Choosing between Being an Intern or Volunteer at Pre Med Abroad
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Volunteering or interning in pre-med abroad is an excellent way to gain the experience you need to succeed in your career while travelling and exploring new places. You can find opportunities to work in various medical settings, from hospitals to clinics to research facilities, and you’ll learn about different cultures and ways of life.
Here are the factors to consider in your decision:
1. Your Purpose
If you want to focus on developing your pre-med skills, then an internship might be a better option. However, volunteering might be a better option if your priority is giving back to a community in need. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what is best for you. There is some overlap between interning and volunteering in the medical field, but they are two different things. If you want to pursue a medical career, interning is the way. Volunteering is the better option if you just want to help out and don’t necessarily care about a medical career.
Your motivation for becoming a doctor could help determine which path you take. For example, some organisations offer pre-med internships abroad with a primarily humanitarian focus. This could be a good option if you’re motivated by helping others. You can intern for a not-for-profit organisation, which would be similar to volunteering. However, you could also intern for a teaching or rural community hospital.
2. Support You’ll Get
When you go abroad, you want a support system to help you with anything you need. This includes people, resources, and tools you can use while in the country. A good support system will help you feel more comfortable and make your experience more enjoyable.
The main purpose of medical internship programs abroad is to help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in medical school. These programs typically provide mentorship opportunities, networking opportunities, and access to resources like medical school admissions counselling and interview practice.
When deciding if volunteering pre-med or interning is the best way to spend your time, it is important to consider what you want to get out of the experience. Are you looking to learn new skills? Make new friends? Explore a new country or culture? All of these things can be accomplished through both volunteering pre-med and interning, but it depends on what your priorities are.
3. The Certification
Many programs offer certification to help students meet their goals. It is important to research whether or not a program offers certification before enrolling. Many internship programs will provide you with a certificate upon completion, which can help bolster your CV and increase your chances of getting into medical school.
A volunteership can help your CV stand out and may be required for certain medical careers. List all the requirements for your chosen medical career, including any certificates or other qualifications that would be helpful. Speaking to an admissions advisor to get more specific information may be a good idea.
Which Should You Choose?
It can be difficult to decide whether to intern or volunteer abroad pre-med. Both options have pros and cons, depending on your situation. Consider your goals and what you hope to gain from the experience. Interning might be a better option if you want to gain medical experience. Volunteering might be a better fit if you want to help out in a community and make a difference. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what’s best for you.
Volunteering Solutions UK is a reputed international volunteer placement organisation offering incredible volunteering and internship opportunities for high school/ college students, medical and nursing students, gap year travellers as well as backpackers and seniors, in more than 27 different countries. No matter whether you’re planning a gap year abroad, wish to make a meaningful difference through your contributions or simply travel overseas to immerse in a new culture and lifestyle—we are here to help in organising a tailor-made tour for you. If you want to do medical volunteering abroad, get in touch with us today!
