Nursing Internship in Mexico

Get practical work experience and learn from professional nurses in Mexican hospitals

Destination
Age
18+ y/o
Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date
Anytime
Accommodation

Homestay

Requirements
You need to speak basic 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

Observe real hospital operations

Observe Mexican nurses and doctors during rounds, assist with basic procedures under supervision, and learn about local diseases and treatments.

Rotate through diverse departments

Gain exposure to specialisations like paediatrics, surgery, and obstetrics, rotating weekly to broaden your nursing knowledge and experience.

Collaborate with local interns

Join workshops and training on the hospital internship scheme, working alongside local interns to grow your knowledge and expand your perspective.

Immerse in Mexican culture

Live with a Mexican host family, experience authentic cuisine, explore Guadalajara’s cultural sites, and enhance your Spanish language skills.

Develop as a professional

Enhance your CV with real nursing experience, contribute to improved healthcare access, and gain a deeper understanding of Mexico’s healthcare system.

What you need to know

Overview

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 join at any time for a minimum of two weeks.

Nursing Departments

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, departmental 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 align with. Here, the chief of nurses will try to allocate you where they see fit. However, they are open to the idea of you wanting to remain in one department.

A Day in the Life

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 8 am – 2 pm or 3 pm – 8 pm. 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.

Activities

We can arrange extra work for Nursing elective students to meet all of your university’s requirements. This includes meeting a set amount of clinical hours or working in a specific department.

There is 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 the 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 depend 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.

Aims & Impact

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.

Map & Location
¡Hola! Get ready for a fiesta of flavours, colours, and experiences in Mexico. The birthplace of chocolate and the Day of the Dead celebrations, Mexico is a captivating nation with incredible food. people, music, and more.

It also has a rich history with Mayan ruins and colonial towns to explore, and is home to the world’s smallest volcano! Our project locations in Mexico are safe and you will be welcomed into the community like one of the locals immediately.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco in western Mexico, is steeped in tradition and brimming with modern energy. With a population of over 1.4 million, it’s the second-largest city in Mexico, and boasts a rich history and mild climate year round.

Famed for its mariachi music, tequila, and delicious cuisine, the city houses historic landmarks like the Guadalajara Cathedral and the Teatro Degollado. Wander along cobbled streets and experience the lively atmosphere of this enchanting city.

Food & Accommodation

You’ll have everything you need to enjoy an incredible experience in Mexico, including a clean bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water. You’ll stay with a caring host family, vetted by Projects Abroad, who will treat you like one of their own from the moment you arrive.

Your home away from home will be clean, safe, and secure, with Projects Abroad staff members handling your transport to and from your placement. Your host family will provide delicious home-cooked food throughout your stay and introduce you to Mexican culture.

Speak Spanish with them every day, share your experiences and culture, and make meaningful connections with people around the world. We will try to have you share your accommodation with other participants so you can experience the real Mexico together.

Free Time and Leisure

With beautiful beaches, eye-catching 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. That gives you the flexibility to choose to travel and explore in a group or on your own.

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 Mexico 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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