Health and Medical Internships in Costa Rica

Healthcare Internships: Intern abroad in San Ramon, Costa Rica

Costa Rica Internship Abroad Medical & Healthcare

Healthcare internships in Costa Rica are based in clinics or hospitals, where interns assist and shadow local doctors and nurses. Specific placements are tailored for interns’ experience, internship length and Spanish language proficiency, but all provide the chance to see healthcare in action in a small Costa Rican town and learn from experienced local professionals.

What to expect from your Healthcare internship:

Working side by side with healthcare professionals
Observing and assisting patient care
Healthcare opportunities to suit interns experience

Your internship abroad host organization:

Small medical clinics within other organizations (school clinics, pain management clinics, assisted living facility clinics, etc.)

Apply for free

On this page:

Arrival & Orientation

Accommodation & Meals

Weekends & Travel

Country Info

Gain academic or course credit

Fully hosted experience from $2281

Includes accommodation & meals

Typical schedule: 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday

Minimum duration 4 weeks, up to 24 weeks maximum

Spanish language lessons available

Get job-ready with our Experiential Learning Curriculum

Options for English language speakers

Eligibility requirement

Suitable for students at a pre-med educational level, as well as those studying medicine or nursing at a more advanced level.

Language requirements for this internship

Interns must be confident enough to verbally communicate in intermediate Spanish. Click here if you are seeking a comparable internship which is suitable for participants who do not speak Spanish.

Associated career paths

Physician / Physician’s Assistant, Nurse, General Practitioner, Midwife, Pharmacist, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Radiographer, Dentist / Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist, Dietitian, Paramedic, Anaesthesiologist, Sonographer, Medical Scribe.

Internship details

This healthcare internship in Costa Rica is ideal for healthcare students who want to deepen their medical or nursing experience from pre-med level and higher through placements in clinics and hospitals, learning from local professionals.

This is an in-country internship, with accommodation and meals provided.

Free healthcare is provided to citizens in Costa Rica, but resources are limited and help is always needed. Healthcare internships are based in the town of San Ramon de Alajuela and neighboring communities, where interns assist in healthcare clinics.

Pre-med healthcare internships are typically based in health support schools, elderly homes, chronic pain clinics, and on programs for people with disabilities. Pre-med interns can support local nurses and staff with a range of tasks, including administering medicines, treating small ailments, keeping medical records, conducting health workshops, assisting with mealtime, therapies, and other basic duties.

More experienced interns can assist alongside local doctors and nurses, typically in rural clinics or hospitals. Healthcare interns can shadow doctors as they treat patients, help to arrange medical supplies, assist during emergency situations, and help with health awareness workshops.

Please note that specific placements will always vary based on your medical experience and patient requirements. Short-term interns can expect to have an introductory experience, as the initial period of your internship is about understanding the local healthcare system, and Spanish-speaking interns are more likely to have greater independence.

In all cases, interns should expect that the first week of your experience will focus on settling in and gaining some introductory knowledge, as you will not “hit the ground running”. Rather, you should start with learning about the placement to gain an understanding of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.

What are the career benefits of interning abroad as a Healthcare Intern?

Healthcare interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:

Administering medicines
Treating ailments
Keeping medical records
Conducting health workshops
Assisting with mealtime
Therapies
Shadowing doctors and nurses
Arranging medical supplies
Emergency situations
Helping to prepare and run health awareness workshops

Professional development opportunities:

Learning from experienced medical staff
Work within the Costa Rican health system
Practical experience seeing how healthcare clinics and hospitals run
Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.

Are you eligible for this internship?

Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.

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Our commitment to providing safe internship experiences

Academic credit available for all internships

Get course credit from your college or university while completing your internship abroad or a remote internship program. It's a great way to meet your academic requirements and gain valuable experience at the same time.

Learn about course credit

Program fees

Applying for our Healthcare Internship is completely free! The support package covers the assistance we provide in finding your internship and arranging your living accommodations in your host country, ensuring you thrive during your program.

Please note that a deposit of US$499 is required to confirm your place. The remaining balance (minus your initial US$499 deposit) is due at least 60 days before your internship start date.

Duration	Program Fee (USD)
4 weeks	$2,281 Equivalent to $81 /day
5 weeks	$2,405 Equivalent to $68 /day
6 weeks	$2,555 Equivalent to $60 /day
8 weeks	$2,805 Equivalent to $50 /day
10 weeks	$3,058 Equivalent to $43 /day
12 weeks	$3,257 Equivalent to $38 /day
16 weeks	$3,763 Equivalent to $33 /day
20 weeks	$4,160 Equivalent to $29 /day
24 weeks	$4,557 Equivalent to $27 /day

A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to confirm your participation. This is subtracted from the Program Fee total.
Balance of your Program Fee is due 70 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
Terms and Conditions apply.

Airport pick-up
Daily breakfast and dinner
Accommodation
24/7 in-country support
Program orientation
Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
Sourcing and securing your internship placement
Personalization of your internship plan
Coaching from your supervisor
Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
Academic credit facilitation
International reference letter
Certificate of Internship Completion

Lunches
All in-country transportation
Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.

Spanish lessons

Internships in Costa Rica require interns to have varying levels of Spanish language proficiency, from either a confident level of basic Spanish to a more developed grasp of intermediate language skills. The definition of having basic Spanish skills (Level A2) includes the ability to exchange brief information with questions and answers, use and understand simple language in daily situations and cultural aspects.

Keep in mind that despite you level of proficiency, a language barrier can still be encountered to a certain extent. Interns should be prepared for the very natural and normal frustration of not always understanding what is being said around them. Most interns are able to have a successful internship experience and it is essential to come prepared and willing to surmount a language barrier, as opposed to being intimidated by it.

We strongly recommend that all interns take advantage of the affordable language lessons offered exclusively to Intern Abroad HQ participants by our host organization in Costa Rica. These can be arranged directly with the local team once registered for the program (ask about online Skype lessons) or at the orientation in-country. Language lessons are tailored to each individual’s current level of Spanish and classes run from Monday through to Friday.

Weekends and travel

Interns have the weekends and evenings free and there is no shortage of wonderful things to see and do. (Occasionally, weekend activities may arise, depending on wildlife rescue priorities, but this will be optional and subject to availability).

Some of the most popular excursions and activities include Tortuga Island, Poás Volcano National Park, Doka Coffee Tour and La Paz Waterfall Garden, San Luis Canopy Tour, and much more!

Please consider that attendance at your internship placement is mandatory - you should only travel and book tourism excursions on your days off (which will in most cases be during the weekends). Please plan longer trips and travels for the time before or after your internship period. If you need any travel advice, please feel free to contact us.

To learn about what’s going on during your internship stay, ask at your program orientation. If you’re planning to travel outside of your internship placement location, you should always inform staff and your host family. We recommend that you do not travel alone - always make plans to travel with a friend. Travel during the weekends and holidays so you do not interfere with your internship schedule.

Arrival and Orientation

Internships in San Ramon, Costa Rica, begin every Monday. Exceptions may be made to this when start dates are shifted to avoid public holiday disruptions or closed when the program has already reached capacity. The minimum duration requirement is 2 weeks up to a maximum duration of 24 weeks.

Airport pick up and accommodation are included in the Program Fee. The accommodation is covered from the Sunday night before the Monday start date - interns are required to arrive no later than the Sunday before their Monday start date, as all orientations are held on Mondays. If arriving earlier than this date, interns will be required to cover the cost of an “out of hours” airport pick up.

The typical port of entry is the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). If you are planning to spend time independently in Costa Rica prior to your internship and will not require an airport pick up, we can discuss alternative arrival logistics with you.

Upon arrival, interns will be met, greeted, and transferred to the accommodation. The last night of the accommodation is the Saturday night of the final week, leaving interns free to depart on Sunday. Extra nights of accommodation can be arranged in advance, if requested, and are subject to availability.

Orientation covers important details for your internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more. Your specific internship placement orientation will follow the general orientation, as you’ll be shown how to travel to and from your internship and be introduced to the team you’ll be joining.

Please note that all participants are advised not to book flights until they have first registered to confirm their internship placement.

Check what's required to visit Costa Rica

Check out the widget below to learn about the visa requirements for the Healthcare internship in Costa Rica, based on your country of residence.

Accommodation and WiFi

All interns in San Ramon, Costa Rica are accommodated in various homestay accommodations. Interns are matched to an appropriate host family, taking into consideration convenient proximity to their internship placement.

Typical host families in Costa Rica usually comprise of two parents and children or a single parent with children (the ages of a host family’s children can range from young and still living at home, to adults living independently). There are usually 1 - 2 bedrooms in most home-stays and everyone has their own bedroom (unless special requests are made in advance to share with a friend or partner). Bathrooms are shared.

Living is comfortable and home-stays offer electricity, running water and western bathrooms. However, showers can be low pressure and unheated/tepid. WiFi is provided in most of the home-stays but it is important to note that it is not guaranteed.

Accommodation upgrades are available at an additional cost, for those who would prefer more independent accommodation and social interaction with other travelers. Interns who have confirmed their participation may opt to arrange hostel accommodation, in either a dorm (sharing a room with 4-8 beds) or a private room. Dormitories provide lockers, so that guests may securely store their personal items. Bathrooms are typically shared. Amenities include WiFi and a common area for guest use. Please note that hostel accommodation is subject to availability (depending on the location of your internship) and includes daily breakfast only. Interns who are interested in arranging an accommodation upgrade are welcome to speak with their Internship Program Manager for more information.

Please note that the accommodation pictured in the photo gallery of this webpage is provided as an example. Since we work with more than one option for homestay accommodation, the exact accommodation that you’re assigned may differ from the photos. However, you can expect a similar standard and similar amenities, to what is shown.

Meals

Internships in San Ramon, Costa Rica, include two meals per day, served at the home stay. A typical Costa Rican breakfast is provided and may consist of bread, spreads, fruit and eggs accompanied with tea or coffee. Dinner commonly consists of meat (often chicken), soups, pastas, starches and vegetables.

Please be sure to let us know of any specific dietary requirements that you have in advance, so that we may ensure your hosts are aware and make recommendations accordingly. In all cases, any additional snacks, treats, takeaways, meal supplementation or other dietary preferences must be independently purchased.

The local cost of food and dining in can vary, depending on where you choose to shop and dine. A weekly budget of US$100 is recommended for extra meals and treats. Bear in mind that your weekly budget will be determined by your own personal spending habits and lifestyle choices, so please take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

How to obtain course credit and meet your academic requirements on Intern Abroad HQ internships

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Essential country information

Capital	San Jose
Population	5.094 million
Languages	Spanish
Currency	Costa Rican Colón (CRC)
Time zone	UTC−06:00

Weather and climate:

Costa Rica is unequivocally a tropical country, situated between 8° and 11° north latitude, fairly close to the equator. Although you get much cooler temperatures in the mountains above 2000 meters, the average annual temperature for most of the country lies between 21.7°C (71°F) and 27°C (81°F). The coolest months are from November through to January, and the warmest months are from March through to May. San Jose stands at approximately 1170 meters altitude and has a mean annual temperature of 20.6°C (69°F).