Work In a Medical/Healthcare Project in Peru

Project At A Glance

Location: Cusco Start Point: Cusco End Point: Cusco Duration: 1-12 Weeks Hours: 20-40 Hours per week Food: 3 local food daily Room: Local Host family or hostel Date: Mondays of each month

Project Summary

PVolunteer in Peru in clinics and hospitals and help to provide care to low-income Peruvian families. While healthcare professionals attempt to keep pace with the advances of modern medicine, there are massive amounts of Peruvians who do not have access to basic healthcare. IFRE's volunteer projects in Peru need interested medical/healthcare professionals to support the often-intimidating front line of medicine and healthcare in a developing country. IFRE partners with clinics and hospitals that specialize in rehabilitation for children, general medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, obstetrics, neurology, dental, family medicine, psychology, counseling, social work, physical, occupational rehabilitation and more. In addition, GVS partners with a mobile hospital in order to provide medical attention to rural Peruvians who cannot afford the trip to Cusco for care. Specialized medical teams and mental health workers are greatly needed for this project. Please request information from IFRE about the specific needs and requirements for the mobile hospital. For volunteers interested in a career in healthcare or medicine, this program provides a great opportunity to gain professional experience, provide medical attention to impoverished patients and explore Peru’s mix of Andean, Incan, and Spanish cultures. As a volunteer working in clinics and hospitals, you will have a rewarding, life changing and valuable experience as you promote healthy lives for local Peruvians.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

BIntermediate knowledge of Spanish is preferred. If you cannot speak Spanish, we suggest you enroll in our Spanish language course to make your stay more rewarding – both for you and for the people you help. Applicants interested in joining our volunteer health program can participate with or without experience.  Those without experience must be able to observe medical procedures and emergencies where minor surgeries or blood may be involved.  Those who possess healthcare certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT, paramedic certification, nursing, physical therapy, midwifery or physician's credentials can participate accordingly. IFRE requires a copy of volunteers’ resumes, clearly documenting credentials and education, before arrival at the project. Projects will also require an official copy of credentials.  Volunteers must be proactive, patient, responsible, enthusiastic and passionate about healthcare. 

Volunteer Responsibilities

As a volunteer working in the medical/healthcare project in Peru, your responsibilities will depend on your level of training, certifications and licensing. All clinics and hospitals seek to use their volunteers efficiently and create a learning environment. As a volunteer with or without experience you can observe the work of doctors and nurses and help them according to your skills in the medical field.  Volunteers with specialties will be able to help in their specific fields.  The clinics may also provide basic trainings for volunteers with less experience.  Again, depending on qualifications and experience, volunteers carry out duties such as:

• Assisting with lab work
• Helping in the pharmacy
• Helping with triage
• Providing basic care
• Observing the work of nurses or doctors
• Carry out daily administrative tasks
• Taking patient details
• Measuring vital signs such as blood pressure, height, weight
• Distributing medicines
• Performing basic first aid
• Helping with medical procedures
• Assisting incoming patients
• Providing assistance in the in-day emergency room
• Partnering with local doctors
• Qualified doctors can diagnose and treat patients based on their certification and specialty

Room/Food/Supervision

IFRE manages your living accommodations in Peru.  In Cusco, most volunteers live with a host family, but some may live in a hostel. Our host families are socially respected and experienced hosts of international volunteers. They have strong interest in our volunteers’ safety and well-being and demonstrate this with caution and care.  Host families will prepare three meals a day for volunteers consisting of local ingredients and foods traditional to Peru.  In most host family situations, volunteers will share a room with another volunteer of the same gender. Our host families do not offer laundry services, but some will happily take up the task for a small fee.

Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. Volunteers are always welcome at our local offices in Peru. If project placement is local, we request that volunteers stop by the office once a week to keep us posted on how they are doing with their home stay and project. If project placement is very far, then our local staff members maintain communication by either email and/or phone and try to visit every 2-4 weeks if possible.