Radiology Internships: Intern abroad in Arusha, Tanzania

Internship details

Specialized internships in radiology departments assisting local medical professionals to conduct x-rays, CT scans and MRI scans for a variety of patients. Radiology interns work alongside local teams to observe, gain insight into local practices, and share your knowledge and skills where appropriate.

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

Anyone looking to bolster their skills and set themselves up for a rewarding radiology career should look no further than this unique Radiology internship in Tanzania! With a specific focus on radiology, ultrasound and medical imaging procedures, interns will gain first-hand knowledge and understanding working in a unique healthcare environment.

Due to a lack of funding, training and education, hospitals in Tanzania often struggle to keep up with the modernization of emerging medical technologies. This means that many hospitals lack contemporary medical imaging equipment and systems, and use improvized and innovative solutions. It is also expensive for patients to get CT scans or MRIs, so while there are opportunities to gain experience using these technologies, they are not common.

As an intern, you’ll learn new and effective imaging measures that will supplement your understanding and use of modern technologies. Interns are placed in hospitals assisting local medical professionals with imaging tasks, which are based around conducting x-rays. While the practices may be less advanced than what you would expect at home, they operate within universal healthcare principles. This internship is conducted in English. Most patients you’ll work with will be able to speak at least basic English, however, for those that can’t, you’ll be able to receive a debrief from your supervisor afterwards.

Radiology interns work collaboratively alongside local medical teams to observe, gain an enhanced understanding of local practices and challenges, and share knowledge and skills according to your own experience. You’ll assist and observe in diagnostic and investigative imaging procedures, liaising across multiple departments to help to diagnose and assess a range of pathologies and diseases. Radiology interns are welcome to donate up-to-date resources, such as training materials and textbooks, if desired.

It is important to note that the internship placements grouped as “Medical” require interns to make a Ministry of Health contribution. This supports the operation of placements and covers supervision for interns on medical-related placements. This contribution is not included in the internship program fee; it must be made directly, in-country, under the direction and guidance of the Program Coordinator in Arusha. Interns will not be permitted to commence their placement until this has been covered. The amount of the Ministry of Health contribution varies, as it is not the same for every clinic/hospital. However, to cover the contribution sufficiently, we ask interns to budget up to US$75 per week.

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.

Understand and expect that individual internship experiences vary, as the specific placement that you’re assigned will depend on review of your resume and your current level of studies and experience. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.

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