A month spent providing care in Guatemala gave David Brown something lasting: the confidence to know he can thrive in under-resourced communities.  

“This experience has increased my confidence in being able to work in more rural and lower resource areas,” Brown wrote after returning from the trip, which he took while he was a resident physician. “I believe that I have the capability of practicing in these areas and will be on the outlook for opportunities that may arise in areas such as these.” 

Since 2018, Rural Health Education and Services has awarded more than 50 sponsorships worth $1,000 each to students, residents and fellows such as Brown. The International Medical Education and Mission Awards help future health care providers turn international medical experiences into reality. These experiences contribute to lasting, positive impacts in host communities while broadening cultural understanding and personal growth for the travelers, who must be currently enrolled in a health care training program.  

Providing care while learning lessons and language

As a fourth-year medical student in 2023, Faith Hampton traveled to Ecuador to focus on improving her Spanish language skills while providing medical service to a rural indigenous area of the Ecuadorian highlands. 

“I now feel much more confident in being a Spanish-speaking provider and interacting with Spanish-speaking patients,” Hampton wrote in her post-trip survey. “It affirmed my desire to serve internationally in some capacity as well and to work more with underserved populations here in the U.S.” 

Witnessing commitment in Brazil 

Immersion in a new culture can also shape how providers view patient care. Courtney Goetz traveled for five weeks to the southeastern regional capital of Brazil, Belo Horizonte, while she was a physical therapy student, thanks to support from the International Medical Education and Mission Award. 

She was struck by the passion of the professors and students she worked alongside, noting that their commitment to patient care showed not only in attentiveness, but in the genuine relationships they built. Therapy sessions felt personal, with patients arriving smiling, sharing laughter and common interests and forming trusting bonds with their physical therapists. 

“This experience has given me a little glimpse of what it’s like to be the person who doesn’t know or understand the commonly spoken language well,” Goetz said. “It confirmed my interest in serving underserved populations and reinforced my belief that everyone deserves access to quality care.” 

Expanding perspectives through research in Malaysia 

Award recipients have traveled across Central America, Asia, the Caribbean and Africa, gaining invaluable perspectives on global health systems. 

When Tilda Nieminen, a first- year medical student, arrived in Malaysia, she entered a health care system unlike any she had previously experienced. 

Motivated by her work with refugees and free clinics in Dallas, Nieminen traveled to Kuala Lumpur to conduct clinical research on tuberculosis re-screening at a nearby men’s prison. 

“The six weeks I spent in Malaysia has forever changed the way I see medicine and the role of a physician in the community,” she wrote in her 2024 post-trip survey. 

‘Career-defining experience’ in Zambia 

Jocelyn Pletcher, a third-year medical student, worked at the busy Beit Cure Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. 

Her schedule included assisting in surgery three days a week and working in clinic two days, treating cleft lip and palate cases, burn wounds and congenital abnormalities. 

“This was an incredible experience to learn not only about pediatric plastic surgery, but also how health care is delivered in low-resource settings,” Pletcher said. She also volunteered with pediatric patients after clinic hours, helping with educational activities and face painting. 

“This award paved the way for what was a career-defining experience,” Pletcher said. 

Application open now 

The 2026 International Medical Education and Mission Award cycle is open now through March 31. Priority is given to students, resident physicians and fellows who plan to practice in rural or underserved communities after completing their training. 
Learn more and apply for the IMEM Award