Gap Year Program

You will participate in an observational internship at one of our partner hospitals, where you will be paired with professionals who will take you along in their daily work and share their knowledge with you.

When signing up for the program, you will need to specify the field of interest so that the internship is tailored accordingly. You will be assigned to staff within the field you are considering studying. Possible fields include medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry (odontology), and physiotherapy.

The program is a unique opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the healthcare profession you are thinking of pursuing.

The hospital staff you follow during the program are accustomed to it being your first time in a hospital environment, so they will adapt your internship accordingly. The internship will be conducted in English, and the staff will be mindful that English is not your first language.

Additionally, you will be paired with at least one fellow student on each department you visit. We find this helpful, as it allows you to reflect on experiences together and assist each other if there’s something you didn’t quite understand.

You will be in an observational internship during your stay, so you will not perform or be assigned any healthcare tasks. Your learning will take place by following the hospital staff, learning from them, and experiencing their daily routine.

We tailor your internship based on your field of interest selected during registration.

For medicine and nursing internships, you also have the option to specify up to five department preferences upon registration.

The program includes the following departments within specialties such as internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, orthopedics, obstetrics (childbirth), gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, gastroenterology, physiotherapy, and dental clinic.

A Typical Internship Day

A typical internship day runs from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Once a week, the day continues into the afternoon with a lesson. However, the internship times may vary depending on the department you are assigned to.

Reflection Time

The internship length is planned with time for reflection. The many impressions you will gain along the way require time for thought, and reflection is a central part of the learning process.

This process is supported by our internship coordinator, who is present daily during your program. The coordinator will regularly follow up on your experiences and help you work through your impressions, so you get the most out of your learning.

Duration of Stay

4-Week Minimum Duration

The minimum duration for a stay is 4 weeks, as we believe this length is appropriate for achieving a valuable learning outcome from the program.

Most participants choose a 4-week program.

Option for Longer Stays

Those who wish for a longer stay typically choose our combined program, where over 8 weeks, you visit both of our offered destinations—4 weeks in Uganda followed by 4 weeks in Zanzibar.

Cultural Activities Around the Internship

Time to Experience the Destination

The program is offered in Uganda and Zanzibar.

There is plenty of time to explore your chosen destination outside of the internship, in the afternoons and on weekends during the program.

We find that a strong community quickly forms among participants, and there’s great joy in sharing the experiences together both in and outside of the internship.

Fun Leisure Activities

We make sure to offer you and the rest of your group a lot of fun leisure activities. These activities help strengthen the community and provide great experiences as you encounter a culture different from your usual Danish one.

Several leisure activities are included in the stay, such as a sea safari in Zanzibar or a weekend safari tour on the savannah in Uganda.

Read More About the Destinations

You can read more about the destinations and the fun cultural experiences planned around the internship in Uganda here and in Zanzibar here.