Public Health Internship Programmes

Enjoy an incredibly rewarding internship experience in the healthcare setting of your choice. Our public healthcare internships provide you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge and learn from highly experienced specialists, while contributing tremendously to the Public Health system of South Africa.

ENQUIRE NOW
Make it happen!
Public Health internships - quick video overview
The best Public Health Internship Programmes in Africa?

The best public health internships in Cape Town? We think so. We pride ourselves on delivering customised internship placements and on the ground support that offer life-changing, valuable professional experiences.


Our public health programme enables interns to actively engage with the healthcare system in South Africa, explore their interests and future career paths, work alongside inspiring professionals and make a positive and long lasting impact in the lives of vulnerable members of local communities. 


There are many socio-economic factors which contribute to disparities in access to healthcare and education in South Africa. To fill in the gaps, many organizations have been established around Cape Town which aim to empower communities with knowledge, resources and better access to healthcare. 


We provide opportunities in a variety of settings including; community clinics, hospital foundations, NGO’s, schools and policy institutes. These places can accommodate interns who are interested in; health education, disease prevention, nutrition, child life, and other related fields.


Read on for a full overview of the best public health internships in Africa.



checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

Public Health Internship Programme Overview

Here's what you can expect from the programme in a nutshell!

Public Health Internship Key Skills:

  • Interpersonal skills
  • Advocacy
  • Relationship building
  • Fiscal responsibility
  • Curriculum development
  • Data collection and analysis
  • Communication skills
  • Problem solving
  • Professionalism


Academic & Career Benefits

  • Gain real hands on work experience with trained professionals.
  • Learn how to work and empathise with people from different cultures and in turn develop a global mindset.
  • Gain a deeper understanding of global healthcare issues.
  • Demonstrate adaptability, cultural awareness and commitment to future employers.

Ideal Internship Applicant

  • Proficient in English.
  • Some previous experience working with children, disadvantaged groups, or in a medical facility would be beneficial.
  • Self-motivated and compassionate.


Programme highlights:

  • Challenge yourself, build confidence and develop your self-awareness.
  • Work alongside and learn from inspiring professionals in your field.
  • Choose from a range of public health opportunities in a variety of healthcare and community settings.
  • Gain a unique insight into the healthcare system of a developing country.
  • Make an important contribution to the amazing work of public health organizations in Cape Town.


Minimum Requirements

  • Minimum age: 18
  • Completed (or will have completed) A2-Levels or equivalent
  • Minimum of 4 weeks duration, no maximum
  • Not a resident of South Africa



checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

Skills you'll hone through your Public Health internship

Of course, the list is much longer - but these are the skills our intern alumni reported back that they grew in the most!

Coping skills
Communication
Ethical behaviour
Attention to detail
Professionalism
Problem Solving

Ready?

Turbo charge your career in Public Health

What are you waiting for - get started now!

ENQUIRE NOW
checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

Public Health internship programme reviews & ratings

We managed to grab some detailed interviews from previous interns on this programme, you can click on them below.

checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

A hypothetical Public Health Internship Programme

What might your programme in this career field look like? Here's how it has typically shaped up for our alumni!

Week One

Arrival & orientation. Introduction to Cape Town, your accommodation and your internship host organisation and colleagues.

#
01
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 1
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 2
#
02

Week Two

Get stuck into your public health internship placement and establish yourself with your organisation. Come to our free social events.

Week Three

Enjoy a great work-life balance, getting out and about to see the sites alongside working hard on your internship.

#
03
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 3
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 4
#
04

Week Four

Pick up more responsibility in your internship as you prove your capability. Enjoy regular activities in Cape Town outside of work. Come to another social!

Week Five

Now you’re flying (metaphorically) at work, you’ll be more and more autonomous. Expect to pick up even more challenges!

#
05
#
06

Week Six

Internship is going swimmingly, now go and do something crazy like swimming with some great white sharks or abseiling off of a mountain.

Week Seven

Regularly enjoy the benefits of Cape Town and at work, gather materials needed for portfolio (e.g. references from us and provider).

#
07
#
08

Week Eight

Putting the finishing touches to your internship and gathering feedback from us and your internship provider for use in your academic / career portfolio. Finalise paperwork for university (if needed)

LEAVE TRANSFORMED
Download and read a free guide.

13 Essential Insights for a Fulfilling and Safe Internship in Cape Town

TAKE ME TO THE GUIDE
checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

Public Health internship programme features

What makes our internship programmes a worthwhile investment? Here's a swift overview of what you can expect!

Choice of two programmes

We have two primary programmes to suit your needs. In some instances we also offer virtual placements.

Unlimited duration as standard

You can come for as long as you need without paying any extra fees.You'll receive the same level of support.

Backed by concrete promises

We are 100% on your side. We guarantee every aspect of your trip with unrivalled promises.

Career
Focus

Need to focus on a precise niche or two? No problem! Your programme can focus on your specialist areas.

Immersive cultural experience

We'll help you engage with the culture and personal benefits of being in a foreign country.

Virtual placements

Save on travel and accommodation costs, pay a far lower fee. All while building your professional network.

Academia friendly

We will handle all aspects of academic accreditation, including direct liaison with your tutors and academic staff.

Future career friendly

We will write full reference letters for your placement(s) to optimise future employers' first impression of you.

ACTION

Current Public Health Job Openings

Here are some current or recent internship job opportunities in this career area. We do not publish all openings - so please contact us to hear about others.

Programme Development Assistant: HIV/Aids Prevention & Community Empowerment

Excellent communication skills Previous research experience would be beneficial Confident speaking on the phone Creative thinker

The Organisation: An inspiring non-governmental organisation that creates and delivers empowerment and training programmes to help meet the Global Goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS by 2030 and UNAIDS targets pertaining to testing, treatment, and viral suppression.
Keywords: Human Rights, Programme development, Community development, Community empowerment, Public health, Internship

Get in touch.

Explore your custom Public Health programme now

ENQUIRE NOW
Click right here to get started
checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

A straightforward process

We have worked very hard to streamline our process to make your experience easy, fun and highly rewarding personally and professionally. Flick through the steps below, or read about our process in more detail.

Introduce yourself to our friendly team

Getting your dream internship all starts with you saying hello! Just pop your details into our enquiry form and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation with you that we call a 'discovery call'.

Ask questions & learn how we can help

In your discovery call, you can ask us any questions you still have. We'll talk about your options in the career fields you've told us you're interested in to help you imagine your placement and decide if our service is right for you.

Complete your programme application

If everything sounds good to you, complete your application to put into words your dream programme. This forms the basis of the 'design' of your customised placement and will be the primary framework against which we validate potentially suitable opportunities.

We'll source you the best opportunities

We maintain a large and varied network of the best organisations in Cape Town. We will identify the best potential fits for your programme goals and preferences and reach out on your behalf to assess those organisations for suitability (learn about their current projects and initiatives).

Prepare and plan for your experience

Once you've confirmed which placement offer you prefer, we'll start helping you plan the rest of your trip. We'll book your accommodation, help with your travel arrangements and provide extensive advice and information on how to get ready for your time in Cape Town. Your Bridging Gaps mentor will be on hand to make sure you're fully prepared for your placement.

Maximise your experience & learning

Finally, every member of our team will move mountains to make sure you get what you came for and MORE! It's essential to us that you're safe, you're learning and growing in confidence and developing the most important skills for your future career.

checkmark
KEY INSIGHT

Public Health internship programme cost

Our programme fees are shown below, for a full description of our service offering please click to view the programme or a side-to-side comparison.

Bootstrap

£
795
one-off, fixed

Bespoke programme

Backed by 4
concrete promises

VIEW BOOTSTRAP

Concierge

£
1195
one-off, fixed

Comprehensive support

Visa & travel assist

Accommodation assistance

Social events & excursions

... and lots more

VIEW CONCIERGE

Virtual

£
395
one-off, fixed

Tailored Search

Ongoing support
& mentoring

VIEW VIRTUAL
Click to see detailed programme feature comparison.
FAQ
Public Health Internship Programmes FAQs

We've answered some specific questions about this internship programme below.

Why is public health a good major?

There are a lot of career opportunities for those with a public health degree, as work in this sector is very rewarding. As public health is a broad term, there are many niches within this field. Important skills to obtain are in research, analytics and problem-solving. 


What kind of job can you get with a degree in public health?

There are many career routes one can take with a qualification in public health. A few options could be; occupational health specialists, public health educators, community workers, nutritionists, policy advisors, public healthcare doctors or nurses, epidemiologists, consultants and others. 


What is a public health internship?

A public health internship can differ depending on the organization one is working with. Possibilities include, community health clinics, community development projects, nonprofits, education centers and more.


What is the highest paying job in science?

There are a lot of different possible careers in science. Some of the highest-earning positions in science include; physicists, astronomers, pharmacists, geoscientists, biochemists and medical scientists. Chemical and nuclear engineering are also lucrative career paths. 


What should I expect from a research internship?

Research internships often entail a lot of independent work, although asking questions, being proactive, and making the most of your resources are key to a successful research internship. Medical internships or those in the field of biology are often heavily focused on research and interns will either be asked to complete their own project or contribute to ongoing research. These types of internships will also involve laboratory work. Research is also often integral to internships in human rights, law and public policy.


Will I get paid for doing a medical internship?

Since South African law prohibits any foreign national doing any form of paid work in the country without a valid working visa, all the opportunities we provide are unpaid.  It is incredibly difficult to obtain a working visa for South Africa because you have to be sponsored by an organisation before you even arrive in the country.

Have a different question?

Send it to us below and we will answer ASAP.

Thank you! Your question has been sent!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Public Health Internship Programmes

Hi, we're really sorry but we are no longer offering internship opportunities in this career field. However, we wish you the best with your search.