Description

Bolivia is a great place to spend time volunteering or interning on an international medical placement in South America. Volunteers from our Medicine & Healthcare in Bolivia project are needed at various 'Centros de Salud', public health clinics open to everyone in Cochabamba, regardless of their ability to pay. With very basic facilities, the health clinics attend to mostly minor emergencies, accidents and routine visits. There is insufficient funding to maintain the facilities in complete working order, or provide the hospital with sufficient staff or materials. Volunteers are therefore needed to help and your work will be greatly appreciated.

At the Centros de Salud you have the opportunity to work in a variety of departments; possible options include nursing, pediatrics, gynecology, admissions and pharmacy work. You can also get involved in community work, including vaccination programs and dental health campaigns, which the clinics organize throughout the year.

The Burns Unit in the Hospital of Cochabamba treats children from 0 to 15 years-old. Around 200 patients pass through their doors each year. With fifteen beds - three in the intensive care unit - and quite basic medical facilities, you'll find there is a lot you can do to help.

Although the doctors have to reuse bandages and the intensive care unit lacks respirators and monitoring equipment, the staff is extremely dedicated. Currently, our supervisor is the senior resident doctor and other members of staff include a nurse and her assistant, three interns, two physical therapists and an anesthetist.

Your assistance is needed with basic duties such as making beds, bathing and lifting the children onto beds and into wheelchairs. Equally important are the basic medical tasks such as bandaging, taking blood pressure and dressing wounds. The doctor may also need help in the surgery room, passing equipment and monitoring patients. This placement is ideal for people who are already qualified or currently studying medicine or nursing.

The Burns Unit can only take volunteers who are able to commit to working with them for three months or more. The Centros de Salud are happy to have volunteers from a month onwards.

Volunteers on the Medicine & Healthcare project will need intermediate Spanish in order to communicate directly with the majority of doctors and patients. We do have many supervisors that speak excellent English, however, for volunteer whose Spanish language skills are not as high. Many volunteers who lack confidence in their Spanish language ability join a Teaching or Care project before joining their Medicine & Healthcare program. This gives them the opportunity to improve their language skills before starting the medical part of their placement. All volunteers in Bolivia also get the opportunity to take some free Spanish lessons.

Medical Elective Placements Overseas in Bolivia:

If you are currently enrolled in medical school and choose to do your elective in Bolivia, you will most likely be working in a hospital or health center in Cochabamba. You will have a supervisor who will coordinate your placement and act as interpreter in departments where the standard of English is not so high. They will be eager to test out your medical knowledge, as well as give you the benefit of their training and experience.

Outside of the hospital you will live with a local host family in close proximity to your place of work. Cochabamba is a lively and entertaining city and there are always a number of other Projects Abroad volunteers around for you to explore it with.

Highlights

Due to the inter-personal nature of the work, this placement is an excellent opportunity to practice your Spanish.

For your accommodation, you'll live with a Spanish speaking host-family, which is a great environment for developing and improving your language skills. All the families involved are extremely supportive of the projects carried out by Projects Abroad and are keen to experience an intercultural exchange and learn about the lives of volunteers.

Cochabamba, Bolivia's forth largest city, retains an agreeable traditional feel and the climate is arguably the best in the world! There are always pleasant combinations of little humidity and fertile green surroundings with plenty of sunshine. With this in mind, enjoying nearby natural beauties like waterfalls and caves is really satisfying after a hard week's work.

This project offers the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the medical field that you would not otherwise have access to in the United States or Canada, and to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications

No experience or qualifications are necessary.

Intern Types

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Health Sciences
• Pharmaceuticals
• Physical Therapy

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction
• Medical insurance
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range

16-70

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992