Sri Lanka has something for everyone.  Adrenaline junkies will love the world-class surf, trekking and rafting whilst animal-lovers can swim with dolphins and track wild elephants in the national parks. Into history and culture? The UNESCO temples are something to behold. There are even a few tropical beaches thrown in for good measure.

The Work The World House

Our house in Kandy will be a hub of activity throughout your internship overseas. Think of it as your home from home. You will share the house with other healthcare students from around the world, which gives the house a lively atmosphere.

You’ll find the Kandy house at the heart of the city, just a stone’s throw from Kandy Lake.

Outside the house, you can hop into a tuk tuk and zip off to visit ancient temples, cool off in a hotel pool, ride up to the Big Buddha statue to watch the sunset over the bustling city below, and have some fun in the local bars and restaurants.

The house itself is open and airy, which is perfect for the warm climate.

The layout also offers plenty of social areas in which you and your housemates can unwind after a day on the wards.

Read more about our accommodation

In-Country Team

Management team: Based in the house, they oversee your entire Work the World experience — 24/7 — from the moment you land to the moment you leaveCatering team: cook a variety of both local cuisine and familiar home comforts, accommodating all dietary requirementsHousekeeper: keeps the house clean and tidy from top to bottom, making sure you're comfortableLanguage teacher: visits the house twice per-week. During their lessons, you’ll learn everyday phrases and clinical terminology to help you get more from your overseas internshipSecurity team: Monitor the house 24/7 for extra peace of mind

Support in the Hospital

Before you officially start, our Kandy team will take you to look around your internship hospital. You’ll meet your supervisors and other staff from the departments you’ll be spending time in. This will help you adjust a little before diving in.

The team will come back to visit you at intervals right the way through your placement. This is just to make sure you’re getting what you need from the experience and everything is running smoothly.

We will assign your clinical supervisors before your internship start date. Build rapport with them and they’ll give you insight into the healthcare system in a way that only a local practitioner is able.

The fundamental idea is that we support you all the way through your clinical internship, if and when you need it.

Healthcare Internships in Sri Lanka

Internships in Kandy

Medical Internship, Sri Lanka (Kandy)

Medical Internships

On your medical internship in Sri Lanka, you'll see how different things are from what you’re used to. You’ll observe and treat cases uncommon in America. For example, dengue fever, typhoid, and an inordinately high volume of RTA injuries. You can spend time in a range of departments including oncology, ICU, OBG, general medicine, and general surgery.

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Nursing Internship, Sri Lanka (Kandy)

Nursing Internships

While nursing in Sri Lanka in one of our partner hospitals, you can rotate through a range of departments. This allows you to get a broad understanding of Sri Lanka’s healthcare system. You’ll see cases that are either rare or non-existent in America, including dengue fever, tuberculosis, and malnutrition to name but a few.

+ More Nursing Internships
Pharmacy electives in Ghana

Pharmacy Internships

A pharmacy internship in Kandy will highlight local practitioners' daily limitations. Spending time in our major partner hospital, you’ll come to understand how local specialists manage and distribute the limited supplies they have. There is a noticeable lack of funding here, and administrative processes are often manual. When it comes to patients, you’ll encounter people from Kandy itself and those from rural communities who’ve travelled great distances to receive treatment.

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midwifery electives in kandy sri lanka

Midwifery Internships

You’ll immediately start seeing the contrasts between maternity in America versus in Sri Lanka. In our partner hospital’s OBG department you’ll see women giving birth with little to no pain relief. This is the result of the relatively high cost of medication in Sri Lanka. C-sections are also common, making up 40% of births. One of the core benefits of an internship here is learning from niche specialists who’ll share their expertise on local conditions and practices.

+ More Midwifery Internships
Nursing electives in Sri Lanka

Radiology Internships

The radiology department in our partner hospital in Kandy is one of the few in Sri Lanka that offer all types of radiographic diagnostic services under one roof. This means that the department is often busy, even though it’s open 24/7. To give you some idea, on any given day, local staff can perform up to 400 X-rays, 150 CT scans, and 10 MRIs. Undertake your internship here and you can choose to rotate through any (or all) of the following: X-ray rooms, the dental X-ray department, the CT room, the MRI unit, the DSA unit, and the mammography unit. If your focus is radiotherapy, you can get experience alongside local radiotherapists to learn about the challenges of administering treatments in a low-resource setting.

+ More Radiography Internships
Dentistry Internship, Sri Lanka (Kandy)

Dentistry Internships

As soon as you set foot on the wards, you’ll begin to understand what we mean when we say ‘low resource environment’. You can experience a broad range of areas in your field, whether that be orthodontics, the OPD, maxillofacial surgery or something else entirely. The unique insight you’ll gain and experiences you’ll have here will help you develop as a professional.

+ More Dentistry Internships
Paramedic Science electives in Nepal

Paramedic Science Internships

You'll see many cases and treatments in the Emergency Treatment Unit at your placement hospital in Kandy. Some will be familiar — road traffic accidents, myocardial infarction, strokes. But others will be far from what you know, like snake bites. The department is resource-limited but busy, with up to 100 patients admitted in a 24-hour period. You could also get access to and experience with some cross-over facilities like MRI and X-ray.

+ More Paramedic Science Internships
Physiotherapy electives in Sri Lanka

Physical Therapy Internships

Undertaking your internship in the rheumatology department’s physical therapy unit, Kandy offers a varied placement. You’ll experience in several areas including the neurosurgical ward, surgical ICU and cardiothoracics. You can also spend time in the OPD, helping to rehabilitate patients using basic gym equipment and other treatments. The OPD sees a steady stream of patients daily. Common conditions include cerebral palsy, stroke, fractures, burns, MSK, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and beyond. If you’re interested in sports medicine, you can spend time in the dedicated unit that offers various services, including sports medicine clinics for school children and physical therapy programs for athletes.

+ More Physical Therapy Internships

AYURVEDA WEEK

In addition to your main placement in Kandy, spending an optional week at our Ayurveda Experience is a must. Each morning, you’ll head to the small local forest clinic. This is where you’ll learn about the ancient healing art of Ayurveda. The (world-famous) local doctor is a skilled healer who creates medicines from plants and barks. Each afternoon you’ll take part in activities like canoe trips along narrow jungle rivers, ox and cart rides, wild elephant safaris and even full-body massages at an Ayurvedic spa.

AYURVEDA EXPERIENCE

Spices, dried food and cereals, Nepal
OUTREACH

"I was able to see some oral cancers at the OMF clinic which was useful as I had been taught what they might look like but I had never seen any cases in real life."

Hannah Atkinson , University of Birmingham 2024

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"Before I started placement, I was introduced to the hospital and staff, which really helped me overcome my anxieties about beginning my placement".

Lauren Grinstead, Manchester Metropolitan University 2024

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"I loved staying in the Work the World house and made so many new friends because of it!"

Emma Clementson, University of Edinburgh 2024

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"I undertook ward rounds with the consultant and assisted with examining patients. I spent time in the scanning room with one of the registrars, who explained a lot to me".

Iris Tournoy, Gent University 2024

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"Doctors are so revered in Sri Lankan culture that patients rarely speak against them or challenge them."

Daisy Tudball, Barts & The London School of Medicine & Dentistry 2022

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What healthcare disciplines do Work the World cater for?

Work the World organize short-term educational healthcare internships for the following disciplines: 1. Nursing and Midwifery 2. Medical 3. Physical Therapy 4. Radiology 5. Pharmacy 6. Dentistry 7. Occupational Therapy 8. Paramedicine 10. Biomedical Science

WHAT IS THE WORK THE WORLD HOUSE LIKE IN SRI LANKA?

Our house in Sri Lanka is situated in the heart of the city of Kandy. The house itself is open and airy -  perfect for the warm climate, and there are plenty of social areas for you and your housemates to unwind after a day on placement.

WHAT TRAVELLING OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR ME WHILST I’M IN SRI LANKA?

Sri Lanka has something for everyone. Adrenaline junkies will love the surf, trekking and rafting whilst animal-lovers can swim with dolphins and track wild elephants in the national parks. There are even a few tropical beaches thrown in for good measure.

How much does it cost to do a Work the World internship?

Costs vary depending on where you go and the duration. Details of inclusions and costs can be found here