Hospital-Based Medical Internship in Kenya

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For those who are studying or qualified in a medical or healthcare field, this customized internship will provide you with unparalleled access to a range of hospitals or clinics in the rural region of Limuru, Kenya. With exposure to departments such as obstetrics, gynaecology, ICU, HIV/AIDS counselling and care, emergency, radiology/imaging, critical care, orthopaedics, oncology, general wards, anaesthesiology, and even operation theatres, you’ll gain knowledge and expertise from the doctors and nurses you work alongside daily. 

Project Highlights

  • Customize your internship placement, ensuring you get exposure to hospital or clinic departments that are relevant to your studies or skills
  • Expand upon your current medical knowledge through practical experience
  • Work alongside qualified doctors and nurses who are available to answer your questions and involve you in their daily workload
  • Learn about a healthcare system with very different practices, resources, and conditions from that of your home country
  • Choose to also be involved in community outreach, facilitating health workshops, and home-based care in rural Kenyan villages
  • Gain experience in how to treat prevalent illnesses and diseases within Kenya, including malaria, dengue fever, cholera, malnutrition, and tuberculosis
  • Be guided and mentored by healthcare professionals
  • Live in the peaceful highlands of Kenya, within the safe and quiet Brackenhurst estate in the small tea town of Limuru
volunteer taking a blood pressure reading from a lady in the local community Zambia

Quick Facts

Limuru, Kenya

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Specific Start Dates

4 - 12 weeks

Impact: Healthcare

$2,750 – $5,150

Destination

Elephants being fed by program members

Limuru is a town located on the eastern edge of the Great Rift Valley about 35 kilometers, by road, northwest of Nairobi, the capital, and the largest city in Kenya. It is fairly small with a population of only about 5000 people. Limuru is widely known in Kenya as a tea-producing and -processing zone. The tea plantations established around Limuru from 1903 onwards were the foundation of Kenya’s largest export industry, which produces some of the world’s highest quality tea.

Venture out of town and you will find the great Maasai Mara and some of Africa’s best beaches. Over weekends, you can explore these sublime landscapes, get up close to Africa’s iconic wildlife, and meet Maasai warriors. You can also visit the rock that inspired Pride Rock in The Lion King.

You will stay in our volunteer cottages at Brackenhurst estate; a conference and retreat center nestled between the forests and tea fields of Kenya’s highlands. It is roughly 1 hour from the Great Rift Valley and Nairobi, giving you easy access to explore nearby areas on the weekends. The lush green surroundings offer the perfect space to relax and reflect upon your daily experiences. The estate has running trails and a tennis, volleyball, and basketball court for you to enjoy. It also has its own restaurant and a café that hosts a farmer’s market every Wednesday, live music shows on certain Sundays, and festivals throughout the year.

Three meals are provided each weekday and the food is a mixture of International and Kenyan cuisine. Breakfast includes tea, coffee, cereals, toast, jam and peanut butter as well as eggs, sausages and pancakes served in rotation. Lunch is usually taken on project and a hot meal is cooked freshly in the evening. We can cater for most dietary requirements, but please let us know before your arrival. During the weekends, you are free to use the kitchen to prepare your own meals, or eat at the restaurant and café within Brackenhurst estate, where they serve up excellent wood-fired pizzas amongst other favourites!

WiFi is available at the Brackenhurst estate and you are welcome to buy a local sim card if you wish.

 

The wet season begins in November and goes on until May, but there are a couple of dry months in January and February. Days are often overcast, with showers in the afternoon, and chilly mornings with temperatures that hover around 13°C (55°F).

The dry season is from June to October. You’ll enjoy warm weather during the day, although there may be a shower or two at times and cold weather at night.

Limuru has a temperature of between 10–28 °C (75 °F) year-round.

Project Impact Areas

Patient Care In Hospitals And Clinics

You will work alongside Kenyan doctors and nurses at a hospital or clinic, which is assigned prior to your arrival and based on your field of study, existing skills, and overall interests. You may choose to spend your time in multiple departments or select one specific area of interest. Your options include obstetrics, gynaecology, ICU, HIV/AIDS counselling and care, emergency, radiology/imaging, critical care, orthopaedics, oncology, general wards, anaesthesiology, and operation theatres. Accompanying medical professionals from Monday to Friday, you will be exposed to a wide range of public health issues found within Sub-Saharan Africa and gain first-hand experience in patient care, treatment, and preventative medicine.

 

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public-health-internship-program-zambia

Mentorship And Professional Development

While working alongside local doctors and nurses as you complete your daily tasks, you will be guided and instructed where needed. This ensures that you feel confident in your placement and secure in knowing that you are advancing your skills and experience level in your chosen field(s). In addition to this, you will have weekly check-ins with an assigned doctor throughout your internship, ensuring you get quality mentorship that will provide additional context to the tasks you have been assigned, and an opportunity to chat through any concerns or queries.

If you wish to do the internship as part of your course work, please submit the requirements and placement hours in advance so we can tailor the internship to suit your needs.

Optional Community Outreach

If you are interested in expanding your medical skills outside of a hospital or clinic environment, let us know. Interns are able to join the wider African Impact team and medical volunteers in the rural communities surrounding Limuru, facilitating health-based workshops, as well as participating in home-based care. Many chronically ill or elderly patients are unable to make it to the local hospital or clinic, so this type of outreach is extremely important for their welfare. Through this community outreach, you will get a unique opportunity to immerse yourself within rural Kenyan life, as well as work with a wide range of cultures and demographics.

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Other Activities

Recent Volunteer Reviews

Dates & Rates

When would you like to volunteer?

Give us an idea of your travel plans, you can also say ‘I’m not sure yet.’ We’ll take it from there.

How long would you like to volunteer?

This is the place to select your preferred duration(s). The African Impact team recommend at least 4 weeks for a truly memorable experience!

4 weeks $2750
5 weeks $3050
6 weeks $3350
7 weeks $3650
8 weeks $3950
9 weeks $4250
10 weeks $4550
11 weeks $4850
12 weeks $5150

Personal Information

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View of a herd of wildlife standing and eating grass from the open field

Project Fee Includes:

  • Accommodation at our volunteer cottages at 3 delicious meals a day cooked by chefs from the local community (Monday to Friday only)
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off by the African Impact team
  • Experienced international and local staff members who are there to support you 24/7
  • Orientation program, including a security briefing and introduction to Kenya
  • Full training and mentoring within your chosen field, including weekly check-ins with a qualified doctor
  • Transport to and from your internship placement
  •  

Project Fee Excludes:

  • Flights
  • Medical or travel insurance
  • Visa-related fees
  • Weekend trips or tours, or any other non-placement activity
  • All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, snacks, drinks, and clothing
  • Laundry
  • Mandatory contribution of US$25 that is donated to the African Impact Sustainability Fund

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