At a glance
- Practice medicine in Argentina and start your medical career at a hospital learning directly from nurses and doctors.
- You will be rotating departments and will be attending rounds, so you can get a true experience of what diseases and conditions look like, which you only have seen on television or in textbooks.
- You will be living in Cordoba, a beautiful city near rivers, lakes and valleys, so many great places to sit and study.
Start Dates:
Anytime
See DatesMinimum Duration:
Two Weeks
Age:
18 or over
You need to speak intermediate Spanish
Is a medical internship in Argentina right for me?
Our medical internships in Argentina are ideal if you’re interested in becoming a doctor and looking for clinical experience. You can join as a student applying for medical studies, or as a medical student looking for work experience.
Working in a busy hospital and shadowing doctors on their rounds will add valuable experience to your CV. Use it when you apply for jobs and university, and you can talk about it in interviews. It’s also great for career exploration. We encourage you to spend time in different departments and find out which ones are the best fit for you.
You can join this programme from a minimum of two weeks, and stay for as long as you like. The internship runs throughout the year, and you choose exactly when to start and finish.
You do need to speak intermediate level of Spanish in order to join this project. This will help you understand and communicate with staff and patients.
What will I do on this project?
While getting medical work experience in Argentina, you’ll work in a hospital and also spend time in smaller community clinics. Here is what you can expect to do during your internship:
- Shadow and learn directly from doctors and nurses
- Attend medical lectures and workshops
- Provide basic healthcare services and raise awareness during outreaches
Your work will be split in three main areas:
Observe doctors and nurses on their rounds
You’ll accompany doctors and nurses on their rounds at the hospital. This is a great opportunity to learn directly from experienced medical professionals. We encourage you to ask questions and take notes about what you see.This will help you learn as much as possible about diseases and how doctors diagnose and treat them. You’re also likely to observe diseases and conditions you won’t find at home.
Attend medical lectures and workshops
Medical workshops and lectures are run once a week at the Projects Abroad office by our medical coordinator or by a guest speaker. They will introduce you to the healthcare system in Argentina. They’ll also talk about common healthcare issues present within the country, such as diabetes, dengue fever, etc.
These lectures can include a visit to the Anatomy Museum followed by a human dissection, run by local medical students. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit a local research centre to learn about a local disease native to Argentina called ‘Chagas’.
Participate in community outreaches
During your internship, you’ll get involved in medical outreach work in rural communities. These outreaches involve conducting basic health checks, administering medication, and treating minor wounds. Your work here is important, as many rural communities lack access to basic medical services. You’ll be supervised by qualified medical professionals every step of the way.
What departments can I work in during my medical placement?
In Cordoba, our medical placements include hospitals and small community clinics known as dispensarios. The hospital has several different departments, which include:
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Gynecology
- Hematology
- Maternity
- Neurology
- Orthopaedics
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Surgery
Access to these departments will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about different medical fields. It’s a great way to gain medicine work experience in Argentina.
If you’re only interning for a short period of time, be aware that you won’t be able to spend time in every department. Typically, our supervisors will assign you to one department per week, and rotate you to another department each following week. The longer you stay, the more departments you can observe. If you’re interested in a specific department, please feel free to contact us and we can help advise you.
Where will I be working in Argentina?
Cordoba
Cordoba is the second largest city in Argentina, and is regarded as one of the country’s most beautiful places. It’s surrounded by the Sierra region’s rolling hills, rivers, lakes, and quaint mountain villages.
The city is also home to world-class medical institutions. Healthcare here is generally considered to be of the highest standard throughout Latin America, and this is no different in Cordoba. Here, the clinics are excellent and the medical staff are well trained. However, elsewhere in the country, healthcare standards can vary greatly.
A typical day as a Medicine intern in Argentina
A typical work day at the hospital will consist of a 4-6 hour shift in the morning or afternoon. These shifts may be different depending on what department you’re working in. During your shift, you’ll shadow doctors and observe their interactions with patients.
You’ll also be able to do practical medical outreach work in rural communities. In Argentina, our focus is on raising awareness of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This means that outreach work focuses on tasks like checking blood sugar and pressure levels.
You will also attend lectures and workshops once a week to learn more about the country’s medical practice.
During the hours you aren’t working, you’ll have ample free time to explore with your fellow interns, taking in Argentina’s rich cultural heritage and spectacular natural beauty.
Since you will be living with a host family, breakfast or dinners offer great opportunities to get to know them and the local culture better.
What are the aims and impact of this project?
The main aim of this project is to give you the opportunity to expand your medical knowledge and gain insight into a developing country’s healthcare practices.
Through our outreach programmes, we aim to provide basic healthcare in places where access to medical services remain limited.
We also raise awareness about illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Illnesses like these account for up to 81% of deaths in Argentina.
To ensure that we maintain our long-term vision, we have committed to several goals in our Medical Management Plan:
- Encouraging an understanding of medical practices and promote an exchange of medical knowledge
- Improving hygiene standards
- Promoting awareness of non-communicable diseases
- Improving access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
Join us on a medical internship in Argentina to kickstart your career in medicine today.
Medical electives for students
This project is also perfect for university medical and healthcare elective students. The real-world insight and knowledge you gain will help shape you as a future medical professional. You will also learn to work with different people and get a broader perspective of global healthcare systems and issues. This benefits your career for years to come. We can organise a placement that meets all of your university's requirements.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Córdoba. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Argentina and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Argentina is a vibrant South American country bursting with colour and rich heritage. Along with contributing to worthwhile projects, a trip with us to Argentina means you can explore this fascinating country.
Enjoying a coffee at the Plaza de San Martin, with its street performers and iconic statue of General Jose de San Martin, is the perfect way to spend an evening. It’s located in Cordoba, where our projects are based, so you don’t have to travel far for this experience.
For thrill seekers, you can take a weekend trip to La Cumbre where you can go paragliding off lofty cliffs. The surrounding nature is breathtaking and a horse ride around nature trails here is well worth it.
There are also enriching cultural experiences, like the Evita Fine Arts Museum or the Teatro del Libertador General San Martin. You can also learn more about the country’s history at local museums.
There will likely be other volunteers in Argentina with you. So you can choose to explore solo, or with a group of volunteers from different projects.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Argentina
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