Global Experience

Explore a wide range of global and cross-cultural experiences—whether abroad or within diverse communities—to deepen your understanding of different healthcare systems, broaden your cultural competence, and strengthen your readiness to professionally practice in an increasingly interconnected and globalized world.

Many PreHealth students have a strong interest in global health or a personal passion for travel but aren’t sure how to incorporate these interests into their PreHealth pathway in a meaningful and strategic way. Whether you’re hoping to gain clinical experience abroad, learn from different healthcare systems, or engage in culturally immersive academics, there are many ways to connect your global interests to your future healthcare career.

Use the resources below to help you get started, explore options, and plan an experience that aligns with your goals, values, and timeline.

Global First-Year Programs (NUin, Global Scholars, London Scholars, NYC Scholars, Oakland Direct Admit): Beginning Fall 2023, all Global First-Year Program courses will be co-registered at NU in the equivalent courses, graded with standard U.S. letter grades, and appear on your undergraduate transcript as Northeastern University courses. Thus, most health professional programs accept these courses towards prerequisite course requirements. These changes are not retroactive prior to Fall 2023. Program alumni should refer to the Alumni Resources page to determine how coursework will be reported.

Dialogue of Civilizations: These immersive global experiences are led by Northeastern faculty during the summer! While these programs are physically facilitated at various institutions internationally, they are fully Northeastern University courses. Thus, health professional programs accept these courses towards prerequisite course requirements.

Semester/Summer In: These semester-long immersive experiences provide opportunities to engage in industry site-visits, alumni and networking events, guest lectures, and opportunities for co-op, all while taking Northeastern courses across our Global Campus Network. While these programs are physically facilitated at various institutions internationally, they are fully Northeastern University courses. Thus, health professional programs accept these courses towards prerequisite course requirements.

Traditional Study Abroad: Health graduate programs commonly require all prerequisite courses be taken in the US/Canada education system. While Northeastern University-sponsored study abroad coursework is transferred with grades to your undergraduate transcript and WILL be included in your GPA calculations for your health graduate program application, they remain subject to school-specific study abroad and coursework policies and are not guaranteed to contribute to an applicant’s satisfaction of course requirements. Therefore, when selecting a traditional study abroad destination, it is recommended that students attend a U.S. institution overseas OR a U.S. study abroad provider program. If attending a foreign institution, we recommend abstaining from taking health professional program prerequisites during this term.

If a student DOES enroll in required coursework for their health graduate program at a foreign institution, the most common remedy is to complete additional coursework in that subject area before applying. Alternatively, some programs may permit these courses if accompanied by a foreign coursework evaluation.

Unsure if the program you are considering is a good option for your PreHealth pathway? Use our Global Experience Options for PreMed & PreHealth Students Flowchart to guide you and/or schedule a meeting with your PreHealth Advisor!

Many PreHealth students pursue global service and experiential learning through university-sponsored programs such as Global Medical or Dental Brigades, the Alternative Breaks Program, Global Co-op, and more. These experiences may include volunteering, research, or clinically focused work abroad conducted under the supervision of U.S.-licensed practitioners or organizations, ensuring appropriate oversight and safety. While international research poses no concerns for future applications, clinical experiences abroad must adhere to ethical standards consistent with those in the United States, as listed in the guidelines published by the AAMC. Clinical exposure abroad should also be complemented by experience in the U.S. to demonstrate familiarity with the domestic healthcare system to strengthen an applicant’s preparation for admission.

Most U.S. health graduate program application timelines span a full calendar year or more and consist of several phases during which being physically present in the United States is beneficial—or, in some cases, required. General application timelines can be found here.

It is generally recommended that students plan to be in the U.S. beginning in the spring preceding the submission of their application and remain in the country throughout the application year. Students who will be outside of the U.S. during this time should carefully consider how they will complete key application components—such as entrance exams, application submission, and in-person interviews—while abroad.

Following your study abroad experience, you may need support with entering study abroad coursework into your application, requesting a foreign transcript evaluation, and/or sharing your study abroad experience in your application service’s activities section.

Our annual Application Workshops and Applicant FAQ include guidance on how to accurately incorporate your study abroad experiences within centralized application systems.