Midwifery Internship in Peru

Gain work experience in a maternity ward and learn directly from local midwives and doctors

Destination
Age
18+ y/o
Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date
Anytime
Accommodation

Homestay

Requirements
You need to speak intermediate Spanish.

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

Trip Overview

What you need to know

Overview

Are you considering studying midwifery? Do you want to gain practical experience to boost your CV? This internship will help you stand out in an application or interview.

Doing a Midwifery internship in Peru will give you a global perspective on midwifery practices. You’ll learn a great deal about the challenges faced by women giving birth in developing countries

You don’t need previous experience or qualifications to join, as your role is observational. However, you must be able to speak an intermediate level of Spanish. Spanish is necessary to be able to communicate with medical staff and patients, who don’t always speak English.

This internship runs throughout the year, and you can join at any time.

A Day in the Life

You will work Monday through Friday from 8 am to 1 pm If you’d like, you can also work afternoon and evening shifts.

At your midwifery placement in Peru, your day-to-day responsibilities will depend on your level of experience. More hands-on work is strictly at the discretion of local medical staff. Each day, you may:

  • Assess, monitor, and care for women in labour
  • Observe or assist with births
  • Provide antenatal care and advice to pregnant women
  • Provide postnatal care and advice to new mothers
  • Maintain records of treatments to identify areas for improvement

In the evenings, you will return to your host family, with whom you can share delicious home-cooked meals. You can tell your family and fellow interns or volunteers about the interesting activities of your day.

Your afternoons and weekends will be free for you to explore. Cusco is a fascinating city with many exciting things to do. You can shop at colourful markets, taste delicious local cuisine, and learn to salsa dance. During your weekends, you can take a trip to some world-famous sites, like the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu or the Aguas Calientes hot springs.

Aims and Impact

The main aim of this project is to give you the opportunity to build your knowledge and experience of midwifery. For those who are considering a career in midwifery, this internship is a great stepping stone into your studies or pursuing postgraduate qualifications.

This internship also has another goal. Peru faces high rates of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. People living in more rural, disadvantaged areas don’t always know how to prevent these illnesses. They also don’t have easy access to basic healthcare services.

Through our outreach programmes, we are working to bring basic medical care to these communities. We also aim to raise awareness about some of the more pressing health issues facing the country. We need the help of interns like you to do this.

We have committed to four long-term, sustainable goals, as outlined in our Medical Management Plan:

  • Encourage an understanding of medical practices and promote an exchange of medical knowledge
  • Improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients
  • Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
  • Improve hygiene standards

Join us on this internship to help us achieve these goals while gaining invaluable midwifery work experience in Peru.

Activities

You’ll work at a hospital or health centre and spend most of your time observing and learning. These are some of the main activities you will focus on for your internship:

  • Observe professional midwives at work in a hospital or health centre
  • Shadow medical staff during prenatal consultations and post-natal care
  • Provide basic healthcare and info to underprivileged communities on outreaches

Your internship work will focus on these main areas:

Observe professional midwives at work in a hospital or health centre

Your role during this internship will be observational. You’ll witness how midwives deliver babies naturally and with doctors via caesarean sections. If you have the relevant training and experience, you will also be able to assist during births.

You could also have a bigger role in providing care and support to women in labour. This is only with the permission of the supervising midwife or doctor.

Shadow medical staff during prenatal consultations and postnatal care

You can observe doctors and midwives during their consultations with pregnant women. There is a lot to learn about effective communication when assessing and treating these patients. You can also play an important role in providing support and care to women after birth. Local staff could ask you to assist with their postnatal treatments. You could also help provide important information and advice to new mothers on how to care for their babies.

Provide basic healthcare and info to underprivileged communities on outreaches

Outreach work takes place separately from your normal hospital work. We arrange outreaches twice a month. You’ll visit underprivileged communities with a supervisor. During outreaches, you’ll do basic health checks and share educational information. You’ll also raise awareness of disease and preventative measures so the communities you visit can work on preventing the spread of disease. Outreach work will give you invaluable midwifery work experience in Peru.

Map & Location
Step into the home of the Inca Empire, where the Andes Mountains meet the Amazon Rainforest. Peru is the third-largest South American nation and about 60% of it is covered by rainforest. It’s also the origin of the mighty Amazon River.

Peru is a popular tourist destination for its rich history and culture, incredible biodiversity, and, of course, Machu Picchu. If you aren’t persuaded yet, this ought to do the trick: it’s home to about three-quarters of the global alpaca population!

Cusco

Cusco, nestled in the Andes in southeast Peru, was the capital of the mighty Inca Empire. Now home to half a million people, the stunning city welcomes over two million tourists a year, many of which hike the nearby Inca Trail to find the famous Machu Picchu.

Thanks to a high elevation and subtropical climate, Cusco benefits from comfortable temperatures year round. You’ll also find a lively city centre with busy social spots, a fascinating mix of architecture, and easy transport access.

Food & Accommodation

We’ll take care of all the essentials during your time in Peru. You’ll have a comfortable living space with a carefully selected host family, three nutritious meals a day, and access to safe drinking water. We’ll also organise all your travel to and from your placement.

Your host family’s home will be clean, safe, and secure, and you’ll be welcomed as a local from the moment you arrive. Share your stories and culture with your host family and other Projects Abroad participants over incredible home-cooked meals and experience Peruvian culture and hospitality every day.

We will try to match you with another person of the same gender and similar age so you can share your experience with a like-minded traveller. Who knows, you might just make a new friend (or a few) on your travels!

Meet your team

Ms Yessika Espinoza

Care Supervisor

Yessika joined Projects Abroad in December 2006 after previously working for an NGO and a bank. She enjoys being able to work with young children as part of her job. In her free time she likes spending time with her family in Cuzco and socialising with the volunteers.

Ms Irazema Arizabal

Country Director

Irazema became part of the Peru team in January 2003. She was born and raised in Cusco and studied Business Administration at the National University of Cusco. She previously worked as a pre-school teacher and later an analyst credit investigator for various financial companies. In her spare time she enjoys reading, watching movies and travelling, as well as meeting and interacting with new people.

Mr Santiago Paiva

Assistant Manager

Santiago is a tourism student from Cusco. He enjoys interacting with the volunteers, showing them around the city and sharing his culture. Santiago loves sport, especially football, and plays whenever he gets the chance.

Free Time and Leisure

Peru is a vibrant country with a mix of activities for every kind of volunteer. Whether you’re into arts, culture, history, or nature, there’s sure to be something for you!

One of the biggest attractions of Peru is the Inca history. There are awe-inspiring archaeological sites like Coricancha, Tambomachay, and of course, Machu Picchu (which is easy to get to from Cusco).

Over a weekend, you can take a trip to the village of Pisac, where you can browse bright, eye-catching textile markets. Don’t miss out on seeing the llamas and alpacas too!

There are also lively restaurants everywhere you look, the perfect place to spend an evening chatting to the locals, relaxing, and enjoying local cuisine, like ceviche.

We run a variety of projects in Peru so you’ll likely meet many other volunteers on your trip. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect and travel as a group. However, you’re welcome to travel independently if you prefer.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Peru Arrival Procedures page.

Book your adventure

Call 01273 007230 to discuss special discounts or group bookings.

Still got questions? We’re happy to help!

Our trusted accreditations

British Youth Travel Awards Customer Service
Go Overseas Rating
SDG Contribution finalist
Go Abroad Winner
Learning outside the classroom badge
GoOverseas community choice award
Sustainable tour operator finalist
GoAbroad Rating
Volunteer Forever award
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