Medical/Alternative Medicine Elective

Position: Volunteer/Intern
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Enrollment: Round the year
Salary: Unpaid
 

For a significant number of Nepali people, it is very difficult to receive proper health care. Many of the state’s health centers—established to provide services in rural areas—are inadequately staffed. Nepal Volunteers gathers compassionate volunteer groups to help alleviate this problem in an effort to improve the quality of health care for disadvantaged Nepali people.  Volunteers in this program assist local doctors and medical staffs in the treatment of patients. Volunteers may also participate in hospital programs in a variety of fields such as record keeping, sanitation, nutrition, or treatment of minor injuries.

Our medical volunteering program places doctors, nurses, and medical school students in hospitals and clinics throughout Nepal. We have standing requests from local facilities for Internists, Urologists, Surgeons, Oncologists, Ophthalmologists, Nurses, and Dentists. Volunteers have the option of working in either an urban or rural setting.

As a medical school student, you will participate in a wide range of activities. You will accompany doctors on their rounds, explore different treatments for simple ailments, provide physical therapy, and take part in vaccination programs. Depending on the timing of your visit, you will have the opportunity to visit large general hospitals, maternity clinics, children's hospitals, HIV/AIDS wards, and alternative-medicine clinics. Your visits will be given some context by local doctors and nurses who will discuss issues such as typical illnesses/treatments and the general state of health care in Nepal.

Interested volunteers must have certification or proof of experience in a medical field, such as a medical student ID, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician’s credentials. Due to the health risks involved, volunteers who are not properly trained in health care cannot work on this project.

Length of program:  One week to 5 months.

Qualifications:
Medical volunteers need to be either currently studying or practicing in the medical field, which includes doctors, nurses, medical students, and nursing students.