Medical "Mission Trips" Volutneering

[lt64169]

Hello!

This is my first post here and I made this account specifically to ask this question. Does anyone here have any experience with Medical volunteering trips abroad (non religious)? I am an EMT with IV certification and have found some organizations through google searches but I'm wondering if anyone here has personally used a particular organization.

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Deleted member 750603]

Water Hands Hope. Volunteering opportunities in PNG/Nepal/Bhutan

Fill out the volunteer form and someone will get back to you.

I also designed their site as best as I could

Water Hands Hope

 

[shortcoatdream15]

Hello!

This is my first post here and I made this account specifically to ask this question. Does anyone here have any experience with Medical volunteering trips abroad (non religious)? I am an EMT with IV certification and have found some organizations through google searches but I'm wondering if anyone here has personally used a particular organization.

Thanks

FYI these trips typically aren't appealing to med schools, unless it seems like you have a legitimate personal reason to want to serve in the community.

 

[Cinemed]

If you're looking to do it for your own enrichment and experience I think they can be great and very eye opening. However, I've never been a fan of these for people who use them as true "volunteer" experience and I don't think adcoms put any weight in them, either; they're notoriously seen more as a vacation than a true volunteer experience. There's really no point in spending $3,000-5,000 to fly to Guatemala for a week to take selfies in the name of "volunteering" when every soup kitchen in your community needs a hand.

 

[ciestar]

All the adcoms here call it voluntourism for a reason.

https://www.aamc.org/download/474346/data/clinicalexperiencesshadowingsurvey.pdf

 

[MedicalDoge]

My two international medical volunteer trips were very well received by my interviewers. The key is to treat it like being exposed to a new population and lending a helping hand and not talking/writing about it like you are saving the country. Do it if you have the funds! I learned a lot

Edit: Also DO NOT partake in any medical procedures that are not ethical for your level of training! That is what will shoot you in the foot

 

[Tom&Jerry]

My two international medical volunteer trips were very well received by my interviewers. The key is to treat it like being exposed to a new population and lending a helping hand and not talking/writing about it like you are saving the country. Do it if you have the funds! I learned a lot

Edit: Also DO NOT partake in any medical procedures that are not ethical for your level of training! That is what will shoot you in the foot

This is very well put.

Use it as an opportunity to learn a new population and observe how to cross culture bounds. Dont use it to show your passion for volunteering. Its only a week, its basically a vacation. Definitely don't partake or describe any activities that is out of your qualification. This shows you are taking advantage of people in need and will as described aboved, shoot you the foot.

I used FIMRC for mine. Enjoyed it and had time to explore the country

 

[SaltySprings]

Im not sure what types of trips people go on that are basically vacations. Both trips I attended were some of the hardest work experiences I have ever had. Talking non stop 12 hour days cleaning/translating/moving patients/sterilizing stuff since I was nonclinical. Few if any breaks etc... and no days off. Maybe one at the end of 9 days straight working. The first trip I went on was critical in my desire to pursue medicine as a non trad as well. I went because I thought it would be interesting and a good thing to do. I had no intention of a career in medicine prior to that trip. When I came back I knew what I truly wanted to do in life.

Both of these trips were surgical missions, involve repeat visits (2 a year at least) with follow up if patients can be convinced to come back and education of the local staff to better serve their own population. The trip also paid the local staff extra money in addition to their regular salary. The second mission location I went to there was an 80 year old woman with a broken hip sitting on the hospital floor untreated for 2 weeks because no one would pay for her surgery. If you can't afford the implant or surgery, you are not treated. The team I was with was able to help people in situations like these and I have a hard time seeing how that is a bad thing. Surgeries in this country would cost that patient around $2000 to $3000. People there cannot front that much money and many times do not receive care. The team did 48 joints in four days.

I agree with most of the sentiment about helping your local community being easier and more affective especially if all you are trying to do is build your med app. I also agree with the idea that money can be better allocated in most circumstances.