Helping out in Haiti

[error404]

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I've been looking into the requirements for helping with the relief efforts.

Thusfar, I can't find any organization that will take an MD (or DO) before they have their medical liscense.

I do know that many organizations are trying to get doctors on the ground.

Parners In Health is looking for folks, but I haven't heard back about requirements. Also, MSF and RedCross are organizing efforts.
http://pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html
Does anyone have more information on whether or not volunteerism as an intern or resident is possible?

 

[atsai3]

I've been looking into the requirements for helping with the relief efforts.

Thusfar, I can't find any organization that will take an MD (or DO) before they have their medical liscense.

I do know that many organizations are trying to get doctors on the ground.

Parners In Health is looking for folks, but I haven't heard back about requirements. Also, MSF and RedCross are organizing efforts.
http://pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html
Does anyone have more information on whether or not volunteerism as an intern or resident is possible?

The most productive and most efficient thing you can do to assist with relief efforts in Haiti at this point is give money.

-AT.

 

[KidDr]

I've been looking into the requirements for helping with the relief efforts.

Thusfar, I can't find any organization that will take an MD (or DO) before they have their medical liscense.

I do know that many organizations are trying to get doctors on the ground.

Parners In Health is looking for folks, but I haven't heard back about requirements. Also, MSF and RedCross are organizing efforts.
http://pih.org/inforesources/news/Haiti_Earthquake.html
Does anyone have more information on whether or not volunteerism as an intern or resident is possible?

PIH is only looking for physicians and nurses with extensive experience in trauma, disaster response, and emergency medicine.

Unless you are fully trained (and, preferably, speak Creole), financial contributions are the most beneficial way to help right now.

 

[dragonfly99]

Send $$$$.

 

[Substance]

While you're at it, send money to charities that allow the building of stable structures in other poor shanty-town nations. If we had been doing that all along, Haiti would not be in the shape it's in now.

It seems as if charity doesn't really cross our minds unless there's a big theatrical disaster.

 

[error404]

I understand the send money concept. Done.

But I did want to see if anyone had heard of any relief orgs that take MDs without licensing. Sounds like the answer is no.

 

[maxheadroom]

Correct, if you are not licensed to practice medicine independently in the U.S., it is extremely unlikely that an aid organization will take you out of the country. Send some money. Complete your training. When you're out in practice, then you can volunteer to go help people somewhere else.

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

Are you a med student? Check with your hospital.

Our hospital has sent a team through PIH already and another is leaving tomorrow morning. Not sure what you might be able to do but surely a willing heart and a strong back could be put to good use.

 

[atsai3]

I understand the send money concept. Done.

But I did want to see if anyone had heard of any relief orgs that take MDs without licensing. Sounds like the answer is no.

Even if you do find a relief organization that is willing to take a medical student with no licensing and no experience, the advice still stands. Send money. Don't get in the way, even if an organization is willing to waste other people's money to let you.

Someone mentioned that "a willing heart and a strong back" could be put to good use. That is true. There are plenty of willing hearts and strong backs already in Haiti, and plenty of them would be willing to work in exchange for food or health care or housing. So what you can do is send money to an organization with an established presence, and they can find a Haitian who can do it more efficiently (no two-week orientation) and more cheaply (no airfare), and -- depending on the kind of work involved -- paying and/or training the Haitian to do it could help to build capacity in a region of the capacity is sorely lacking.

-AT.