Medical Internships Abroad: a Stepping Stone to Medical School
Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) November 19, 2013 -- Acceptance into good medical schools is fiercely competitive. It is no longer sufficient for applicants to have an excellent undergraduate GPA. Strong candidates must also have community volunteer hours and clinical experience, but such requirements can be difficult to obtain. Fortunately, international internships and volunteer abroad programs in the medical field provide a perfect stepping stone to medical school acceptance.
International medical interns through CrossContinental.org have recently reported great success in their medical school applications by earning volunteer hours, hands-on clinical experience, and recommendation letters. In the attached video (http://youtu.be/DFzCp-23zLc), medical school applicant Karsen Seto talks about the rewarding experience of doing a medical internship abroad. He gained valuable technical skills and hands-on experience, as well as, cultural knowledge and international exposure.
• Gaining Technical Skills and Hands-on Experience During Medical Internships Abroad
Karsen worked at a hospital in Nepal assisting doctors in several departments including emergency, general care, post operative, intensive care, dental, and in the medical lab.
Under the supervision of local healthcare professionals, he learned many medical procedures including suturing and intravenous administration. He was taught how to use a variety of medical equipment from ICU ventilators to operative laparoscopes during surgery. He was also educated about the various drugs utilized in emergency, operative, and post operative settings.
In the laboratory, he was trained to perform many diagnostic analyses including hematology tests that analyze red-blood cell counts as well as tests for malarial parasites among others. He also learned how to test biochemical composition to see if kidney or liver functions were working right.
• Cultural Immersion during Medical Internships Abroad
International internships and volunteer abroad programs provide even greater benefit by promoting cross-cultural understanding in addition to the technical skills and hands-on practice that volunteers receive. Karsen had the opportunity to stay with a welcoming host family in the center of Kathmandu and experienced the local culture first hand. Karsen says, "The home stay family has been very friendly and made me feel right at home. I’ve been very happy with my intern experience."
• On-Site Local Support for International Interns
While medical internships abroad are clearly beneficial in many ways, many may be deterred by all the arrangements that need to be made overseas. Such arrangements can include work placement, accommodation, and local support. Luckily, with the help of Cross-Continental Solutions, everything can be arranged in advance at a very affordable rate. The local program coordinators provide 24/7 on-site support and regular cultural activities. As reported by Karsen, "During my stay, my coordinator has been extremely helpful and accommodating to my needs."
• Clinical Experience Looks Really Good on Medical School Applications
After the successful completion of medical internships abroad, participants can get a certificate as well as a recommendation letter from Cross-Continental Solutions. These documents greatly improved the quality of Karsen's medical school applications by proving clinical experience and volunteer hours.
Karsen summarizes, "I have learned many new things and had a great experience at the hospital, which will give me valuable experience for my future in medicine. My internship through Cross-Continental provided me with practical experience in healthcare as well as a friendly environment for me to meet new people and learn a totally new culture. It’s been awesome.”
Access free resources or plan a life-changing trip at http://www.CrossContinental.org.
About Cross-Continental Solutions:
Cross-Continental Solutions provides unique yet affordable volunteer abroad, intern abroad, cultural immersion, language study, and gap year programs. A large variety of work placement options are available such as: Teaching, Healthcare, Community Development, Business Coaching, HIV work, Care-giving, Orphanage Work, Journalism, Photography, Wildlife, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Microfinance, Tourism, Marketing, and more. Programs are available at many locations around the world, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By living and working side by side with the local people, participants gain an exceptional cross-cultural experience and the opportunity to make a difference.
Jian Leslie, Cross-Continental Solutions Inc., http://www.crosscontinental.org, +1 (604) 700-6096, [email protected]
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