Are there any “good” Mission Trips??

[PeckEm20]

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So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

 

[gyngyn]

So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

Have you found an organization that can demonstrate that you are not taking a job away from a local?

 

[candbgirl]

Why do you have to leave the US to do good? Lots of opportunities right here at home. Might not be as “romantic” but there are disaster relief projects right here in the US. There is also Habitat for Humanity that can use your strength and skill set. If you want travel do it. Traveling is great but leave the volunteering and doing good for people and cuties and towns right here at home.

 

[PeckEm20]

Have you found an organization that can prove that you are not taking a job away from a local?

I have not. That’s why I made this thread. If I can’t find something that I feel like would ACTUALLY be helping, I’m not going to go on any sort of trip. I was wondering if anyone knew of anything that I didn’t

 

[PeckEm20]

Why do you have to leave the US to do good? Lots of opportunities right here at home. Might not be as “romantic” but there are disaster relief projects right here in the US. There is also Habitat for Humanity that can use your strength and skill set. If you want travel do it. Traveling is great but leave the volunteering and doing good for people and cuties and towns right here at home.

Honestly I’ve just about given up on the hope of being able to help people abroad. I don’t know, I guess I just had the conception that helping them would be better than helping people in the US because their countries often times can’t or won’t offer any help, but I guess neither do most of these mission trip organizations - they just give the perception of actually helping.

Do you know of any disaster relief programs I could get involved with in the US? I would be happy to do something like that as well, I just didn’t know how much need there was. I already volunteer in my local community, but I would like to help some people in dire need if I could. For example, I was really involved with gutting houses for people in Southeast Texas following Hurricane Harvey (but I’m from Southeast Texas, so this wasn’t difficult to get involved with).

 

[PeckEm20]

Honestly I’ve just about given up on the hope of being able to help people abroad. I don’t know, I guess I just had the conception that helping them would be better than helping people in the US because their countries often times can’t or won’t offer any help, but I guess neither do most of these mission trip organizations - they just give the perception of actually helping.

Do you know of any disaster relief programs I could get involved with in the US? I would be happy to do something like that as well, I just didn’t know how much need there was. I already volunteer in my local community, but I would like to help some people in dire need if I could. For example, I was really involved with gutting houses for people in Southeast Texas following Hurricane Harvey (but I’m from Southeast Texas, so this wasn’t difficult to get involved with).

Also, I wouldn’t be able to join any organizations that would require me to travel across the country to help on a monent’s notice. I’m not sure how these programs work, but I would only be able to travel when my school schedule allowed it, because my number one priority is school right now. (Except not during the summer, which is why I wanted to do something then.)

 

[deleted787552]

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

I would argue that unless you plan on going back consistently to help a specific location or community of people, then it's pretty worthless. The amount of actual ''good'' that foreigners do for a place seems to be pretty negligible especially since most of these are short term events. I've been told that a good volunteer organization is one that consistently goes back to the same places on a regular basis and is not religiously affiliated.

I agree with the other poster though. Why try to go out there when there's millions of people who could use your help here?

 

[PeckEm20]

I would argue that unless you plan on going back consistently to help a specific location or community of people, then it's pretty worthless. The amount of actual ''good'' that foreigners do for a place seems to be pretty negligible especially since most of these are short term events. I've been told that a good volunteer organization is one that consistently goes back to the same places on a regular basis and is not religiously affiliated.

I agree with the other poster though. Why try to go out there when there's millions of people who could use your help here?

Honestly, y’all are right. I stated why in a previous reply, but I can see how that was a misconceived notion. I guess it also comes down a little to me being selfish and wanting to be doing “life-changing” volunteering/feel like my contribution is really helping (like helping with Hurricane Harvey relief). I know that’s not what it should be about and that helping out at a soup kitchen, for example, is arguably just as helpful and impactful. I’m looking at the Habitat for Humanity website now to see how to get involved, bc there is a location nearby

 

[Goro]

So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

US military relief missions
Peace Corp
Doctors Without Borders

 

[deleted480308]

I call bullcrap on it being bad to “take a job from a local”. If the work is work you know how to do then go and do it if you want and the local that could have been doing that is freed up to do other labor and the person who would have paid the local now still has money that would have otherwise been spent.

But don’t go there and do anything medical you aren’t appropriate for

 

[deleted480308]

I would argue that unless you plan on going back consistently to help a specific location or community of people, then it's pretty worthless. The amount of actual ''good'' that foreigners do for a place seems to be pretty negligible especially since most of these are short term events. I've been told that a good volunteer organization is one that consistently goes back to the same places on a regular basis and is not religiously affiliated.

I agree with the other poster though. Why try to go out there when there's millions of people who could use your help here?

Religious affiliation is not a negative thing

 

[Dr. Snow]

I went on multiple mission trips with Global brigades. They are probably the best one. Many medical schools use them for their own students. Interviewed at 3 schools and accepted at all 3. I think people are overly negative about these trips (although I'm sure some of the organizations are sketchy). Just be able to talk about them in a meaningful way and make sure you also have a lot of volunteer hours in your local community.

 

[deleted787552]

Honestly, y’all are right. I stated why in a previous reply, but I can see how that was a misconceived notion. I guess it also comes down a little to me being selfish and wanting to be doing “life-changing” volunteering/feel like my contribution is really helping (like helping with Hurricane Harvey relief). I know that’s not what it should be about and that helping out at a soup kitchen, for example, is arguably just as helpful and impactful. I’m looking at the Habitat for Humanity website now to see how to get involved, bc there is a location nearby

I know that sometimes it feels like you have to go help people in some third world country for it to count as ''life changing'' but in reality, there's a lot of people here that will benefit from your help. Habitat is a great place to start!

Religious affiliation is not a negative thing

Depends on the context and organization. Many times, a religious organization (often christian churches) go on these trips to convert locals. They use their actions and 'good deeds' as a way to spread their agenda. I consider these negative things in those cases.

 

[Osteosaur]

you're an unskilled, and probably fat and weak, laborer who knows less about the thing you're trying to do than people already there

this is not the movie avatar

 

[shemer77]

you're an unskilled, and probably fat and weak, laborer who knows less about the thing you're trying to do than people already there

this is not the movie avatar

kinda harsh ya think?

 

[deleted480308]

I know that sometimes it feels like you have to go help people in some third world country for it to count as ''life changing'' but in reality, there's a lot of people here that will benefit from your help. Habitat is a great place to start!



Depends on the context and organization. Many times, a religious organization (often christian churches) go on these trips to convert locals. They use their actions and 'good deeds' as a way to spread their agenda. I consider these negative things in those cases.

Show love, teach love

It’s positive

 

[LizzyM]

There are some groups (including some that are part of a faith community) that go on a Habitat for Humanity trip every summer year after year to the same site. My kids did this in HS and I just learned of an undergrad campus group that has been going to the same community in another part of the country (very different culture) for >10 years. Habitat for Humanity has a track record and does provide assistance to people who are trying to help themselves but who can't do it alone. I'd suggest checking it out.

 

[dpmd]

So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

If you aren't set on leaving the country i suggest you check out Team Rubicon. This is a disaster relief organization that also has a global component though you need you have special skills in order to be on the international team. I have done some humanitarian stuff with them in greece and some medical disaster response with them in Puerto Rico, but the domestic deployments require no special skills aside from a willingness to serve. I have mucked out flooded homes and helped clear debris after fire with them and it feels really great to get out there and help folks. What I like best about the organization is that they strive to make sure no one is being a disaster tourist and they make efforts to help the local economy when doing international stuff so a lot of the issue brought up with international missions does not really apply to them. And for domestic operations they strive to help the most disadvantaged neighborhoods and homeowners. It is a veteran founded and veteran focused group but everyone is welcome to join. You can pm me for more info if you are interested. The other really great part is they pay for travel and most other expenses so you get to do good without burning your savings.

 

[candbgirl]

Honestly, y’all are right. I stated why in a previous reply, but I can see how that was a misconceived notion. I guess it also comes down a little to me being selfish and wanting to be doing “life-changing” volunteering/feel like my contribution is really helping (like helping with Hurricane Harvey relief). I know that’s not what it should be about and that helping out at a soup kitchen, for example, is arguably just as helpful and impactful. I’m looking at the Habitat for Humanity website now to see how to get involved, bc there is a location nearby

Don’t think of it being life changing for you think of it being life changing for the people you help. Last summer Habitat for Humanity had a really big project near Notre Dame. They constructed several houses over the time they were there(Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter took part). It was truly life changing for the recipients of the houses and I bet it was awfully life changing for the workers too. It’s all how you look at things. In your situation HFH would be good because you can do it when you are on schoolbreaks.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Have you found an organization that can demonstrate that you are not taking a job away from a local?

Does Engineers Without Borders qualify? They're using their expertise in engineering to help locals.

 

[getdown]

just go and not list it as an activity. If you really care that much why do you care if you can list it on a med school app? Just do it.

 

[DirtBike]

Honestly I’ve just about given up on the hope of being able to help people abroad. I don’t know, I guess I just had the conception that helping them would be better than helping people in the US because their countries often times can’t or won’t offer any help, but I guess neither do most of these mission trip organizations - they just give the perception of actually helping.

Do you know of any disaster relief programs I could get involved with in the US? I would be happy to do something like that as well, I just didn’t know how much need there was. I already volunteer in my local community, but I would like to help some people in dire need if I could. For example, I was really involved with gutting houses for people in Southeast Texas following Hurricane Harvey (but I’m from Southeast Texas, so this wasn’t difficult to get involved with).

Fellow southeast Texas resident. PECKEM!!!

 

[gyngyn]

Does Engineers Without Borders qualify? They're using their expertise in engineering to help locals.

Teaching and providing expertise in the form of an extended consult is certainly meritorious.

 

[Alex1234*]

If you want to work with other cultures and feel like you’re making a “global” impact, you could look into local refugee and immigrant services. A lot of these services lack funding so they heavily rely on volunteers. I’ve been helping teach Adult English classes and it’s been one of the coolest things I’ve done in undergrad. You actually have the ability to make an impact and you get to legitimately connect with other cultures over a longer period of time.

 

[Stagg737]

US military relief missions
Peace Corp
Doctors Without Borders

Those are great organizations which require long-term commitments that many people may not be able to do. Additionally DWB (or MSF if you speak Spanish) do not accept anyone but physicians for their trips which require a minimum 9 week commitment unless there are special, extenuating circumstances.

you're an unskilled, and probably fat and weak, laborer who knows less about the thing you're trying to do than people already there

this is not the movie avatar

In some places there is no one "already there". I did a few med mission trips and many of the locations we went to were way out in the country/jungle and only saw any kind of physician every 4-6 months. There is no one "already there" providing aid.

I think there is this general mentality that global medical mission trips are bad, which in my experience is just not true. There are plenty which aren't great and are more like volunteer tourism than actually providing relief. However there are also great programs which serve communities who legitimately never receive medical attention or have ongoing presence in communities to provide continued care. Anyone interested just has to do their research on these groups to find the ones which are actually making a difference.

 

[atomi]

So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

Nope. Volunteer locally if it matters to you and use your trip for vacation. Stay in the hotels (not airBNBs owned by rich foreigners) and eat at the local restaurants and hire the local guides and tip well. Their legitimate labor depend on the tourism industry, not begging for handouts from rich foreigners.

 

[Goro]

Those are great organizations which require long-term commitments that many people may not be able to do. Additionally DWB (or MSF if you speak Spanish) do not accept anyone but physicians for their trips which require a minimum 9 week commitment unless there are special, extenuating circumstances.



In some places there is no one "already there". I did a few med mission trips and many of the locations we went to were way out in the country/jungle and only saw any kind of physician every 4-6 months. There is no one "already there" providing aid.

I think there is this general mentality that global medical mission trips are bad, which in my experience is just not true. There are plenty which aren't great and are more like volunteer tourism than actually providing relief. However there are also great programs which serve communities who legitimately never receive medical attention or have ongoing presence in communities to provide continued care. Anyone interested just has to do their research on these groups to find the ones which are actually making a difference.

Shot term trips just reinforce the notion that one is doing medical tourism. And the rest of you, listen to the wise atomi's advice.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

The only thing I could think of that's both short term and meritorious - in a foreign country - is Engineers Without Borders, as previously mentioned.

 

[Biochemistry69]

Voluntourism irks me. If I look on facebook and I see pictures of you with a bunch of children from X third world country, I'm going to assume you're trying to profit off of someone's tragedy. I don't respect people who do this. I don't understand why people go over seas to help the poor and disadvantaged when they could just volunteer downtown and help the underserved. Having a bunch of untrained undergraduates assist in medical procedures (or sometimes, jobs meant for people licensed in construction/contracting) isn't smart.

Some sociologists say it creates a foreign dependency and can **** up the entire area by ruining the native culture and resources. I agree. So happy to see medical schools are starting to treat these trips for what they are: a glorified vacation that you can use for social media likes.

Maybe I'm just salty that my school's city has a MASSIVE alcohol, heroin, meth, and homeless problem that the students don't seem to care about...

 

[deleted804295]

So I am a pre-med applying this cycle. I don’t currently have any plans for this coming summer (between my junior and senior year of college) and I plan on working a lot to save up some money, but I also had the idea of going on a medical mission trip. I always remember friends going on mission trips with church groups when I was younger but I never had the opportunity. But I’ve always wanted to do something like that...then I did my research and just about EVERYTHING I found said that medical mission trips available to pre-meds are bad bc you aren’t qualified to actually do any good and you’ll just get in the way, and even in some cases be allowed to perform medical procedures you aren’t qualified for which could be harmful and is unethical and is taking advantage of people in dire need. I also read on here about many adcoms’ views about it and the whole idea of “medical voluntourism”, so I sadly decided that I shouldn’t pursue the idea given that I couldn’t do any good and it wouldn’t help (and could even hurt) my resume.

I then had the idea of doing some other type of mission trip. I don’t really care if it’s medical, because I don’t want to do it just to boost my resume. I was thinking perhaps one of the construction/renovation mission trips I have heard about, because I’m young and in good physical shape and would really like the experience of getting to travel to a completely different culture to help people in need. (And I’m aware of the argument many people could make that is going to say that I can do more good in the US and should donate my money instead of spending it on a flight to another country to volunteer, but this is just something I really want to do. And I already volunteer 2 days a week in my local community. I don’t want to do it for volunteer hours or anything.)...however as I started looking for this type of mission trip, I found it difficult to find reputable, transparent organizations to travel with. Articles such as this one ( https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/?amp ) discouraged me from even doing a construction type of mission trip.

Are there any programs/organizations out there that are actually doing good and that I could help with, or is every single one that I would be qualified for just a scam that’s hurting the communities more than it’s helping?

I would assume disaster relief trips would be more helpful and maybe actually needed (though only short term), and I would love to do that if it were an option, but I am not currently aware of anything of that sort with which I could help..I tried to go on a trip to Jordan to help Syrian refugees with a friend of mine who is Syrian but I was denied because I didn’t speak Arabic (and obviously wasn’t medically qualified, so without being able to translate, I wouldn’t have been able to help really). He went however and said it was an incredible experience (he assisted doctors by translating between English and Arabic).

Sorry for the long post, but I just really want to know if there is anything out there that I could do to help in another culture with need through a good organization where we would actually be doing good and not just spending money that doesn’t go to the cause to take a vacation and make the volunteers feel good about themselves

If you're still involved in church you could always do a church mission trip. Not everything in your experiences needs to be medically related.

Do what you love. If you love working with kids do a trip where you teach kids from other countries English for free.

You could also do a trip where you do something ethnography related. Perhaps writing about a different culture in a passive role so that you are in a learning role and helping out in a village with whatever might be needed. Ie. In farming villages you could help with farm work in exchange for a place to live. You can tie it to medicine by showing how this taught about diverse cultures- something applicable to schools in metropolitan areas with diverse populations.

Do what you love and let that guide you to medicine 🙂

 

[deleted480308]

Voluntourism irks me. If I look on facebook and I see pictures of you with a bunch of children from X third world country, I'm going to assume you're trying to profit off of someone's tragedy. I don't respect people who do this. I don't understand why people go over seas to help the poor and disadvantaged when they could just volunteer downtown and help the underserved. Having a bunch of untrained undergraduates assist in medical procedures (or sometimes, jobs meant for people licensed in construction/contracting) isn't smart.

Some sociologists say it creates a foreign dependency and can **** up the entire area by ruining the native culture and resources. I agree. So happy to see medical schools are starting to treat these trips for what they are: a glorified vacation that you can use for social media likes.

Maybe I'm just salty that my school's city has a MASSIVE alcohol, heroin, meth, and homeless problem that the students don't seem to care about...

What do you do for the alcohol/homeless/meth/heroin problem

 

[Biochemistry69]

What do you do for the alcohol/homeless/meth/heroin problem

I've volunteered at the same two places for my entire time at that university. I currently drive an hour each week now back to the city to continue helping. I also just finished training for a small position in addiction counseling for that city.

 

[deleted480308]

I've volunteered at the same two places for my entire time at that university. I currently drive an hour each week now back to the city to continue helping. I also just finished training for a small position in addiction counseling for that city.

So why do you believe you get to decide who others help?

 

[Biochemistry69]

So why do you believe you get to decide who others help?

If you're going to volunteer and help the underserved, check with your neighbors before going off to a foreign country and further causing issues.

 

[dpmd]

Not helping others elsewhere because people nearby need help too doesn't really make sense if the help you are giving elsewhere has a greater impact. So stuff like vaccination programs or even mosquito net distribution may save or improve more lives with the same expenditure versus local efforts helping the homeless or addicted. But going somewhere and unskillfully building a school using imported labor and having no plans for maintenance or staffing the place would not. Going to a place and providing a few weeks of meds with no plan for getting more meds or follow up may cause more issues than it helps but a program that has teams that switch out or return at known intervals and incorporates local labor for follow up in between may cause fewer issues.

 

[deleted480308]

If you're going to volunteer and help the underserved, check with your neighbors before going off to a foreign country and further causing issues.

It’s your call to do what you want with your time.

By your logic you are wrong by driving an hour to help people when there are poor people closer. Do you see how silly that sounds?

 

[RNtoMD87]

I agree with an on two things- help whoever you feel called to. I helped Iraqis when I was there on deployment, and while many of them were tired of our presence, we helped a lot of the local kids especially, but adults as well and many were thankful for us.

Second, I don’t buy the bs “taking a job from a local” either. You volunteering to go and do physical labor isn’t going to wreck their economy. That’s laughable. This is nothing like how America goes and throws billions at a struggling country and totally wrecks them economically.

 

[dpmd]

I agree with an on two things- help whoever you feel called to. I helped Iraqis when I was there on deployment, and while many of them were tired of our presence, we helped a lot of the local kids especially, but adults as well and many were thankful for us.

Second, I don’t buy the bs “taking a job from a local” either. You volunteering to go and do physical labor isn’t going to wreck their economy. That’s laughable. This is nothing like how America goes and throws billions at a struggling country and totally wrecks them economically.

I don't think it is so much that it will wreck their economy as much as it is fairly inefficient to fly over a bunch unskilled folks to do stuff instead of using local labor. Not sure how it shakes out for skilled stuff. I hope better considering I do a surgical trip. I hope I am not taking patients who could pay away from local surgeons.

 

[RNtoMD87]

The way I see it, there is a void that needs to be filled if volunteering is valued. A couple of extra hands is always nice, even if we aren’t as efficient workers.

It may be inefficent, but much of what is done is inefficent. Hell look at our medical system in America. I don’t think the fact of it being inefficent makes it harmful.

Personally, I have more sympathy for people in need in foreign countries where people live on less than a dollar a day. Few things affect me very emotionally but when I see these commercials I get misty eyed every time. I have put thought into participating

I have to go against the grain and say volunteer wherever you feel called to do so. That way you’ll be inclined to give 100%.

 

[TMC07]

One of the biggest issues with missions is reinforcing the perception that outsiders are needed. Imagine growing up in world where you are taught to believe that foreigners are superior to you simply because of the color of their skin or the amount of money they have. When unskilled volunteers go abroad to “help”, they are just reinforcing this idea. It’s like saying, “hey, I don’t know what I’m doing, but you should listen to me and let me do what I want in order to help you because I have privilege.” This is basically the White Savior Complex in a nutshell.

People going on these trips also really need to ask why they want to go abroad to do such work. What’s the difference between working with the underserved in your own community and those abroad? I would argue that it’s all about location. People want to go and see the world. They want that insta post and they want people to think they’re so adventurous, so the idea of volunteering abroad is more appealing than volunteering down the street. However, they don’t realize that they’re hurting more than helping by doing this. If you wanna travel, then travel. But don’t use volunteering as an excuse to do so.

The desire to help others isn’t wrong, but you can make a much bigger difference working in a place where you understand the culture and speak the language and are familiar with the basic way of life. The organizations that often run these trips aren’t setup to be effective or sustainable. They’re designed to give the volunteer a great experience, which is another big problem in and of itself. If you want to help abroad, donate money to an organization that is in the country long term and is dedicated to building capacity.

 

[deleted480308]

One of the biggest issues with missions is reinforcing the perception that outsiders are needed. Imagine growing up in world where you are taught to believe that foreigners are superior to you simply because of the color of their skin or the amount of money they have. When unskilled volunteers go abroad to “help”, they are just reinforcing this idea. It’s like saying, “hey, I don’t know what I’m doing, but you should listen to me and let me do what I want in order to help you because I have privilege.” This is basically the White Savior Complex in a nutshell.

People going on these trips also really need to ask why they want to go abroad to do such work. What’s the difference between working with the underserved in your own community and those abroad? I would argue that it’s all about location. People want to go and see the world. They want that insta post and they want people to think they’re so adventurous, so the idea of volunteering abroad is more appealing than volunteering down the street. However, they don’t realize that they’re hurting more than helping by doing this. If you wanna travel, then travel. But don’t use volunteering as an excuse to do so.

The desire to help others isn’t wrong, but you can make a much bigger difference working in a place where you understand the culture and speak the language and are familiar with the basic way of life. The organizations that often run these trips aren’t setup to be effective or sustainable. They’re designed to give the volunteer a great experience, which is another big problem in and of itself. If you want to help abroad, donate money to an organization that is in the country long term and is dedicated to building capacity.

Bit of a strawman here. Not all foreign trips have americans doing thing they aren’t qualified to do, not everyone goes for an instagram post, and it’s not proven to be bad for the locals.....

Go if you want to go but do it appropriately

 

[TMC07]

Bit of a strawman here. Not all foreign trips have americans doing thing they aren’t qualified to do, not everyone goes for an instagram post, and it’s not proven to be bad for the locals.....

Go if you want to go but do it appropriately

This can be true. However, concerning premeds going on missions, they’re absolutely not qualified to do anything (most of the time). And the short term duration of such trips creates dependence and further solidifies the idea of privilege I mentioned above. To be effective there needs to be true capacity building. Most premeds and medical students don’t have the skills to go abroad and do development work in a meaningful way, unless they’re going with the Peace Corps or a comparable organization. Going just because you want to is exactly what’s wrong with the whole fad of voluntourims and why it’s such a hot topic these days.

 

[deleted480308]

This can be true. However, concerning premeds going on missions, they’re absolutely not qualified to do anything (most of the time). And the short term duration of such trips creates dependence and further solidifies the idea of privilege I mentioned above. To be effective there needs to be true capacity building. Most premeds and medical students don’t have the skills to go abroad and do development work in a meaningful way, unless they’re going with the Peace Corps or a comparable organization. Going just because you want to is exactly what’s wrong with the whole fad of voluntourims and why it’s such a hot topic these days.

You might be completely unaware of the types of trips that aren’t solely medical based. I agree no one should go and do things they aren’t medically trained to do.

I’ll repeat my disagreement with your points on “privilege” and the economic effects of dependence

Going because you want is fine

 

[TMC07]

You might be completely unaware of the types of trips that aren’t solely medical based. I agree no one should go and do things they aren’t medically trained to do.

I’ll repeat my disagreement with your points on “privilege” and the economic effects of dependence

Going because you want is fine

No, I actually think more of nonmedical work. I’m an older med student who worked in international development for several years before medical school. I’ve seen so many kids fly over to places like Vietnam or Ghana for a week or two to build schools that don’t get used for education because they can’t be staffed. This is just an example, but the point is, you don’t know what you’re getting into when you go or if the work you’re doing is even wanted or needed. The only way to really know this is to truly know the place you’re going. Locals often don’t want to insult the “superior foreigners”, so they smile and nod and say it’s all good. But often times, if you actually speak to people in these communities, they’d rather these organizations not be there. (Which makes sense because why would they want a bunch of people running around who don’t respect their culture or way of life?) But in order to get to know a place and it’s people and understand what is needed and wanted, you have to know the local language and make connections with people. You can’t do this on a mission trip.

In my professional experience, I’ve never seen a good mission trip or volunteer organization that was in the country short term.

 

[deleted480308]

No, I actually think more of nonmedical work. I’m an older med student who worked in international development for several years before medical school. I’ve seen so many kids fly over to places like Vietnam or Ghana for a week or two to build schools that don’t get used for education because they can’t be staffed. This is just an example, but the point is, you don’t know what you’re getting into when you go or if the work you’re doing is even wanted or needed. The only way to really know this is to truly know the place you’re going. Locals often don’t want to insult the “superior foreigners”, so they smile and nod and say it’s all good. But often times, if you actually speak to people in these communities, they’d rather these organizations not be there. (Which makes sense because why would they want a bunch of people running around who don’t respect their culture or way of life?) But in order to get to know a place and it’s people and understand what is needed and wanted, you have to know the local language and make connections with people. You can’t do this on a mission trip.

In my professional experience, I’ve never seen a good mission trip or volunteer organization that was in the country short term.

then your experience has been limited and potentially skewed by ideology.

We may just agree to disagree on this one

 

[TMC07]

then your experience has been limited and potentially skewed by ideology.

We may just agree to disagree on this one

Hahahah okay, my years of international development experience are “limited”

They have definitely shaped my view, but just because my view is different from yours doesn’t mean it’s limited. Gosh, I’m literally laughing out loud right now! Great way to start my day, thanks

 

[deleted480308]

Hahahah okay, my years of international development experience are “limited”

They have definitely shaped my view, but just because my view is different from yours doesn’t mean it’s limited. Gosh, I’m literally laughing out loud right now! Great way to start my day, thanks

if you've never seen one be beneficial, then yes.....your experience is limited. I stand by that

 

[TMC07]

if you've never seen one be beneficial, then yes.....your experience is limited. I stand by that

Or it means that few actually are. I stand by that with professional experience.

 

[deleted480308]

Or it means that few actually are. I stand by that with professional experience.

then we can stick with agree to disagree

 

[TMC07]

then we can stick with agree to disagree

I suppose so