Hey guys,

I have several friends who have spent part of their summers in different countries helping out with anything form medical programs to just building ties with local communities, from Kenya to India, to parts of Eastern Europe.

I've been thinking of doing something like this next summer, and so I'm just looking around right now.

Do you have any experience with different companies or groups that participate in things like this?

If so, I'd appreciate a little info on what you think of them, or how it was if you've been with them, etc. Just so I can start narrowing down a couple options.

Thanks,

Richard

You mean 'developing countries'

Yeah, I was born in one and visit relatively frequently. From my experience, a lot of people who don't enjoy their time in "third-world" countries come into the country with the idea that every "third-world" country should be developing towards the particular standards that they have seen in North America or Western Europe. Anyone who doesn't constantly make mental comparisons with Canada and appreciates a place and its culture for what it is (and not what they think it should be) should have a great time.

just don't do one of those 2 week poverty tourism/paint a school things.

You may want to check out Global Nomadic: http://talentegg.ca/profile/208/Glob...cCareers. php

Thanks Danielle, I too am probably going to look into doing something like this after third year. Ghana is a place I would really like to visit. Its development model is something I am particularily interested in seeing the effects of first hand.

Does anyone know how competitive these types of positions are to get into? I assume most if not all of them would be unpaid, but how much does the volunteer generally have to pay? (flight, accomadations etc.)

Related article that was just posted: http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2010/0...ahatma-gandhi/

There is an AESIC chapter at McMaster (they're an MSU club), so I think they can answer the questions, at least those that pertain to their organization.

The people I've known had to pay for quite a bit of their accommodations and travel expenses...so depending on where you go it can be quite pricey.

I've been to Nicaragua with McMaster's Global Medical Training team (which I don't believe anyone is operating anymore). However, check out http://ourgmt.org/, you can sign up for trips there. They also have information about costs and stuff.
I paid around $3000, and it was 100% worth it for me. I learned so much. You learn about medicine, different cultures, and youself.

I've been volunteering abroad twice in Africa and Asia and the best advice I would give to you is to take some time to evaluate why you want to go abroad and what you want to gain out of the experience.

I've really enjoyed my experiences overseas but I've had amazing volunteer experiences here in Ontario as well. If you're wanting to go abroad because you think it'll look more exotic on a resume you're going for the wrong reasons.

That being said, the world is a beautiful place, filled with amazing people who can teach you more than you could imagine.

I volunteered in India with Global Youth Network and Kenya with the Golden Key International Society. One question that you'll have to ask yourself is whether you want to go solo like some of my friends have done or if you'd prefer to go in a group. Some groups are a lot cushier than others - carrying a pack vs. carrying a suitcase on wheels to a destination. I prefer the former of course.

I ended up doing a lot of work with children - playing games, helping out with art activities, mentoring, and teaching high school level math/biology to students under supervision. Even though I don't plan on going into teaching, I thought it was a worthwhile experience to learn about different cultures and learn about yourself. No matter how hard you work at your placement, you usually get so much more back from the people that you're working with.

But, you need to know WHY you're going to volunteer internationally. What are you doing in country X that you can't do in Canada/Ontario? Why are you going to country X and not country Y?

Imo, most 'Medical training programs' are quite sketchy and it seems like they're exploiting the local people. Even under 'medical supervision' pre-meds should not be performing medical procedures on actual people. Many of patients are individuals who can't afford health care according to one group. According to the same group, you're allowed to assist a doctor with pap smears and other invasive procedures. Even if you're just doing an observership, I don't know if patients are even asked whether they consent to you being in the room. If they give consent, it might be because they fear that they won't receive medical treatment if they do not consent. If you can't do it ethically in Canada then you shouldn't be doing it overseas. Anyways YMMV.

Originally Posted by Lij

Imo, most 'Medical training programs' are quite sketchy and it seems like they're exploiting the local people. Even under 'medical supervision' pre-meds should not be performing medical procedures on actual people. If you can't do it ethically in Canada then you shouldn't be doing it overseas. YMMV.

The flip side of this is, if it makes the difference between the patient overseas receiving a vital procedure or not, you could argue that this makes it ethical. For example, say you're immunizing people against malaria. Ideally, a trained medical professional would be doing this. If that isn't possible, due to lack of personnel or living in a remote area or whatever, and the alternative is dying of malaria, then an argument could be made that allowing pre-meds (who presumably will receive training in how to properly immunize people as part of their volunteer program) to administer these much-needed vaccines is more ethical than allowing people to die.

I don't know too much about the overseas medical training programs, but I think as long as you don't have the volunteers performing high-skill high-risk procedures (such as surgeries), it follows basic ethics, since you're helping people who would otherwise go without the medical treatment. Depends on your ethical code, I guess.

Originally Posted by nerual

The flip side of this is, if it makes the difference between the patient overseas receiving a vital procedure or not, you could argue that this makes it ethical. For example, say you're immunizing people against malaria. Ideally, a trained medical professional would be doing this. If that isn't possible, due to lack of personnel or living in a remote area or whatever, and the alternative is dying of malaria, then an argument could be made that allowing pre-meds (who presumably will receive training in how to properly immunize people as part of their volunteer program) to administer these much-needed vaccines is more ethical than allowing people to die.

I don't know too much about the overseas medical training programs, but I think as long as you don't have the volunteers performing high-skill high-risk procedures (such as surgeries), it follows basic ethics, since you're helping people who would otherwise go without the medical treatment. Depends on your ethical code, I guess.

Some of the testimonials on the site say "I'm in 2nd year of ___, I got to help perform a surgery". Having these people perform PAP SMEARS or even having the uncomfortable process put on for show in front of eager premeds with weak consent is unethical imo. You can choose to disagree.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200905250548.html

With respect to the malaria injections ... that just shows why unqualified premeds shouldn't be involved with these procedures. :| Taking medical histories under supervision isn't so bad, but there's still the issue of consent. Some female patients may not want to disclose things to a male volunteer, and may omit it even though it may affect their medical treatment.

Originally Posted by Lij

Some of the testimonials on the site say "I'm in 2nd year of ___, I got to help perform a surgery". Having these people perform PAP SMEARS or even having the uncomfortable process put on for show in front of eager premeds with weak consent is unethical.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200905250548.html

With respect to the malaria injections ... that just shows why unqualified premeds shouldn't be involved with these procedures. :| Taking medical histories under supervision isn't so bad, but there's still the issue of consent. Some female patients may not want to disclose things to a male volunteer, and may omit it even though it may affect their medical treatment.

There's a difference between helping to perform a surgery and actually doing one. It depends how involved the person actually was. And consent to uncomfortable or culturally sensitive procedures (such as PAP smears or disclosing info to a male volunteer) would be an issue regardless of how qualified the volunteer is.

For the malaria injections, point taken. I wonder why they administer quinone in the buttocks at all (qualified medical personnel or not) given that the article implies that other locations are preferable.

Originally Posted by nerual

There's a difference between helping to perform a surgery and actually doing one. It depends how involved the person actually was. And consent to uncomfortable or culturally sensitive procedures (such as PAP smears or disclosing info to a male volunteer) would be an issue regardless of how qualified the volunteer is.

I'm not 100% sure about the student involvement as my friends and I disagreed with the principles of that volunteer organization. But if the student is involved with anything invasive then things are fairly sketchy. See the Nurses' Scope of Practice regarding Controlled Acts (things that can cause harm if done by an unqualified individual).

T here is a huge difference between medical and nursing students doing international clinical electives/placements and undergraduate on a volunteer trip. Clinical electives and placements are regulated by the university and there are strict standards regarding consent and ethics during the placement. Some volunteer organizations are more focused on voluntourism, so whether or not the code of ethics is adhered to is questionable (depending on the group). Many volunteer trips have a high student to MD/health care professional ratio while the placements and electives have fewer. It would make it far less awkward for the patient to have one person during an awkward procedure rather than a crowd of 10.

im from Kenya my self and am there visiting family before school starts

great place, and there lots of "programs" you can get into, personally i have never done any of that stuff, but have known many people who have come from abroad to do it and they all loved it