India is a fast-developing South Asian country of more than 1.4 billion people, and its healthcare system gives medical students and interns plenty to learn: how care is organized under very different pressures from home, what works well, what could be done better and what you can take back with you.
Volunteering India offers a medical internship for international students in India, at a private hospital in New Delhi, the capital. It is ideal for pre-med students and students of medicine, nursing, dentistry and physiotherapy.
Here is why a medical internship in India can give you the exposure and experience to strengthen your CV and your applications.
Medical internship in New Delhi
As an intern, you work in a private hospital in New Delhi, which gives you a close look at healthcare in a big Indian city. You are paired with doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals during your stay, and you shadow them through their working day.
Most of what you do is observation. How hands-on you get depends on your level of study, your experience and what your supervisor allows.
Typically, interns:
- Shadow doctors and other healthcare professionals.
- Observe procedures and treatments, from where their supervisor allows.
- Join ward rounds and case discussions.
- Help with basic tasks on the wards, where their training and supervisor allow.
You can choose three or four departments to rotate through, including:
- Emergency, critical care and general wards
- Internal medicine and pediatrics
- Surgery and the operating theater
- Orthopedics
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Radiology and imaging
- Laboratory, blood bank and pharmacy
- Dialysis
- Nursing and physiotherapy
Reasons to join a medical internship in India in 2026
1) International experience
You gain international experience in a medical setting, which is hard to come by for students and new professionals and will benefit you for years.
You learn from a diverse group of healthcare professionals and see conditions and treatments that may be rare in your home country. Working alongside experienced staff also builds your confidence and gives you a first-hand feel for the work.
2) An insight into Indian culture and healthcare
Living in India lets you immerse yourself in the culture and traditions of the country, which broadens your understanding of healthcare around the world.
With so many people to care for, many Indian hospitals work under heavy pressure, and many people still struggle to get the care they need. As an intern, you see how staff make the most of limited time and resources.
3) A wider network
This is your chance to get to know healthcare professionals and fellow interns from around the world, and to swap knowledge and ideas.
4) A certificate, and help with university paperwork
Ask, and we give you a certificate of participation at the end of your internship. If your university needs forms signed, for example for academic credit or an elective, tell us when you apply, and we will do our best to get your supervisor to complete your paperwork.
Medical internship requirements
To join the medical internship in India, you need to be at least 18 and a student of medicine, nursing, dentistry or physiotherapy, or a pre-med student. You send us your CV, proof of enrollment, a copy of your passport and a clean criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date. Placements start from two weeks. At the hospital, you dress professionally and bring your own scrubs or lab coat. Above all, be open-minded and flexible, because you will be working somewhere new.
Over the years, Volunteering India has hosted medical and dental students from universities including the University of Otago in New Zealand and the University of Sheffield in the UK, as well as individual interns and groups from the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and many countries in Europe.
Here’s what Leah Dancy (Medical Intern, India) had to say about her experience:
Keen to join the medical internship in India? Email info@volunteeringindia.com and we will get back to you.