1-844-633-5433

Real-World Learning, Real-World Impact: The MEDLIFE Internship Experience

Every year, dedicated MEDLIFE Chapter leaders have the opportunity to apply for the 7-week MEDLIFE Internship based out of our headquarters in Lima, Peru. Our 2019 interns worked closely with the MED International Team and helped run summer Service Learning Trips in Lima. They also shadowed our nurses on patient follow-up visits, community night meetings, and health workshops.

Our interns also joined our annual two-week Leadership Corps retreat with founder Dr. Nick Ellis and Chapter leaders from across the globe. They journeyed through Ecuador and Peru. They visited our partner communities to learn about the social issues that inspired the creation of MEDLIFE.

The MEDLIFE Internship is a fantastic opportunity to learn in a dynamic non-profit environment, experience professional and personal growth, and gain unique hands-on experience in the community development sector. Read on to find out what our 2019 interns had to say about the experience!

 

Andrea H

Andrea Hernandez

As a person who constantly studies, I feel experiences can teach way more than books or school ever could. Before the MEDLIFE Internship, I had a passion for many things. I always knew being part of something important was something my heart desired.

Being part of the MEDLIFE family made me feel whole. Every bus ride, early morning, or long hike, was so worth it. It made me realize how big we can be when we have a passion and drive to do what we love.

You learn from these experiences. They can benefit a person’s growth in many ways. I am thankful I got to be a part of the MEDLIFE family this summer. I can’t wait to keep spreading the movement everywhere I go.

2020 01 20 1

Talya Grecu

This past summer, I had the opportunity to participate in the MEDLIFE Internship program. This has been an amazing learning experience. During this, I learned lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my life. One of the most impactful lessons was the importance of fully comprehending the past to better understand the present.

Understanding the history of Peru puts into context why we see the issues we see today. This causal understanding is a crucial part of MEDLIFE’s work. MEDLIFE seeks to address the root causes of poverty. Moreover, an awareness of the history and motivations driving people to migrate to the cities is key to providing culturally sensitive and locally appropriate help, another key aspect of MEDLIFE’s work.

67284228 121446939148135 6335338029937330102 n

Amanda Burgess

During my summer internship with MEDLIFE, I felt eager to learn about global health in the field. Sitting in a library at school, reading about water scarcity in Peru is a different experience than hiking through the muddy hillside of the urban settlements outside of Lima and seeing the old chemical containers serving as the source of water for some houses.

Through the MEDLIFE Internship, I enhanced my perspective on global health issues that I would never have learned in a classroom in Ohio. I believe traveling and experiencing the world is crucial to anyone studying global health. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to intern with MEDLIFE this summer.

2020 01 20

Kate Byars

You wouldn’t think that hiking for hours on a steep, muddy, high elevation path to sleep on the floor of an unheated school with over a dozen strangers would be one of the most meaningful experiences in my life.

As my mom so eloquently put it, “It sounds a lot more like boot camp than the beginning of an internship.”

Throughout my MEDLIFE Internship, I realized that discomfort is a good thing. It pushed me to understand that global poverty is not a simple thing that you can understand in a Kentucky classroom. You can’t just look at abstract academic factors.

You must address the on-the-ground situation of a child that needs stitches. Discomfort helps you to see the reality of the situation and feel desperately passionate about doing something to change it. Our place in the MEDLIFE movement is to take that passion, use our home communities, and different skill sets to support people in improving their own communities.

2020 MEDLIFE Internships

Are you interested in becoming a MEDLIFE Summer Intern? Applications are open until 24 January! Apply now via Campus Labs.

Archives

Hear it From MEDLIFErs

Testimonial Quote

Reya Seby
Western University

This trip motivated me more to pursue a career in the healthcare field so that I can use my resources to help those who need it the most, similar to MEDLIFE’s mission.

Testimonial Quote

Victoria DiCanio
University of Connecticut

It was most enjoyable to finish the hard work and see how big a difference a group of individuals can make. It was such an amazing experience.

Testimonial Quote

Anita Woo
University of Toronto

I enjoyed the mobile clinics the most, especially the dental and triage portions. I would definitely recommend a MEDLIFE trip, it was a great experience.

Testimonial Quote

David Saff
Maclay High School

The most enjoyable part of my trip was hanging out with the amazing group of kids I was with. I would highly recommend a MEDLIFE volunteer trip to others.

Testimonial Quote

Sydney Sansone
Nova Southeastern University

This trip made everything that I was learning in my public health courses come to life and immersed me in a new culture while also learning about medicine.

Testimonial Quote

Abygail Youmans
College of Charleston

Being involved with MEDLIFE is not like joining another club - its bigger than that. It is about joining a movement that seeks to help change people’s quality of life for forever.

Testimonial Quote

Emi Hofmann
University of Central Florida

Not only was I able to participate in a week long Mobile Clinic, shadowing doctors of all types of specialties including pharmacy, dentistry, gynecology, and more, but I was also able to learn about the culture and visit incredible places.

Testimonial Quote

Julian Takagi-Stewart
University of Toronto

One thing that I really loved about this trip was that MEDLIFE made sure that the volunteers got an understanding of the complexity of issues that lead to underprivileged people in communities outside of the main city

Testimonial Quote

Hannah Van Hofwegen
University of Ottawa

Whether it was basketball with the local kids, assisting the doctors, talking with families, building washrooms, holding babies, or spending time with the people who were on the SLT with me, this was an amazing opportunity that I would do over and over again.

Testimonial Quote

Isabelle Holt
Cornell University

I loved learning about the patients MEDLIFE has followed and how they offer real help to people with chronic/urgent conditions. It is amazing how the organization formed real connections with the communities.

Testimonial Quote

Valerie Lindeborg
Parent

Our family had the privilege of participating in multiple trips with Nick [founder] and his amazing staff. Their expertise made the trips unforgettable while instilling in my boys the fundamentals of good character: selflessness, compassion, and empathy.

Testimonial Quote

Harry Vildibill
University of Georgia

As an aspiring physician, MEDLIFE motivated me to further continue my goal of becoming a doctor. In fact, I enjoyed the Tanzania Service Learning Trip so much that I decided to go on another trip to Cusco, Peru.