at a public hospital in Mombasa, Kenya, attend global health lectures and join community clinics. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Physical Therapy Internships Abroad for Pre-PT and PT Students
Physical therapy internships abroad for pre-PT students, DPT students, recent graduates and licensed physical therapists. Observe physical therapists and rehab teams in Mombasa, Kenya, attend global health lectures and join community clinics. Housing, meals, transport, insurance and 24/7 support are included.
Safety and Supervision for High School Interns
02Every residence sits inside a gated community with security staff on site 24/7. Interns travel in private program vehicles, and staff are on call around the clock in country and in the United States. Mentors check in with every intern daily. IMA has maintained a 100% safety record for all high school and pre-health interns.
Interns stay in secure, program-managed residences located in safe, convenient areas. Housing is shared with a small cohort of peers, fostering a supportive, immersive experience. IMA also offers guidance on local personal spending expectations to help students plan for meals, transportation, and personal items.
To enrich the experience, IMA coordinates curated cultural excursions, trips, and safaris, with each selected and organized for safety and cultural depth.
Sample
Daily Schedule
- 7:00AM Breakfast
- 8:00AM Clinical Shadowing Begins at Designated Hospitals
- 12:30PM Lunch and Midday Break
- 1:30PM Medical Spanish/swahili Instruction
- 3:00PM Global Health Seminars or Community Outreach
- 5:00PM Structured Reflection or Mentorship Time
- 6:30PM Dinner and Optional Group Discussions
- Cultural Excursions and Guided Sightseeing
- Cultural Immersion Workshops
- Rest and Recreation Time
To apply, students must:
- Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the start of their program. Students may apply before turning 16, as long as they will meet the age requirement at the time of participation.
- Complete an online application including personal statements and academic background
- Participate in a virtual interview with IMA admissions staff
- Submit a parent/guardian co-signature form
Applications are accepted year-round with limited space for summer and gap year cohorts. Competitive applicants show a demonstrated interest in healthcare and a commitment to personal growth.
IMA offers transparent program pricing that includes housing, food, excursions, clinical placement, mentorship, language instruction, and medical insurance.
Support options include:
- Flexible payment plans
- Financial aid guidance and documentation
- Templates for school-based fundraising and scholarship applications
Submit personal details, resume, unofficial transcripts, and written responses online.
Participate in a one-hour interview to assess suitability.
Receive a decision within two weeks, completing the admissions process.
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