Nursing internship as a decision-making aid – My month in Sri Lanka

After graduating from high school, I didn't know what I wanted to study, only that it should be something related to science, but I definitely wanted to take a gap year first. A friend of mine had discovered travel4med on the internet and decided to do a month-long nursing internship in Sri Lanka. She told me about it, and I looked into the whole concept myself and then decided that I would like to do it to see if medicine was something for me. I had always considered studying medicine, but was put off by the length of the course and the commitment required. For me, the nursing internship with travel4med was a way to combine traveling with an insight into working in a hospital and a "test" to see if medicine was right for me. I chose Sri Lanka mainly because it is a warm country with beaches and sunshine, and I had never been there before, so I could also get to know a new culture.

I found the preparation and organization with travel4med very helpful and straightforward. You could take part in an informational video call before booking, which was very helpful in really understanding the concept and asking questions. I would recommend that everyone clarify any questions they have beforehand. We also received a packing list, which was helpful for a few unusual items that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, but many of the items were obvious. We also received a list of recommended vaccinations, which I thought was very good because this can vary depending on which country you are traveling to. We also received a video tutorial for the visa application, which made the whole process extremely easy.

Before I flew, I already felt that I was in good hands, but I still couldn't completely imagine what to expect—which is normal and also makes the whole thing an exciting experience.

A driver picks you up at the airport and drives you to Galle and the villa, which takes about 2.5 hours. Everything went very smoothly for me. I arrived in the evening and was able to drop off my things in our shared room and get to know most of the people in the villa. Uncle, our cook, gave us a welcome drink (papaya-mango smoothie). My first impression of the villa was very surprising. I had expected worse conditions in Sri Lanka, but it was really great.

The next morning, Archie, who was our primary contact in Sri Lanka, arrived and helped all of us who had arrived the day before to buy a SIM card, explained the schedule to us again, and warned us about a few things we should watch out for. After that, he took us on a city tour and went with us to exchange money. So we immediately felt very well looked after and taken care of.

Most days, our driver picked us up at the villa shortly before 8 a.m. and took us all to the hospital in a bus. Before that, we all had breakfast together, which Uncle always prepared. In the afternoon, we were picked up again—depending on the ward, this could sometimes be a little later.

There was also the option to sign up for an additional shift in the afternoon or evening, which gave us even more insight. We were able to change departments relatively often, which meant that we got to see and experience very different things, depending on the department.

As a nursing intern, you were generally only allowed to observe during operations, but that was still really exciting if you had never seen an operation before. It always helped to have someone next to you in the operating room who had already started studying or was currently in their practical year – that way, you quickly understood what was going on and what kind of operation you were watching.

That was actually always the case, because there were usually about five other students – either German or Sinhalese – in each operating room. I would also recommend always asking if you can look at the patient files. Everything in them is usually written in English, so you can learn a lot from them.

Otherwise, I can only urge everyone to talk directly to the surgeons. Of course, you shouldn't distract or disturb them too much, but if you show a lot of commitment, they are always happy to explain everything in detail – so that you really understand. Sometimes you were even brought right up to the operating table and could see up close exactly what was being done and why.

The hygiene standards in the hospital were very different from what we are used to. In some cases, there was mold on the ceilings in the operating room, and not everything was as sterile as it is in Germany. Some of the wounds and diseases seen in patients were also very different from what we are used to in Europe. But in the end, their system seemed to work well for the people there. It was very eye-opening to see such a different reality and to step out of the "privileged German bubble" for a bit.

After spending the morning at the hospital, we sometimes chilled out by our pool, but we actually always went to the beach. Mostly to Dewata Beach, where you could take surfing lessons or just rent a surfboard and paddle out yourself – which was really cool.

Otherwise, you also got to know lots of other people on the beach who weren't there through travel4med, and you could do things with them in the evenings. Or you could play cards or billiards with the people from the villa.

In the evenings, we often went out partying. There were a few bars or clubs where DJs played on different evenings, and we went there as a group. We also often drove to neighboring towns like Ahangama or Unawatuna and spent the day and evening there.

On the weekends, we often organized longer trips and, for example, went to Ella and Kandy for a few days with a group from the villa, which allowed us to see another part of Sri Lanka. We also visited various temples in the area and were even able to participate in a ceremony at one temple, which was very exciting to experience.

So, in addition to the time spent in the hospital, I also gained a lot from the experience at travel4med: I got to know new people, a new country, and a new culture—which, in my opinion, is what makes this experience so special.

As already mentioned, we became very close with the people in the villa and got to know each other quickly, as we always ate together, went on several trips together, and spent a lot of time together. Since everyone is interested in medicine in some way, we already had at least one thing in common.

But I would also say that everyone who decides to have this experience is open to meeting new people and cultures, which makes it very easy to get along with everyone. It's also really interesting to have a mix of different personalities around you.

Overall, I think the travel4med concept is very cool and would definitely say that my time in Sri Lanka was one of the best experiences I had during my gap year. The experience also helped me a lot in choosing my degree program. Most of the people who were there with me already knew they wanted to study medicine and just wanted to do their nursing internship abroad—which is a great opportunity in itself.

But I also think it's a cool way to find out if medicine is right for you, because you're confronted with everyday life in the hospital, different diseases, and types of therapies. Since many of the people you meet have already started studying medicine, you can get a realistic assessment of what to expect from them.

I would say that it's not necessarily for everyone, as it takes you out of your comfort zone – which I personally found very exciting, but which can certainly be very overwhelming for many people. You eat new foods that you may not be used to at home. Even though the villa is very spacious, you live in a room with strangers, which takes some getting used to. The hygiene standards in Sri Lanka are also very different from those in Europe, which can also be a shock.

But as long as you know this and are prepared for it, I don't think it's negative at all, but rather positive – because it allows you to grow beyond yourself. So I would definitely recommend travel4med to anyone who is curious, wants to meet new people and get to know a new country, and at the same time spend time in a hospital with a healthcare system that is a little different from ours.