Volunteering Abroad

[chet]

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I have just recently decided that I ought to do at least one productive thing this summer. I was already planning a trip to central/south America, so now I'm looking for a 2-3 week medically related volunteer program.

Does anyone know of any good legit organizations, preferably affordable, that I should check out?

Thanks

 

[p1acebo]

I have just recently decided that I ought to do at least one productive thing this summer. I was already planning a trip to central/south America, so now I'm looking for a 2-3 week medically related volunteer program.

Does anyone know of any good legit organizations, preferably affordable, that I should check out?

Thanks

Does your school offer any medical missions or study aboard programs? I will be going on one this summer through my school.

 

[JapaneseSakura]

I am very glad you brought this topic up! I wanted to volunteer abroad too, somewhere in South America. How did you go about doing that? Do you have to speak Spanish? Take additional test?

 

[chet]

P1lacebo - No, unfortunately my school didn't have much in the way of international opportunities, which is why I was looking on my own.

I did find a program through a friend, and as far as Spanish, the level of Spanish amongst the medical students on the program varies from none to fluency. I think that for many programs accommodations can be made for any level of language ability. But, I'm sure the experience will be much more fulfilling if I can get back to a conversational level of Spanish.

 

[Asianjock903]

alright, so I don't post usually, but I felt I at least had to put my opinion as far as these international medical missions.

In theory, they sound like a great opportunity and resume builder during the MS1-MS2 summer right?......it is....up to an extent. I personally went to costa rica during my undergrad years hoping to put the medical mission on my resume. It was a 2 week program where I had to pay for my own ticket and all expenses incurred there (although I do have to say it was a legit program, I forgot the organization, sorry).

As far as experience, its almost like....a guided tour showing you the poverty in certain locations. the extent of help you'll be doing will go along the lines of visit and talk to the families, pass out clothes(that you bring to donate of course) and other random tasks. You MIGHT do a brief physical (vitals...weight...) and MIGHT sit in with the doc. essentially don't expect to get ANY medical experience, especially if you're already a med student, you won't learn anything new there (come on...vitals?)

In the end, all you can put on your resume is a 2-4 week trip that cost you in the thousands of dollars. None of the interviewers ever asked me a question about it, it seems like only long term missions are worth anything.

so if you're just looking for traveling with the added bonus of helping people, do it, but don't do it if you're thinking it'll help greatly on your resume. 🙂

 

[Asianjock903]

oh also, i had zero spanish speaking skills. 🙂 so don't worry about not speaking, there will be other spanish speaking students with you and it'll work out that way.

 

[gnupur]

has anybody volunteered abroad with international medical relief? i am looking for any feedback regarding their organization. thanks!

 

[stormy91]

hey!! i was looking into an international medical relief as well thru IMR but they are only for 10 days! costing up to $3600. I was looking to go to kenya but i have been thinking about it long and hard and it does not seem like a great investment. If you sned them an email to register they send you a complete list of upcoming trips and cost. By the way how are you planning to fund raise?🙂

 

[gnupur]

hey!! i was looking into an international medical relief as well thru IMR but they are only for 10 days! costing up to $3600. I was looking to go to kenya but i have been thinking about it long and hard and it does not seem like a great investment. If you sned them an email to register they send you a complete list of upcoming trips and cost. By the way how are you planning to fund raise?🙂

yea i got an email from them about some of their summer trips. i was thinking about the haiti mission trip. i called the coordinator for that trip and asked her a bunch of questions about what can i do there and it sounds pretty cool. i was just thinking of asking family members for donations and then putting the rest up from what i have saved up. the haiti trip is $2050, so its not too terrible. at least their price includes everything in it unlike other organizations.