Medical Internships in the Philippines

Are you planning to pursue a medical career? Looking to gain work experience in a professional medical setting? Then this is the internship for you. Use the experience to boost your CV and increase your practical medical knowledge. We encourage you to ask questions and take notes. You may learn something that can’t be found in any textbook back home!

Let us know if you are interested in working in a specific department. We can tailor the programme around your requirements and interests.

In order to do a medical internship in the Philippines, you must have completed at least one year of medical-related studies or training. Our staff will ensure that the work you do is appropriate for your level of expertise.

You can join at any time throughout the year and stay for as little as one week. To get the most out of the experience, we recommend staying as long as possible. Staying for shorter periods also limits the number of departments you see, and the number of outreaches you work on.

English is one of the official languages of the Philippines, so there isn’t much of a language barrier. The medical staff will be on hand to translate for you if a patient can’t speak English. Our own medical supervisor is also on hand at the hospital, should you need to speak to someone from Projects Abroad.

You’ll work in a hospital and use your time to learn as much as possible from the doctors. Here are some of the tasks you can expect to do at your medical placement in the Philippines:

• Observe and assist doctors in a district hospital
• Help out with a wide range of different cases at the City Health Office
• Work at a Rural Health Unit which provides care to impoverished communities
• Take part in medical outreach and health education programmes

Your working hours are decided on a weekly basis. Most interns work from Monday to Friday and have the weekends free. You also have the option to work night shifts. Typical working hours are from 8am – 12pm and then 1pm – 4pm. This internship has one of the longest shifts of all our medical programmes. It’s a great opportunity to get as much experience as possible.

On any given day, you’ll enjoy breakfast with your host family before travelling to your work placement. Your daily tasks will vary according to the placement you choose. It will mainly be observational work, learning from the staff you are shadowing. Depending on your experience, you may be given more practical work. This is at the discretion of local medical staff.

You have a medical supervisor for the duration of your placement. They oversee your work, assign you tasks, and assist with any issues you might have.

On top of your hospital rotation, you’ll work together with our Public Health interns on a number of activities. These include medical outreach camps and educational workshops. You will learn new skills such as newborn screening and vital check training. You’ll also work on outreach campaigns focusing on issues such as Dengue eradication.

Once you’re done for the day, take the chance to explore your surroundings. Go out for dinner with your fellow interns, spend time getting to know your host family, or take part in our regular social events. Join local staff and interns for karaoke nights, dance classes, and more.

Depending on the placement you choose, you’ll either be working in Bogo City or the Municipality of San Remigio. These two locations are around 12 km apart, so it’s not far to travel between them if needed. They are situated on the far north of Cebu Island, which is surrounded by 167 smaller islands and islets to form Cebu Province.

Cebu offers some incredible activities for you to enjoy in your time off. White sandy beaches, scuba diving, hikes, and boat trips to the surrounding islands are just some of the options. Experience the local cuisine, visit some historical monuments and absorb the sights and smells of your temporary home.

Bogo City

There are three placement options in Bogo City. The district hospital is based here, as well as the City Health Office. You can also work one of the Rural Health Units. As the name suggests, they are based further away from the city centre.

Bogo City may be small, but it has all the conveniences you might need, like banks and ATMs, grocery stores, and numerous restaurants. There is also a bustling local market, some eye-catching monuments, and beautiful scenery.

San Remigio

If you’d like to work in one of the Rural Health Units, then San Remigio is another option. As you will be living with your host family in Bogo City, you will need to commute here via a motorised tricycle, similar to a rickshaw.

San Remigio has the longest coastline of any municipality in Cebu. You should definitely take advantage of this during your time off, whether it’s scuba diving or simply relaxing on the beach after your day at work.