Peru: Medical, Nursing & Dentistry Electives (online and in-person)

Introduction

This project is with a surfing-inspired sustainable development non-profit (NGO) driving the development of poor Peruvian coastal communities through a path of sustainability. We develop environmental, educational, infrastructure and socio-economic projects  working hand in hand with local communities and international interns.

The precarious socioeconomic and environmental conditions of Lobitos and Talara (the closest city to Lobitos) mean that the local population is exposed to a range of health problems. These include but are not limited to: respiratory problems, infections, viruses, birth control and sanitation issues. In addition to this, the medical post in Lobitos is not functioning to capacity and the hospital in Talara is understaffed, which leads to demands for medical help and attention not being met. Additionally, there is a severe lack of public health awareness, therefore perpetuating health issues within families.

In order to mitigate these impacts, we have established a cooperative Medical & Dentistry volunteering programme alongside the Lobitos medical post and the Talara hospital in order to combat these issues. The benefits of taking part in this programme include:

• Enhance your CV and gain professional hands-on experience in a rural medical post and a semi-rural hospital in a developing country, having a real positive impact on the community.
• There is a bursary available to contribute towards the financial contribution required by the applicant and to cover medical equipment which will be bought for the community.

• Work alongside experienced & passionate people from a range of disciplines & backgrounds.
• Live and work in a surfing paradise in northern Peru, the land of endless summer.

Daily Life

As part of this volunteering position, medical, dentistry students and/or professional doctors will support the understaffed hospital in Talara and the Medical post in Lobitos in the following specialities: Respiratory, Pediatrics, Infections, Gynecology, General Practice and Dermatology. With the guidance of the team, volunteers will also design and implement public health educational initiatives in Lobitos for the local population in relation to the identified challenges in order to raise awareness.

Medical Elective interns will be supported by the staff, and local health practitioners who will be there to supervise when required. Volunteers will need to spend at least one month with us, time in which they will spend half of their placement in Talara helping at the hospital and the second half, carrying out the public health educational initiatives in Lobitos and helping at the Lobitos medical post.

Travel & Accommodation

It’s easy to get to here! There are daily flights from Lima to Talara where you will be met at the airport and driven directly to Lobitos.

During your volunteer internship with us, you will be provided with comfortable accommodation in the Volunteer House, including all meals (healthy and mostly vegetarian) and airport pickup/dropoff (all included in your financial contribution). Volunteer interns sleep in shared dorm rooms with shared bathrooms and access to a shared living room, office space, kitchen, internet connection, clean water and a garden.

Extra Activities

Volunteer interns work between 9am to 5pm on weekdays but evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. The northern coast of Peru has amazing waves, beaches and towns to go visit, with lots of different activities on offer such as:

• Surf lessons with local instructors in Lobitos. Alternatively, rent one of our surfboards and head out to the waves by yourself.
• Yoga classes
• Swimming with turtles
• Fishing, sea-lion and whale watching trips with local fishermen
• Trekking and birdwatching in the native Dry Forest ecosystem
• Eat traditional Peruvian food at local restaurants
• Visits to other nearby beaches and towns within hours of Lobitos to explore more Peruvian landscapes, culture & history.

Please note that these activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of the volunteer internship.

Requirements

These positions are available to medical and dentistry students who are in their clinical years, and qualified doctors. We also ask for:

• At least an intermediate (GCSE, B1 or equivalent) level of Spanish. This is essential for communication with staff in the hospital and medical post.
• Minimum age 18.
• Basic experience or strong motivation to work as part of a team away from home.

However, the most important thing is that you have an open mind, positive attitude and willingness to learn!

Costs

Below you’ll see the financial contribution required for the in-person placement

* Currency in USD
** All payments incur a 5% bank transfer fee
*** $250 admin fee included
**** 30% deposit required to confirm place.

The financial contribution you make as a volunteer intern helps funds our community projects and operations, it funds our impact. For every volunteer intern that joins our program, we also plant a tree with local families to help restore the degraded forest ecosystem found in our region.

What’s Included:

Project Fee includes food, accommodation, local transfers, 24-hour in-country support, orientation and integration into the project.

What’s not included:

Flights, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged if you choose our Premium Support.

Premium Support Upgrade

We understand there’s a great deal to plan and organise for your trip. When booking a Placement, many of our participants choose to purchase our Premium Support Upgrade to benefit from the expertise, knowledge and experience of our Project Coordinators.

We can provide the personal advice you need to ensure your trip is organised with excellence and planned with efficiency; ensuring the very best experience possible. Read more about how we can help you.