Traveling without mahrams

As salamu Alaykum, I’m a female medical student in KSA and everyone is urging us to do research and go to clinics in the US or Canada etc for research abroad to get more experience and that it is the only way we can match for residency in our future in good places. We would travel as a group of girls, but I read that traveling without a mahram is prohibited, so I’m not sure what to do in this case. Unfortunately we need to do these international research experiences (we must decide this week) and even for residency after 2 years, we’ll also have to end up traveling as there are no residency programs in KSA except for Saudi students, and all these things are vital for us to become capable and knowledgeable future physicians. I can’t travel with a mahram as I do not have a brother or anyone available to accompany me except girls. So what is the Islamic ruling on what to do in this case? Thank you.