At a glance
- Shadow nurses in different departments on their rounds, learning about their day-to-day work and various specialisations.
- You’ll be part of our efforts to help people who lack access to healthcare services by participating in outreaches and workshops.
- Help organise awareness talks to share knowledge about disease prevention and encourage people to lead healthier lifestyles.
Start Dates:
Completely flexible dates
See DatesMinimum Duration:
Two Weeks
Age:
18 or over
You need to speak basic Spanish.
Is a Nursing internship opportunity in Mexico right for me?
Our internship is perfect for anyone with a strong interest in nursing. You will boost your CV as you gain practical nursing work experience in Mexico. It will also give you great points to talk about in interviews.
You can join as a student already studying nursing, or as someone who has yet to start their studies. To do this internship, you must speak basic Spanish and should be at least 18 years old.
During your time in Mexico, you’ll be assigned a supervisor. They’ll oversee your work, allocate you tasks, and assist with any issues you might have. Upon arrival, you’ll also receive an induction to your placement to help you settle in.
This project runs year round, and you can can join at any time for a minimum of two weeks.
What will I do during this Nursing internship in Mexico?
There are a range of different tasks you can get involved in to expand your medical knowledge:
- Observe nurses and doctors and shadow them on their rounds
- Assist and help nurses with their daily tasks
- Rotate throughout different departments and explore specialisations
- Assist on practical outreach work and raise awareness of healthcare issues
Your work will focus on the following areas:
Observe staff in the hospital
Your work at the hospital will be mostly observational. We encourage you to ask questions and take notes to learn as much as possible. Your supervisor will ensure you gain a thorough understanding of nursing practice in Mexico. You will learn about the area’s different diseases, their diagnoses, and different treatments and watch procedures in action.
Perform basic nursing procedures
Under strict supervision, you can help clean wounds, put in IVs, and put on casts. But your primary work will revolve around assisting the staff during their daily routines.
Observe throughout different departments
Depending on the length of your stay, you can choose to rotate throughout several departments, or specialise in one area. However, your responsibilities will be dependant on your overall initiative and experience.
Healthcare awareness and practical outreach work
In Mexico, many people lack access to healthcare services, despite the new national health insurance introduced by the government.
Through our outreach programme, we aim to provide free basic healthcare to these communities. We also raise awareness about some of the more pressing health issues facing the country today. You will support this work, and help do health checks in more rural areas and give educational talks. You’ll work under supervision during these outreaches.
What type of placements are available for this internship?
This internship is ideal if you want to be exposed to a variety of hospital departments and specialisations. During your internship, you can choose to spend time in some of the following departments:
- Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Traumatology
- Endocrinology
- Internal medicine
- Orthopaedics
- Obstetrics
- Surgery
- Plastic surgery
- Physiotherapy
As an intern, departemental rotation usually depends on your skills, interests, and the length of your stay.
Normally, you will rotate on a weekly basis throughout several departments, starting with the area your skills most aline with. Here, the chief of nurses will try to to allocate you where they see fit, however, they are open to the idea you wanting to remain in one department.
Where in Mexico will I work?
Guadalajara
Guadalajara is a lively city with a great cultural and social atmosphere. It is also the birthplace of some of the country’s most popular musical stylings, notably mariachi.
It is considered a colonial city, though much of its architecture dates from the independence period. This is predominantly present in the historic downtown centre, where much of your downtime will be spent. This area also boasts several important mural paintings by Jalisco-born José Clemente Orozco, one of Mexico's most important artists.
We have several nursing placements in Mexico where you can gain some great experience. These include a large hospital, a clinic, or in an HIV centre. The facilities are well-equipped by Mexican standards, but they might be slightly different to the hospitals you’re used to.
What is a typical day on the Nursing internship like?
Your day will start with breakfast at your host family. Then, you’ll take public transport to your placement. Don’t worry about finding your way. Our staff will show you the way on your first day.
Work hours at your placement run from 8am - 2pm or 3pm - 8pm. You can also extend these hours if you wish, all you need to do is talk to your supervisor.
During the day, you’ll follow nurses on their rounds and watch how they interact with patients. You’ll see different illnesses and conditions, and procedures, and there’s usually a doctor on call who can explain them to you. The nurses are also happy to answer your questions, so ask away and take plenty of notes.
There will be some days when you break away from the normal schedule to do outreach work. This will involve doing health checks or giving an educational talk. You’ll work alongside doctors and nurses here, providing additional opportunities to learn from them.
When you’re not clocking in hospital hours, your evenings and weekends will be free to explore the amazing city of Guadalajara. You can hike the local canyons or wander down Paseo Chapultepec to experience the unique display of restaurants and shops. You can also sharpen your Spanish skills by chatting with locals during your adventures.
What are the aims of this Project?
Our aim for this project is to give you a thorough understanding of the healthcare system in Mexico by learning from nurses in a clinical environment. This experience will help give you a better idea of the departments you would like to work in, and add a lot of value to your CV.
A big part of our medical work in Mexico is focused on improving healthcare services in disadvantaged areas. We also look at raising awareness about specific healthcare issues. Obesity is on the rise in Mexico, and this has a serious impact on the overall health of the population. It causes higher rates of diabetes and hypertension.
You will help with these efforts during medical outreaches. You’ll do health checks to look for undiagnosed diseases, and help nurses refer people for treatment. You’ll also focus on promoting the importance of healthier lifestyle choices.
We are working toward four goals in our Medicine Management Plan:
- Encouraging an understanding of medical practices and promoting an exchange of medical knowledge
- Improving access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
- Promoting awareness of non-communicable diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure
- Improving the quality of healthcare provided to patients
With your skills and qualifications in mind, we will help arrange workshops and assist with independent research in order to work towards each of these goals.
Join us on a Nursing internship in Mexico and kickstart your career.
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 Guadalajara. They'll welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and learn about yours. This is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Mexico and have a unique experience.
We'll try to ensure you live with other Projects Abroad volunteers or interns at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day. This is great news because nothing beats authentic Mexican food. Get ready to sample the most delicious tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
With beautiful beaches, arresting art galleries, and buzzing restaurants, there’s something for everyone in Mexico. You’ll have plenty to do during your free time on your project in this dynamic country.
There’s something captivating about touring through old buildings. If you’re into neo-gothic architecture, treat yourself to a trip to the Templo Expiatorio del Santisimo Sacramento. It’s a work of art with its ornate steeples and glowing stained glass windows.
There are also plenty of museums, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in the country’s rich history. For something different, you can spend the day appreciating the wildlife and lush vegetation of Las Peñas Ecological Park.
You can’t take a trip to Mexico without tasting authentic Mexican cuisine. You can spend an evening enjoying pozole or tamales at a local restaurant and watching the vivid orange-red sun melt into the horizon.
We have a host of different projects in Mexico so there’ll likely be lots of other volunteers in the area during your trip. So you can choose to travel and explore in a group or on your own.
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.
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