Quick Overview
Our medical internship program caters to medical and nursing participants of all levels (enrolled at Medical School or University already) or Pre-medds and provides a comprehensive insightinto the medical system of India with immense learning opportunities. From beginners in Year 1who have an interest (but no experience) in the field, to advanced 5th year students looking for specific specializations, we have all the bases covered. Pre- meds must get in touch with us before applying.
Kerala where this medical elective or internship program is based is a state in India which has a reputation of quality public healthcare and medical
services, which is remarkable. In recent decades however the dependance on public health carehas declined substantially and private sector hospitals are now more prominent. You will be give an medical placement in the private sector where you will have access to a larger and wider network of medical
professionals, range and volume of patients and exposures to comprehensive set of wards and special units that they would not have access to in the public sector.
In Kerala, the private sector hospitals are extremely competitive there is also a greater volume of future doctors and nurses as the sheer volume of patients they get is increasing. We place all medical and nursing students (those who have at least some university experience) at the private hospital in Cochin city,
where you get exposure to a wide range of patients and cases available in Kerala, all under the watchful guidance of a professional and caring team of doctors and nurses. Language is also less of a barrier as medical teams are able to converse in English and teach students who are willing to learn.
What’s Involved
For this medical placement you will be living in the charming town of Fort Kochi (in Cochin) and your placement will be in the city of Cochin. In the private hospital, university students and experienced medical and nursing participants will have the opportunity to get exposure across a range of wards (subject to availability), such as General Medicine, Paediatrics & Neonatology, Imaging & Radiology, Emergency, Anaesthesiology& C Care, Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology/Neurosurgery,
Gastroenterology, Urology, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics. Pre-meds must get in touch with us to check which departments will be available.
Working hours at the placement will be for a minimum of 5 hours upto 7 hours Monday to Friday with clinical schedules given on arrival by our medical coordinator. It is important to note that the experience is mainly observation-based, where you will get exposure to a wide range of cases and patient types. Some students may get the opportunity to get more hands-on medical experience where you are allowed to interact directly with patients but that is entirely at the discretion of the medical and nursing staff based on their comfort level with the particular student.
All medical and nursing participants are supported by various consultants in the various units who apart from providing daily guidance are willing to teach students on cases present to further enhance learning and knowledge development.
On weekends you will be free to explore Cochin and Kerala. Culturally, Kerala is great and activities that you can get your involved in the evenings the Kathakali (traditional dance) or yoga class. In your spare time your can visit local beaches or enjoy the famous Kerala backwaters boat trip and if you have more time visit the lush tea plantations of Munnar where you can even go trekking with fellow volunteers or medical students.
All The Details
Cochin, India
2019 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 | 2020 |
14th September | 4th January | 21st March | 13th June | 12th September | 12th December |
21st September | 11th January | 28th March | 20th June | 19th September | 19th December |
28th September | 18th January | 4th April | 27th June | 26th September | 26th December |
5th October | 25th January | 11th April | 4th July | 3rd October | |
12th October | 1st February | 18th April | 11th July | 10th October | |
19th October | 8th February | 25th April | 18th July | 17th October | |
26th October | 15th February | 2nd May | 25th July | 24th October | |
2nd November | 22nd February | 9th May | 1st August | 31st October | |
9th November | 29th February | 16th May | 8th August | 7th November | |
16th November | 7th March | 23rd May | 15th August | 14th November | |
23rd November | 14th March | 30thMay | 22nd August | 21st November | |
30th November | 6th June | 29th August | 28th November | ||
7th December | 5th September | 5th December | |||
14th December | |||||
21st December |
For 2021 please select Saturday Start dates of each month. This program is available year round.
All our rates are in USD$ per person
NUMBER OF WEEKS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Program Fee in USD $ | $999.00 | $1,169.00 | $1,339.00 | $1,509.00 | $1,679.00 | $1,849.00 | $2,019.00 | $2,189.00 | $2,359.00 | $2,529.00 | $2,699.00 |
What’s Included?
Program Fee Includes:
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- Hospital Placement
- Orientation and basic training on arrival
- Shared Accommodation
- Two Meals at home (breakfast & dinner) (except on Sundays)
- Staff Support and medical coordinator at the hospital
Whats not Included :
- Flights and Visas
- Medical and travel insurance
- Lunch
- Transport to the project
Local Team
Geetha Raj: Kerala Program Manager
Geetha is the backbone of our programs in Kerala. Her friendliness, generosity and warmth towards every volunteer will leave you feeling extra special. Having worked as local journalist for almost 10 years, Geetha grew a passion for community development work is very forward thinking. She is instrumental in Program development and is a born leader, giving you the direction you will need to succeed as a volunteer. Her team will look after all your needs from the time you enter Kerala to the time you leave.
Getting There
- For South India you need to arrive at Cochin International Airport (COK)
- We recommend you apply for Tourist Visas before you arrive. India issues E-Visas for 4 Weeks only.
- Travel Insurance is compulsory on this program. You can get in touch with our team if you need travel insurance organised.
- We recommend you visit your local travel clinic to find out what vaccines you should take.
What Happens When I Arrive?

Living Arrangements for Medical Students:
This program in India is based in Kochi, Kerala, recently voted as the top 10 cities to visit in 2020 by the Lonely Planet. The volunteer house and where you will be living is in the area of Fort Kochi in Kochi (or Cochin as it called also) in the state of Kerala (Southern India). This is an idyllic and safe location with a truly tropical and laid back vibe. You will be surrounded by greenery filled streets, beautiful colonial era mansions, artsy cafes and restaurants, and local shopping.
In the volunteer house you will be sharing rooms with other volunteers or medical students. The house comes with a dining area, kitchen area, lounge and our office is on the ground floor so we are around incase of any issues or just for a chat!
All our medical students get delicious home cooked local Indian meals (breakfast and dinner) prepared by our house chef. All meals are prepared fresh with available seasonal vegetables. Lunch is not included in your program fee and most of our medical volunteers usually have their lunch at the hospital canteen. Daily transport to your placement will be using public transport. Please expect travel time to be 50-60 mins by bus or ubers.

Daily Transport :
The hospital will be 50 to 60 mins travel time from the volunteer house. Our local team will show you to take the bus to the placement and back. You can also uber back or use the ferry.
Excursions: If you need any excursions in Kerala or around India booked then we would be glad to assist you. We have excellent travel planners we work with and we can put you in touch with them to plan your weekends in India.