International Medical Aid - IMA

10/12/2025

Community health begins with children learning and embracing healthy habits early. At Tudor Primary School, located at our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—we conducted a Hygiene Education Session grounded in a simple but powerful truth: the spaces where children learn together are also the places where germs can spread most easily. In classrooms full of energy and laughter, where students share books, meals, and desks, even small lapses in hygiene can quickly lead to illness. Our session helped students understand how everyday choices—like washing their hands after play, keeping their nails trimmed, and covering their mouths when sneezing—protect not only themselves but everyone around them.

For many children, this was more than learning rules; it was about understanding why those routines matter. Through interactive demonstrations, they practiced proper handwashing, asked questions, and made the connection between hygiene and staying healthy enough to come to school each day. What began as simple exercises became lessons in responsibility, empathy, and collective care.

The importance of these habits cannot be overstated. Shared environments such as schools amplify both the risks of infection and the opportunities for prevention. By adopting healthy routines together, children create spaces that are not only safer but also more resilient, where fewer days are lost to illness and education can flourish uninterrupted.

For our interns, the session served as a reminder that prevention often begins long before someone reaches a clinic or hospital. By planting these lessons in young minds, they witnessed how education can ripple outward—from classrooms to families, and from families to the wider community. When embraced as a shared commitment, hygiene becomes a cornerstone of stronger, healthier futures.

10/10/2025

As we transition into our Fall and Winter Programs, we want to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank-you to our incredible Program Staff at our flagship sites in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—and in South America—Cusco, Peru. Your dedication and leadership were the driving force behind hosting our most successful summer programs to date.

Operating IMA programs requires close collaboration between our large team in the United States and our on-site staff abroad, and to say that we have the best team is truly an understatement. Each and every day, our staff creates a welcoming home away from home for our interns, supports our organizational mission with professionalism and heart, and ensures that every participant feels seen, safe, and supported.

Your commitment has been the cornerstone of our work. You’ve kept operations running smoothly, guided interns with care, and fostered an environment where service and transformation can thrive.

The lessons learned, the memories made, and the impact achieved this summer are a direct reflection of your efforts. We are deeply grateful for everything each of you has done and for the role you played in making this season extraordinary. We look forward to continuing this work together and to all that the future holds.

10/08/2025

Recently, at our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—we hosted a Community Medical Clinic at Ndo Hivyo School for the Mentally Challenged. Over the course of the day, our team saw hundreds of patients, a turnout that underscored both the depth of need and the trust the community places in us. While our primary goal was to provide care, the day also served as a powerful reminder of the critical role health literacy plays—the ability to understand and effectively use health information.

During the clinic, we screened patients for a range of conditions and were struck by the high number of elevated blood pressure and blood sugar readings. These findings highlighted a truth often seen in underserved communities: without accessible knowledge, people may live with silent risks for years, unaware of the complications that can arise. Hypertension and diabetes are lifelong conditions that call for daily management—and that management begins with understanding.

That is where health literacy becomes transformative. When individuals understand why monitoring matters, how diet and exercise play a role, and when to seek care, they become active participants in their own well-being rather than passive recipients of healthcare. In this way, health literacy reduces preventable hospital visits, lowers long-term healthcare costs, and improves overall quality of life.

At Ndo Hivyo, every blood pressure reading became a teaching moment. Every conversation about blood sugar became an opportunity to explain not just numbers, but what those numbers mean in terms of daily choices. Patients left with prescriptions or referrals, along with a clearer sense of the steps they could take for themselves and their families.

At IMA, we believe clinics like these are more than medical interventions; they are moments of empowerment. Because when people understand their health, they are equipped to protect it. And with every lesson shared, we move one step closer to building communities where knowledge fuels resilience, prevention, and lasting change.

10/07/2025

Earlier this week, we shared the story of our Community Medical Clinic in Maras, Cusco—now, this reel brings that work to life.

You’ll see our interns collaborating directly with local physicians to provide medical care, essential medicines, and personalized support to community members who often face barriers to access.

Every interaction captured is more than a moment on camera—it’s a reflection of why these clinics matter: learning rooted in service, compassion put into action, and healthcare delivered with dignity.

10/06/2025

A core part of the IMA experience is the opportunity to gain early clinical exposure and hands-on training—experiences often reserved for students already in medical, PA, dental, nursing, or other graduate programs. One of our most popular Clinical Simulation Sessions focuses on teaching interns a range of suturing techniques, including simple interrupted, running, mattress, and subcuticular sutures, as well as suture removal and safe instrument handling.

Led by Senior Physician Mentors, interns not only learn these techniques as they would in graduate programs, but also practice them using medical simulation tools and animal models. They receive guidance on wound assessment, needle selection, knot security, sterility, and post-procedure care.

Having hosted thousands of interns—many of whom are now clinicians—we’ve seen students discover their passion for surgery, and in some cases, reveal an innate, natural talent through these sessions.

We are continuously expanding our clinical trainings and simulations. Beginning Summer 2026, we are introducing additional opportunities for students to experience micro-suturing and robotic-assisted surgical techniques—exposures rarely accessible at the pre-health level.

Applications are now open for Winter 2025 and Summer 2026 programs. Learn more about our award-winning study abroad and healthcare internship opportunities at medicalaid.org!

10/05/2025

At our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—a recent Community Medical Clinic in Maras, a traditional Andean village with an agriculture-based population and limited access to healthcare, brought essential services directly to residents who often face significant barriers to care. Guided by local healthcare professionals, IMA interns supported the delivery of vital services—including general medicine, obstetrics, primary care services, and mental health—extending care to individuals and families in need.

For many patients, the clinic offered a rare opportunity to receive timely medical attention and follow-up guidance for ongoing health concerns. Our interns didn’t just observe; they actively participated in patient care, turning classroom knowledge into practical skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the systemic challenges experienced by underserved populations.

Our clinic in Maras also underscored the importance of cultural exchange in global health. Beyond their clinical roles, interns connected with local residents known for both their resilience and warmth, set against the striking landscapes of Peru’s Sacred Valley. These experiences reinforced that healthcare is about more than treatment—it is about building trust, understanding cultural context, and recognizing the humanity at the heart of every patient interaction.

Ultimately, the clinic serves as a powerful reminder that meaningful impact happens when medical training is paired with compassion and service. By working alongside communities like Maras, our interns exemplify IMA’s mission to expand access to care while shaping the next generation of globally minded healthcare leaders.

10/04/2025

At our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—we recently held a Mental Health Awareness Clinic at Bomu Secondary School. The need for such spaces is clear—su***de remains one of the most urgent yet least discussed public health challenges in the region. A study of more than 2,600 Kenyan high school students revealed that 15.7% had attempted su***de, 14.9% had made a su***de plan, and 26.8% had experienced suicidal ideation. These numbers make clear the danger of staying silent. Too often, mental health struggles are dismissed or misread as weakness—but that silence can be deadly.

Our clinic provided a safe space where students could speak openly, listen with empathy, and understand that vulnerability is not fragility—it is strength. By confronting stigma, we worked to replace fear with understanding, isolation with connection, and despair with hope. These conversations reminded both students and our interns that seeking help is an act of courage, and offering help can save lives.

At IMA, we believe mental health education goes beyond awareness—it is advocacy. It means teaching young people that their voices matter, their struggles are real, and that support is both available and essential. Su***de prevention begins with compassion, honesty, and a shared responsibility to ensure no one suffers alone. Every life has value. Every story deserves to be heard. And every step taken to dismantle stigma is a step toward saving lives.

10/03/2025

Delivering healthcare in underserved communities and for vulnerable patient populations has long been at the heart of IMA’s mission—and this commitment continues to guide our efforts across South America. At our flagship site in this region—Cusco, Peru—earlier this summer we hosted a Community Medical Clinic in Yucay, a small village in the Sacred Valley, where residents often face barriers to accessing timely and affordable care.

What made Yucay unique was the way care extended beyond the clinic itself. With guidance from local providers, patients gained immediate medical treatment paired with lasting knowledge to support their health well beyond the clinic. This approach reflects IMA’s commitment to sustainable, community-centered care that equips individuals with both treatment and understanding.

The clinic day also reflected the deep sense of mutual respect that underpins global health work. Following the clinic, community members welcomed our team with a traditional meal, a gesture of hospitality that underscored the bonds built through service. For many of our interns, it was in these shared moments, beyond the medical setting, that they gained lasting insight into what it truly means to serve with humility and partnership.

At International Medical Aid, we remain committed to extending care, strengthening partnerships, and shaping the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Learn more about our mission and discover ways to contribute at medicalaid.org!

10/02/2025

The foundation of good health often lies in the most basic daily habits. At Pentrose Community School, located at our flagship site in East Africa—Mombasa, Kenya—our interns led a Hygiene Education Session that transformed everyday routines like brushing teeth and washing hands into powerful lessons in disease prevention. Through hands-on demonstrations, the children learned how to carry out these tasks correctly and why they matter—for their health, their families, and their wider community.

It’s easy to assume that handwashing or toothbrushing doesn’t need special attention, especially if you practice them regularly. Yet not everyone has the same awareness, and in many parts of the world, access to soap or clean running water cannot be taken for granted. These barriers make it challenging for families to consistently follow the very practices that protect against illness.

The World Health Organization underscores this reality with a vital statistic: effective hand hygiene and other infection-prevention measures can reduce avoidable healthcare-associated infections by up to 70%. Hygiene is not “just routine”—it is one of the most effective, low-cost ways to save lives and strengthen public health.

Improving hygiene extends beyond personal diligence; it also means encouraging those around us to develop the same habits. Whether it’s gently reminding children to wash their hands or reinforcing the importance of daily toothbrushing, these small acts foster lifelong routines that build healthier futures.

09/29/2025

As our Summer 2025 Programs draw to a close, we’re left with a powerful question: What does it truly mean to embark on an internship with IMA? For our alumni in Mombasa, Kenya, the answer goes far beyond clinical experience—it’s about growth, purpose, and the lasting impact of service.⁣⁣⁣
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Over the coming weeks, we will share the stories of individual interns—how their IMA experiences have shaped their worldview, immersed them in intensive clinical training, allowed them to contribute meaningfully to underserved communities, and ultimately prepared them to become compassionate, culturally competent healthcare leaders.⁣⁣⁣
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Applications are now open for Winter and Summer 2026 Healthcare Internship Programs. Learn more and apply today at medicalaid.org!

09/26/2025

As we transition into Fall 2025, we proudly celebrate our final Summer 2025 cohort at our flagship site in South America—Cusco, Peru—who brought the season to a close with an experience rooted in learning, growth, humanity, and steadfast purpose. Their time in Peru was a powerful reminder that an internship is about more than clinical knowledge—it is about discovering the kind of healthcare professionals they seek to become.

In Cusco’s public hospitals, our interns confronted the realities of medicine in resource-limited settings, learning to adapt quickly, collaborate effectively, and lead with compassion. They discovered that healing extends beyond procedures and diagnoses; it is presence, empathy, and the ability to meet people where they are. Each patient encounter shaped their perspective on medicine and on humanity.

Along the way, our interns forged strong bonds with one another, turning challenges into growth and moments of reflection into lasting lessons. As they return home to continue their studies and careers, we honor their contributions in Peru and the resilience, curiosity, and dedication they carried through every experience.

Congratulations to our final Summer 2025 cohort in Cusco. You have closed this season with enduring purpose, passion, and a deep commitment to healthcare equity. You have built upon IMA initiatives that will continue long after your time here and ensured your impact resonates well into the future.

09/24/2025