Global Health Leaders Internship Abroad: Medical & Research Opportunities

Job Description

About Company

Global Health Leaders (GHL) is an international healthcare education and research firm. Its core mission is to advance accessible healthcare worldwide. GHL focuses on training and mentoring the next generation of global healthcare leaders while simultaneously providing essential medical services in rural communities facing extreme poverty.

Job Description

This opportunity is a study abroad internship taking place primarily in the Dominican Republic, with occasional programs in Belize. All interns initially participate in the Medical Program. Following this, students have the option to either continue solely with the Medical Program or to add a Research Track for a more in-depth academic experience.

Internship Overview:

• Location: Dominican Republic (primarily), occasionally Belize.
• Target Communities: Rural communities where families live on less than $5/day, often lacking electricity, running water, and healthcare access.
• Initial Phase: All interns begin with the Medical Program, serving alongside licensed doctors in temporary rural clinics.

🔹 Medical Internship (Core Internship)

• Program Duration: 8 weeks in total.
• 7 weeks of remote pre-departure training.
• 1 week in-country experience.
• On-Site Responsibilities (during the 1-week in-country phase):
• Assisting with patient intake, triage, and taking vitals.
• Managing pharmacy duties.
• Leading patient education sessions.
• Supporting licensed physicians in providing screenings, evaluations, and basic treatments.
• Leading community health education sessions focused on hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention.
• Experience Required: No prior medical experience is necessary, as all required training is provided.

🔹 Optional Research Track (Medical + Research Internship)

• Program Duration: 16 weeks in total.
• 15 weeks of remote work.
• 1 week in-country experience (combines with the Medical Program’s in-country week).
• Components (in addition to all Medical Program elements):
• Mentorship: 1:1 and group mentoring sessions provided by Harvard-affiliated MD research advisors.
• Training: Comprehensive training in research methods, ethics, and protocol, including HIPAA certification.
• Project Work: Conducting literature reviews, collecting data during the in-country clinic week, and engaging in remote project work.
• Program Goal: Aims for interns to achieve a conference presentation or publication based on their research work.
• Ideal Candidates: This track is particularly suitable for students in public health, biomedical sciences, healthcare research, or administration.

Travel Dates (ONE of the following options) – Dominican Republic:

• Spring & Summer 2026:
• March 15–22, 2026
• May 10–17, 2026
• May 24–31, 2026
• June 14–21, 2026
• July 5–12, 2026
• July 26–August 2, 2026
• August 9–16, 2026
• August 23–30, 2026
• Winter 2026:
• December 27, 2026 – January 3, 2027

Qualifications:

• Current or prospective university student (all majors are welcome, but an interest in healthcare is preferred; recent graduates are also considered).
• Strong communication skills.
• Demonstrated professionalism.
• Excellent teamwork abilities.
• Capacity to adapt to challenging conditions.
• A background check is required for participants in the Research Track.

Important Notes:

• This is an unpaid internship.
• Students are responsible for covering their own travel costs to and from the Dominican Republic.