Description

Bolivia is a fantastic place to spend time volunteering or interning on an international medical placement in South America. Volunteering on a Medicine & Healthcare project in Boliva can be done as part of a college summer break, a gap year, a career-break, or during a vacation. As a Medicine & Healthcare volunteer you will gain a great deal of valuable work-experience alongside some of the most skilled doctors in the country. The facilities are generally of a decent standard, on a par with many hospitals in the west.

Whether you are a student joining us before going to a physical therapy school, or already have physical therapy knowledge and experience, the doctors in Bolivia are eager for you to be involved. Enthusiasm and a willingness to learn - and also to help staff with their duties - will ensure that your experience is second to none.

Physical Therapy interns are needed to work at various centers for disabled children. The centers help children through a variety of sessions including physical therapy, hydrotherapy, psychology, and speech therapy and interns with skills in these other areas would also be very welcome. Interns also get involved in identifying and working with children from local orphanages who need to receive physical therapy or other treatments. As with all our Medicine & Healthcare projects, your exact role will depend on your level of experience and knowledge.

Occasionally we also send Physical Therapy interns to work at the Burns Unit. There is more need here for qualified and experienced physical therapists. Working at the Burns Unit can be shocking and volunteers need to be well prepared. Situations where patients are badly burned and treatment is painful and uncomfortable can be very hard to witness. However, by helping here you will start to understand the problems faced in Bolivia, and your presence and assistance will make a difference to both the patients and the staff.

Highlights

Bolivia is a fantastic option for your volunteer project or internship abroad. Landlocked Bolivia occupies the heart of South America. Its attractions include Andean Peaks, tropical Amazonian forests, bustling cities and peaceful traditional communities. Bolivia will give you a real taste of this varied continent, usually a long way off the tourist trail.

Squeezed between five other countries, it's unsurprising that Bolivia's history is full of border disputes. Consequently, Bolivian culture is a melting pot of Amerindian and European. On any visit to Bolivia you will encounter local festivals and activities; people might be throwing water-balloons at each other, or there could be street processions full of color and vibrancy.

All accommodation is organized, paid for and monitored by Projects Abroad. All project placements are regularly visited and checked. We require high standards of supervision and accommodation, which are verified before you arrive in Bolivia.

This project offers the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications

Interns on the Medicine & Healthcare internship will need intermediate Spanish in order to communicate directly with the majority of doctors and patients. However, we can arrange a translator for interns who do not have sufficient Spanish language skills. Many interns who lack confidence in their Spanish normally take a Language course or join a Teaching or Care project before beginning their Medicine & Healthcare internship. This gives you the opportunity to improve your language skills before starting the medical part of your internship.

Intern Types

• Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Health Care
• Hospital
• Medicine

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a willingness to travel.

Age Range

16-80

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2-5

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• 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