Nothing prepares a budding doctor for the real world more than practical experience in diverse hospital situations. The more unpredictable the set of circumstances you have in your practice as a student, the more prepared you will be for the actual hustle of the twists and turns of the world of medicine. If you stay in the same place, the variations of what you learn is limited, but if you turn everything upside down and shake it a little, you will find that there is a lot more to learn than you thought there was. Travelling abroad for a medical internship is one of the best things you can do for your career and resume. There is just no better way to learn about cost-conscious care and tropical medicine than on this programme.
If you are in the final year of medical, nursing, physician assistant, occupational therapy or physical therapy, this is the best programme for your last rotation. On this programme, you will learn by working closely with qualified and experienced therapists, nurses and physicians. If you have an interest in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, you get first-hand experience in assisting in cases of malaria, tuberculosis and schistosomiasis. The Global Health Medical Internship is designed to put to practice all you have learnt in medical or nursing school, going beyond just the everyday tasks of handling patients and drugs, into surgical rooms, seeing rare cases and then managing post-op rounds. You learn the business side of running a medical practice and how people in Zimbabwe do it in a tough economic climate.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why should I pay to intern? Some may wonder why they should pay to travel to Zimbabwe and intern, after all interns work.
- As you are still a student when you come to us, you need teaching and guidance. Being in a very different world from what you are used to may mean being taught how to do things that you don’t usually do in college. Here the healthcare system is different, the technology is not the same and many patients may not speak English. The reason why you get college credit for it is because it’s school, you are learning, but just doing it abroad.
- The work of finding placements for interns, maintaining those relationships, being responsible for the interns while at work or at home, taking them on tours and helping them understand the place and the people here is work that we are happy to do but it costs money. The healthcare system, understandably, has a lot of red tape because health matters are delicate. Going online and finding a placement by yourself is difficult, even if you have done it here or elsewhere before. Each time will present a unique set of challenges. We worry about that, so that you can focus on learning.
- We have created and fostered great relationships with all the service providers you will need on your travels; accommodation, transport, tour guides, etc and we are in a better position to guide you around town and the country. The internet is a great resource but nothing beats the knowledge and expertise of locals who were born and raised in the country.
- Is Zimbabwe safe for tourists/foreigners? Zimbabwe’s crime rates are some of the lowest in Africa. Just as in any other country, crime is not completely non-existent. You need to have your wits about you, keep your belongings safe when you are out in case of pick-pockets. You also cannot be too trusting of strangers especially if money is to exchange hands, in case of scammers. These are petty crimes that can really be avoided. You are unlikely to hear horror tourist stories. Apart from safety from crime, you don’t have to worry about disease, wars of any kind, etc. If you book with Tiritose Sustainable Travel we answer your questions before you leave your country and ensure your safety for the duration of your stay.
Has anyone ever done this programme and was happy with it? Yes. We have received students from different parts of the world and even have some returning to travel with us. Don’t take our word for it though, see some raving reviews from medical students who have interned with us before.
All these concerns are valid because one can’t be too sure. Zimbabwe news in the media is not always the best, but then again you can’t trust everything you watch and read. So get in touch with us, let us tell you what’s real and what’s not, we are happy to answer your questions and guide you through our booking process.
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