GoAbroad

Healthcare and Medical Program in South Africa

$100-300Program Costs
VerifiedProvider
5.0 / 5Overall Rating
1Review
2009Year established

Program Overview

Are you a Med or Pre-Med Student? Your skills are desperately needed in South Africa!

Most of the medical projects that we support are government-funded local clinical facilities for people who cannot afford private medical care, and are severely understaffed and underfunded, with a lack of vital resources. Therefore, volunteers must be aware that this can be a very stressful and challenging environment to work in, though, as it is very community-based, this is also a very rewarding project to be a part of, and is set in amazing Cape Town, in the shadow of the majestic Table Mountain.

This program is open to pre-med and med students and qualified medical practitioners and is a great learning opportunity, but all volunteers must keep in mind that the level of involvement and direct patient care is dependent on your training and particular skills. Initially, you will be observing while working alongside and assisting local staff. As you build rapport and they get a feel for where you're at, they will give you more responsibility/tasks.

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Jump to the full breakdown of dates, costs, eligibility, and more.

See program details

Program Highlights

Help improve a South African community in becoming a stronger and healthier one.
Acquire new medical care skills by observing and assisting local health professionals.
Provide health education and hygiene awareness for the people in Cape Town.
Gain appreciation of other cultures through interaction among other volunteers and local people.
Shadow a local doctor or nurse and provide assistance with a range of delegated tasks.

What's Included

Accommodation / Housing for Program Duration
Some Meals / Partial Meal Plan
Wifi Costs
In-Country Orientation
On-Site / In-Country Staff Support
Airport Transfer (Pick-Up)

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Cape Town, South Africa

Available Terms / Availability

  • Years Offered
  • Year Round

Eligible Nationalities

  • All Nationalities
  • This Program is also open to Solo, Couples, Group

Education Levels & Language

  • Education
  • University Freshman (1st Year)
  • University Sophomore (2nd Year)
  • University Junior (3rd Year)
  • University Senior (4th Year)
  • University 5th Year or More

Accommodation Options

  • Dormitory
  • Group living
  • Guest House

Application Procedures

  • Resume
  • Online Application

Age Requirement

18-35

Duration

  • 2-4 Weeks
  • 5-8 Weeks
  • 3-6 Months
  • 9-12 Weeks

Starts At

$100-300

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about Love Volunteers

5.0
1 review

Rating breakdown

5
1
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

Top categories

Volunteer Placement
5.0
Living Situation
5.0
Community Engagement
5.0
Day to Day Life
5.0
Program Administration
4.0
Health & Safety
4.0

Participated in this program? Share your experience now.

Review this Program

Showing 1 of 1 review

KarolinaPoland · September 2016

Love volunteer review

At first, you may find it a bit difficult to understand South Africa. But as long as you keep treating it with respect, you're guaranteed to find yourself deeply in love with this country, amazed by the variety of cultures and beliefs it represents. More than that, you'll find yourself admiring its liveliness and powerful nature, standing at the top of the Table Mountain, gazing at the ocean waves crushing at your feet. Love Volunteers made my experience a truly unforgettable one, providing me with assistance on every step of my lone journey. I couldn't wish for being better taken care of! All the members of LV team are golden-hearted people - thoughtful, genuine and undoubtedly professional, with their adroit handling of all the volunteer programs. Thanks to LV, I not only got a taste of South Africa, but a mouthful of its flavours. I was placed in a community based clinic at Goodwood Day Hospital (Cape Town suburbs) and accommodated at a host family (5 min. walk to the clinic). Since I'm a pre-med student, I was surprised at the wide range of tasks I could get involved in. I was working along with the nurses and was allowed to: - take blood pressure - do urine and pregnancy tests - take out stitches - give tetanus injections - clean wounds - measure HGT and Hb levels - fill in patients' files - shadow the doctor (Please note that while doing all those things I was always supervised by a nurse/doctor.) This placement allowed me to get invaluable hands-on experience in the medical field, completing hours of direct patient care. I've developed a deep understanding of out-patient clinical care ad observed a great variety of casualties/cases/medical procedures performed. I strongly recommend this program to all volunteers willing to step out of their comfort zone and not afraid of getting their hands dirty.

Photos

Response from provider

Dear Karolina,<br/><br/>Thanks so much for sharing such an informative and supportive review of our medical program in Cape Town. It's fantastic to hear that we at LV and our partner in SA surpassed your expectations :-)<br/><br/>It's abundantly clear that you loved being in Cape Town and the program itself and how much you were able to learn and do.<br/><br/>Thanks for being such an awesome volunteer and we wish you all the very best with the rest of your medical training and future career in this important feild.<br/><br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers

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Recognitions & Awards

Awards and accreditations earned by this provider

Top Rated Organization 2019 - Volunteer Abroad

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