International Medical Aid - IMA

International Medical Aid - IMA International Medical Aid provides students and institutions community-based global health education. What if the necessary medicine isn't available?

Founded by Johns Hopkins alumni, International Medical Aid works with pre-health students across multiple disciplines, including medicine, nursing, dentistry, mental health and physical therapy, to provide experiences that will further your preparation for medical school and graduate healthcare programs. IMA partners with leading academic institutions in the United States, Canada, and Europe to fa

cilitate study abroad trips and internship opportunities. Our healthcare internship programs provide pre-health students hands-on experience through intensive clinical shadowing, service learning, didactic experiences, and expert admissions support. Combined, these elements build the foundation that medical and related healthcare programs are looking for in applicants. International Medical Aid works with underserved communities in East Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. We bring healthcare where it otherwise might not go, improving lives and providing valuable shadowing experiences to pre-health students. We focus our efforts in areas where there is the greatest need. Our programs impact the lives of everyone involved--patients, providers and students. Early exposure to these settings is critical for students who might not otherwise consider providing medicine to rural communities. Plus, opportunities like this are once-in-a-lifetime and will provide content for your medical school essays and a competitive edge for some of the best medical programs in the country. You'll also form lifelong friendships and connections that can prove vital to your long-term success in the medical field. IMA also partners with local communities and professionals to develop grass-roots initiatives that are led by individuals in the community. Through local engagement, IMA helps improve the quality of the healthcare that is provided to specific regions. Our Global Health Lecture Series helps pre-med students understand the differences that run throughout the healthcare system and affect how treatments are delivered to patients. Our Clinical Simulation Sessions teach interns basic healthcare through simulated experiences. Interns practice suturing, drawing blood, managing airways, and injecting medications on mannequins. Normally, this kind of experience doesn't come until much later during a medical student's education. Finally, our Community Outreach Program educates and gives resources to members of the community, allowing individuals to take better control of their health. This includes field medical clinics and hygiene education sessions that cover topics like hand and oral hygiene. Providing medicine to remote areas and underserved communities has allowed IMA, our doctors, and our pre-health students to make an impact in the lives of individuals who need medical treatment or who need to improve their health through simple measures. You'll have first-hand experiences with conditions that most doctors don't get to treat in remote areas. You'll work in settings where instruments need to be sterilized before surgery. Having experience in the developing world will prepare you for a career in medicine like nothing else. Getting into medical school is a difficult and complex process. You're competing with other highly qualified candidates who have the same dreams you do. Displaying your passion for science through working with IMA will prove just how much you love medicine. While EMTs, nurse's aids and ER techs gain valuable experience that will help them in medical school, IMA interns get more. Remote medicine stretches you and allows you to grow in ways you wouldn't otherwise experience. What if a clinic runs out of a life-saving medicine before treatment has been completed? What if the right tests can't be run to confirm a suspected diagnosis? These are issues that medical doctors face on a daily basis. Your unique experiences will put you in a very small group of applicants that stand out to medical schools and other graduate healthcare programs. Our alumni have been accepted to programs at Harvard University, Stanford University, UCSF, and the Mayo Clinic. So, are you looking for a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime experience shadowing doctors in remote areas of the world? Consider going on an internship with International Medical Aid.

09/01/2026

One of the best parts of an internship abroad? Having a whole new world to explore after your rotations.

During the summer, our interns headed to Haller Park, a renowned nature park and wildlife sanctuary in Mombasa, Kenya, for an afternoon of exploring, wildlife encounters, and plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company.

Located near our flagship site in East Africa, Haller Park is home to a variety of wildlife and offers visitors the chance to experience a greener, more peaceful side of Mombasa.

The highlight? A giraffe-feeding experience that brought our interns face-to-face with these gentle giants. Exploring the park, sharing laughs, and enjoying the afternoon together made for the perfect opportunity to unwind and experience a different side of Mombasa.

For our interns, afternoons like this are a chance to slow down, take in their surroundings, and enjoy calling Mombasa home for a while.

And this afternoon? It came with giraffes. 🦒✨

Every journey begins with a single step, but the most meaningful ones are defined by the experiences gathered along the ...
08/28/2026

Every journey begins with a single step, but the most meaningful ones are defined by the experiences gathered along the way.

To our July 2026 cohort, congratulations on successfully completing your healthcare internship in Mombasa, Kenya! Selected from one of the largest and most competitive applicant pools in International Medical Aid’s history, this cohort represents an exceptional group of aspiring healthcare professionals who earned the opportunity to join us through a highly selective admissions process.

Over the past month, you have embraced every opportunity to learn, serve, and grow. From clinical rotations across multiple hospital departments to community outreach initiatives, health education sessions, and cultural immersion experiences, you have demonstrated curiosity, compassion, and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of others.

Together, you witnessed unforgettable medical cases, explored Kenya's remarkable landscapes and wildlife, learned from dedicated healthcare professionals, built lasting friendships, and made a meaningful impact within the communities you served. Every patient interaction, every outreach event, every lecture, and every shared experience has contributed to your growth—not only as future healthcare professionals, but also as globally minded leaders.

While your internship may have come to an end, the lessons, memories, and relationships you've built will continue to shape your journey for years to come.

From all of us at International Medical Aid, thank you for allowing us to be part of your story. Congratulations once again on this incredible achievement. We can't wait to see where your passion for healthcare takes you next, and you'll always have a place in the IMA global family.

Here's to the July 2026 cohort—your journey is only just beginning!

For many communities, accessing healthcare can be challenging when essential services are not readily available nearby. ...
08/27/2026

For many communities, accessing healthcare can be challenging when essential services are not readily available nearby. Limited access to screenings, consultations, and health education can make it difficult for individuals to identify health concerns early and seek appropriate care. Built upon an innovative model developed by our founders at Johns Hopkins University and refined over the past 15 years through work with thousands of communities, our Community Medical Clinics help address these gaps by bringing essential healthcare services closer to the people who need them.

Recently, we conducted a Community Medical Clinic in the Jomvu community, located near our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya. The clinic provided community members with access to medical consultations, health screenings, and health education in a setting close to home.

For our interns, the outreach offered valuable exposure to community-based medicine and the opportunity to engage directly with patients outside of the traditional hospital environment. Through their interactions with community members, they gained a greater appreciation for the importance of prevention, early identification of health concerns, and health education.

Community Medical Clinics are an important part of the International Medical Aid experience, bringing together community outreach and hands-on learning. By participating in these initiatives, interns have the opportunity to learn alongside experienced healthcare professionals, engage with diverse patient populations, and better understand how healthcare extends beyond the hospital setting.

Through our continued community outreach efforts, IMA remains committed to creating meaningful healthcare experiences that connect future healthcare professionals with the communities they serve.

Learn more about our Healthcare Internship Programs at medicalaid.org!

Confidence during adolescence is often built in small, practical moments: understanding one's body, knowing how to acces...
08/26/2026

Confidence during adolescence is often built in small, practical moments: understanding one's body, knowing how to access the right resources, and having trusted spaces to ask questions without hesitation. For many girls, menstrual health remains one of those areas where silence can create uncertainty, and uncertainty can quietly affect school attendance, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Closing that gap, especially when school is out of session, is essential to sustained health literacy.⁣
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During our Women's Health Education Session at Wema Center, located at our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—girls gathered for an open and supportive conversation centered on menstrual health. The session walked through the essentials: the menstrual cycle, proper hygiene practices, and safe, confident management of menstruation, paired with access to menstrual hygiene supplies to help ensure that health needs never stand in the way of a girl's education or daily life.⁣
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School holidays often bring a quiet disruption in access. Without regular school-based support, many girls face reduced availability of hygiene supplies and fewer opportunities for open health conversations. By meeting girls where they are, we help ensure that learning and support continue when the term ends.⁣
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Girls who feel informed and prepared carry that confidence forward, into their families, friendships, and communities, where knowledge continues to create change.⁣
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At International Medical Aid, we believe every girl deserves consistent, judgment-free access to health education and resources, no matter the season. Through our ongoing Women's Health Education Sessions, we remain dedicated to empowering girls across East Africa with the knowledge and confidence to thrive, year-round.⁣
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Learn more about our Healthcare Internship Programs at medicalaid.org.⁣
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𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: To ensure the safety, privacy, and protection of vulnerable individuals at Wema Center, we strictly adhere to IMA’s social media policy and refrain from capturing or sharing identifiable images of those who participated in this outreach activity.

Healthy habits are an important part of preventing illness, and reinforcing these practices from an early age can help s...
08/23/2026

Healthy habits are an important part of preventing illness, and reinforcing these practices from an early age can help support children's health and wellbeing as they grow.

Recently, at our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—our interns visited Tumaini Children's Home for an interactive Hygiene Education Session with the children. Through engaging lessons, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, the interns reinforced the importance of proper handwashing, oral hygiene, and other essential hygiene practices.

The session gave the children an opportunity to engage with familiar health practices in a fun and interactive setting. They participated in demonstrations, asked questions, and explored simple ways to incorporate good hygiene into their daily routines. By creating an age-appropriate and engaging learning environment, the session made preventive health education practical and relatable.

For our interns, the visit provided an opportunity to connect with the children within their home environment while seeing how health education can support everyday wellbeing. Sharing these lessons also highlighted the importance of making health information accessible, engaging, and relevant to the communities we serve.

At International Medical Aid, we believe health education is an essential part of community-centered healthcare. Through outreach initiatives like these, our interns have the opportunity to share knowledge, reinforce healthy practices, and contribute to healthier communities.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: To ensure the safety, privacy, and protection of the vulnerable individuals at Tumaini Children’s Home, we strictly adhere to IMA’s social media policy and refrain from capturing images of the children.

Interested in studying abroad and making a meaningful impact in global health? Applications for our Summer and Winter 2027 Healthcare Internship Programs are now open. Learn more at medicalaid.org!

08/21/2026

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Throughout the summer, our recent cohorts at our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—completed weeks of clinical ...
08/21/2026

Throughout the summer, our recent cohorts at our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—completed weeks of clinical learning, didactic programming, community engagement, and cultural immersion as part of their Healthcare Internship Programs.

During their time in Cusco, interns immersed themselves in the local healthcare environment, gaining exposure to multiple clinical specialties, diverse patient populations, and different approaches to healthcare delivery. Through IMA’s special institutional agreements, interns were afforded the rare opportunity to gain firsthand exposure within Peru’s government healthcare system, observing local healthcare professionals, engaging with patients, and developing a deeper understanding of how care is delivered within the public sector. Their clinical experiences were further complemented by intensive exposure to medical Spanish, helping interns strengthen their ability to communicate and engage within a Spanish-speaking healthcare environment.

Cusco also provides a unique setting in which interns can explore the intersection of modern evidence-based medicine and traditional approaches to health and healing. Throughout the region, traditional herbal medicine and Indigenous healing practices have been passed down through generations and continue to influence how many communities understand health and wellness. Exposure to these perspectives provides interns with a broader appreciation for the cultural beliefs, traditions, and practices that can shape patient experiences and approaches to care.

Throughout their programs, interns adapted to a new clinical and cultural environment while strengthening their communication skills, clinical knowledge, and cultural awareness. Their experiences extended beyond the hospital through community outreach and cultural immersion activities, where they also contributed to IMA’s ongoing community health and education initiatives serving local populations throughout the Cusco region.

We are proud to recognize our recent cohorts for the curiosity, adaptability, and commitment they brought to each experience, as well as the meaningful contributions they made to IMA’s ongoing projects. The connections they formed, perspectives they gained, and lessons they learned throughout their time in Peru will continue to shape their journeys as future healthcare professionals.

Congratulations to our recent interns on successfully completing their Healthcare Internships in Cusco. While your time here has come to an end, the impact of your contributions will continue to reverberate through IMA’s ongoing work and the communities we serve. We wish each of you continued success as you take the next steps in your healthcare journeys.

08/17/2026

Every healthcare internship experience is shaped by the people you share it with. One of the most underrated aspects of the IMA experience is the cohort itself.

Through an intentional and highly selective admissions process—including comprehensive traditional and MMI-style interviews—IMA brings together motivated, like-minded students from across the United States and around the world who share a serious interest in healthcare, service, and global learning.

At our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—recent cohorts have included interns from a wide range of backgrounds, academic interests, and stages of their healthcare journeys. From clinical rotations and community outreach to cultural experiences and time spent exploring Cusco, each part of the program creates opportunities to learn alongside one another, exchange perspectives, and build meaningful connections.

For many participants, those connections begin even before arriving in Cusco and continue to grow throughout the program. Learning alongside students from different schools, communities, and countries adds another dimension to the experience—creating opportunities to challenge perspectives, support one another, and form friendships that often extend well beyond the internship.

Meet some of the faces behind our recent IMA cohorts and get to know the students who make each experience unique.

08/13/2026

What does a day of community outreach look like for an IMA intern? 🌎🩺

Come along with some of our recent interns as they join local healthcare professionals for a Community Medical Clinic in Huaro, an Andean community near our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru.

From patient consultations to hands-on clinical learning, interns gained a firsthand look at the realities of delivering healthcare in a rural community while learning directly alongside the local healthcare team.

These are lessons that cannot always be gleaned from textbooks. Experiences like these challenge interns to think more deeply about access to care, the circumstances surrounding a patient’s health, and what it means to practice medicine across different communities and healthcare systems.

They also help shape the real-world narratives that become foundational to a strong medical school journey—the experiences applicants can reflect on in personal statements, interviews, and conversations about why they want to pursue medicine and the kind of physician they hope to become.

Watch the Reel for a glimpse into the day, the community, and the experiences that continue to shape our interns’ understanding of healthcare beyond the classroom.

Access to healthcare is shaped by more than the availability of medical services. Distance, geography, cultural and ling...
08/12/2026

Access to healthcare is shaped by more than the availability of medical services. Distance, geography, cultural and linguistic barriers, financial circumstances, and the resources available within a community can all influence when and how individuals receive care.

It was through this lens that our interns were brought to Huaro, an Andean community, at our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—for a Community Medical Clinic.

Working alongside local healthcare professionals, interns supported medical consultations and gained firsthand insight into the healthcare needs and realities of a rural community.

Throughout the clinic, interns encountered a range of conditions, including untreated fractures, uncontrolled hypertension, and elevated blood glucose levels. For some patients, delays in receiving care and limited access to medications had contributed to ongoing health concerns. The clinic provided patients with an opportunity to receive medical attention and guidance while giving interns the chance to observe how local clinicians respond to healthcare needs within the community.

The experience also reinforced the importance of understanding the circumstances surrounding each patient’s health. By engaging directly with patients and learning alongside local clinicians, interns gained a broader perspective on how access, resources, and community context can influence health outcomes and the delivery of care.

Clinical outreach experiences like this continue to broaden our interns’ understanding of community-based healthcare. By learning alongside local professionals and engaging directly with the communities they serve, interns gain perspectives that enrich their clinical education and deepen their understanding of healthcare across diverse settings.

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