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Acting for access to care for all!
RealStep offers a wide range of NGO internships, including medical internships abroad, as well as nursing and other healthcare internships.
These programs are ideal for students who want to include an international, hands-on experience as part of their healthcare studies. Finding meaningful medical placements abroad can be challenging, and many students even take a gap year to gain this type of experience.
RealStep allows you to combine the desire to go abroad with a structured and supervised internship, maximizing both your professional development and cultural experience.
Each participant is supported by a supervising tutor who oversees the placement and provides an evaluation at the end of the program, ensuring guidance from start to finish.
This is a unique opportunity to put your knowledge into practice through real field experience. Between medical internships, nursing internships abroad, and other healthcare placements, you can choose from a wide range of options.
RealStep offers programs in:
We help you choose the project that suits you best, based on your skills, expertise, motivation and preferences.
We help you select the project that best matches your skills, academic background, goals, and preferences. These internships help students grow both professionally and personally while working in a multicultural environment.
Training with RealStep means contributing to projects that have a positive and lasting impact on local communities. Many of the hospitals and clinics where participants are placed face staff shortages, and your support is highly valued.
Beyond providing you with meaningful training, these internships contribute to a larger goal: improving access to healthcare for all. From a professional perspective, NGO internships abroad also demonstrate adaptability, independence, mobility, and commitment — qualities highly valued by future employers.
Nursing internships abroad are available in a variety of healthcare settings, including teaching hospitals and local clinics. Your responsibilities will vary depending on your level of experience and training, ranging from community outreach and health education to assisting with primary care. You will be supervised throughout your internship. Some placements are also open to midwifery students.
| Patient care and procedures | With a nursing placement, you have the opportunity to learn and refine essential skills such as patient care, the delivery of basic and advanced nursing procedures, and the management of emergency situations. You will be exposed to a great diversity of medical cases, which will enable you to develop your ability to assess and treat a variety of medical condition |
| Effective Communication | By working alongside local healthcare professionals, you will also learn to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team. This also allows you to gain valuable experience in interprofessional communication, care coordination and the resolution of complex medical challenges. |
| Intercultural Competencies | In addition to clinical skills, nursing internships abroad also promote the development of your intercultural competencies. Students are confronted with cultures and medical practices different from those to which they are accustomed, encouraging them to develop adaptability, cultural sensitivity and the ability to work in diverse environments. |
| Adaptability and Decision-Making | By working in sometimes demanding conditions and with limited resources, interns develop their ability to adapt quickly to changing situations and to take initiative to provide quality care. |
Nursing internships abroad provide you with comprehensive training that goes beyond academic knowledge. They allow you to develop essential professional and interpersonal skills. A set of skills that will undoubtedly mark your professional and personal journey!
"I would 100% recommend this mission to anyone open to a different vision of medicine and care. This experience helped me better understand global disparities in healthcare and truly put things into perspective”. - Lucie Read full testimony here!
Medical internships abroad take place in healthcare facilities around the world. Your responsibilities depend on your level of training, the program you choose, and local regulations. Activities may include clinical observation, assisting with basic care, and participating in ward rounds.
| Clinical observation and practical insight | You will develop essential clinical skills such as bedside manner, patient interaction, and participation in ward rounds. You may also observe aspects of pre- and post-operative care, gaining a better understanding of the full patient treatment process. |
| Emergency and surgical preparedness | Depending on your placement, you may be introduced to trauma and emergency care environments. This can include monitoring vital signs, observing wound management, and learning how local medical teams respond to urgent situations. You may also have the opportunity to observe surgical procedures related to your field of interest. |
| Understanding local medical practices | Some programs provide insight into traditional or locally trusted forms of medicine. For example, in Sri Lanka, you may learn about Ayurvedic practices, which play an important role in the country’s healthcare culture. This broadens your understanding of global medical approaches and patient perspectives. |
| Transferable professional skills | Adaptability is one of the most valuable skills you will gain. Working in a different healthcare system challenges you to adjust to new environments, expectations, and cultural norms. You will also strengthen your professional communication skills by observing how local doctors interact with patients, families, and colleagues. |
Gain hands-on experience in physiotherapy clinics abroad. Under the supervision of qualified professionals, you will support patient rehabilitation and assist during therapy sessions, developing practical and interpersonal skills in a real clinical setting.
| Therapeutic support skills | You may assist during rehabilitation sessions, helping patients perform their exercises correctly and safely. By observing your supervisor and interacting with patients, you will learn how treatment plans are adapted to individual needs. |
| Patient interaction, assessment, and monitoring | Empathy and active listening are central to physiotherapy care. You will support patient follow-up by helping monitor progress and participating in discussions about care plans with your supervisor. This experience strengthens your ability to understand patient concerns and track improvements over time. |
| Organizational and teamwork skills | You may contribute to the planning of therapy sessions and gain insight into how clinics are organized. This can include supporting scheduling, preparing materials, or helping manage equipment and supplies. Working closely with professionals also builds strong teamwork skills. |
| Adaptability and holistic care | Rehabilitation is not only physical but also psychological. You will learn how motivation and confidence play a key role in recovery and how to encourage patients throughout their progress. Exposure to different responsibilities in a new environment will further develop your adaptability and problem-solving skills. |
Discover our physiotherapy internship in a neurological rehabilitation clinic in Argentina.
Healthcare internships abroad are ideal for students at the beginning of their medical or health studies. These placements often focus on community outreach, prevention, and health education, especially with children and local communities.
| Advocacy and community outreach | You may teach children and families about hygiene, disease prevention, and healthy habits. This helps you develop the ability to communicate clearly, engage different audiences, and raise awareness about essential healthcare practices. |
| Public speaking and communication | You may present health topics to groups of 20–30 people, often in English. This experience improves your confidence, clarity of speech, and ability to adapt your message to different audiences. |
| Cross-cultural collaboration | You will work alongside local coordinators, volunteers, and healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds. This strengthens your teamwork, organizational abilities, and cultural awareness while contributing to community-focused initiatives. |
Discover our medical prevention project in Bali!
Choosing a destination for a medical internship largely depends on your interests and the specific skills you want to develop.
The choice of destination can also be influenced by the type of environment you want to work in. The types of cases you encounter will vary depending on whether you do your internship in a rural Namibian hospital or an urban Moroccan one.
Selecting a destination should align with your current experience level and learning objectives. For first-year students or those with limited prior practice, programs focused on observation, support, and basic patient interaction can offer a meaningful introduction to the medical field while allowing you to explore cultural and healthcare diversity.
Most programs require submitting an application form, your CV, academic information, and sometimes a motivation letter. Some placements may also request proof of studies or references.
For US students: US students follow the same general process but may also need to check visa requirements, insurance coverage, and whether their university offers academic credit for international internships.
Look for organizations that provide structured supervision, clear role descriptions, partnerships with local institutions, and transparent information about safety and ethical practices.
Yes, many programs include accommodation and in-country support in their fees. Costs vary depending on the destination, duration, and level of supervision provided.