(Updated for 2025)
Are you a doctor, dentist, nurse, veterinarian, physical therapist, public health specialist, or other healthcare provider with an interest in serving a community in a way that most people can’t?
Are you a pre-health student (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-veterinarian) or an aspiring medical professional looking to enhance your skill set and/or gain experience in another community across the globe through a healthcare volunteer abroad trip?
Are you willing to take part in the effort to bring first-rate healthcare to people who usually don’t have the regular opportunity to see a doctor or other healthcare provider?
If any of these apply to you, medical volunteering may be the perfect chance for you to volunteer abroad while also putting your hard-earned, specialized skills to use for people who don’t have reliable access to advanced medical care.
All About Medical Volunteer Abroad Programs
When most people think about volunteering, they think about going to a foreign country and doing something they’ve never done before, like teaching English or helping expand school buildings. However, the need for medical volunteers exists almost everywhere around the globe.
You have probably heard about long-term medical volunteer abroad projects such as Doctors Without Borders. However, there are also plenty of volunteer programs targeted towards medical professionals and students looking to serve in short-term projects ranging from just a few weeks to a few months.
Although many countries have adequate health care for most of their populations, this access doesn’t always extend to marginalized groups or other under-served populations. Of course, while these may be incredible projects that are of great use to a community, some volunteers don’t always consider that they may be able to play a different role as specialized volunteers, like in medicine or healthcare.
Many volunteers don’t realize that they may be able to use their specialized skills and that these skills could give them the ability to serve an at-need community in a way that most volunteers could not. Medical volunteer abroad trips and medical internships can be extremely rewarding and are a great chance for people with specialized skills to participate in a volunteer project that, because of the nature of their projects, can only accept people with very specific qualifications or interests.
To participate in a medical volunteer abroad program, you don’t necessarily have to have a medical degree, as requirements vary by program. There are even pre-med volunteer abroad programs specifically for undergraduate and graduate medical student volunteers. Just keep in mind that there are guidelines (like these from the Association of American Medical Colleges) that pre-med students should abide by when being a health volunteer overseas in a medical placement, such as primarily serving in an observational role and prioritizing the welfare of the patient over your desire for hands-on clinical experience.
When choosing a project, there are a few things that you need to consider, such as the actual program costs, which can be minimized by selecting a high-quality, affordable organization such as International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). IVHQ medical programs are especially affordable, with placements starting at just $20 per day. Their programs are also extremely popular, with 3,000 volunteers who join their medical volunteer program each year. IVHQ is able to accommodate pre-medical, nursing, and medical students in their programs along with qualified health professionals.
GoEco is another trusted organization that provides medical and healthcare volunteer opportunities for anyone interested in this field whether you have medical experience or not. The programs are separated into health promotion projects and practical programs. The health promotion volunteers will help raise awareness of public health issues. The latter program will enable medical professionals to give back to a medically disadvantaged community in hands-on tasks. Projects are located in Asia, Africa, and South America. For more detailed explanations and information, click here.
Maximo Nivel is another affordable organization that are able to bring on volunteers and healthcare interns who are simply interested in medical placements, though options also are available for those travelers with a degree and clinical experience. These work well as medical mission trips for college students. In particular, Maximo Nivel offers medical & healthcare programs for pre-med students, nursing students, medical students (years 1-4), and health sciences students. In these roles, volunteers have the opportunity to shadow licensed practitioners while providing administrative, logistical, or lingual support. Note that medical students in years 3 and 4 may have more hands-on opportunities to provide care.
With Volunteering Solutions as well, they have curated the best and most affordable programs for medical internships abroad in Nepal, India, Thailand, etc. And for those that not a medical student or professionals – you can help with community outreach initiatives, or even shadow local doctors or nurses in Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Peru, and Cambodia.
Also, consider creating a general list of countries where you’d be interested in volunteering or interning abroad. When creating this list, you should do a bit of research into the costs of living or visiting the country, the costs and availability of a visa for the length of time you want to stay, and why that country stands out for you.
For example, Projects Abroad offers projects around the globe including medical programs in Cambodia, nursing programs in Peru, and dentistry programs in Mexico. Specialist organizations such as African Impact focus on medical volunteer projects and internships in Africa, and Involvement Volunteers International have deep experience with public health programs in the South Pacific.
Next, you should make a list of the qualities that are necessary or desired in a volunteer abroad project, such as the ability to work with a local medical professional or the ability to work on your own medical specialty.
Then, as you survey medical and healthcare volunteer projects, you can highlight projects that fit most closely with what you want to get out of a volunteer program. As you do this, however, be sure to keep an open mind. Sometimes the projects that you would never initially consider end up being the best fit for you. To make the process of finding projects a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of 13 medical volunteer abroad programs that have been vouched for by our volunteers.
If you don’t feel like you are quite ready to do a medical volunteer trip abroad yet, then consider participating in a health and medicine study abroad program. Maximo Nivel offers a structured, semester-long program that includes courses in Public Health and Medical Spanish and experiential learning such as medical internships and week-long service learning opportunities. This program is great for pre-health students as it is affordable and gives you academic credit.
We also have more in-depth articles if you’re looking specifically for nursing volunteer abroad, dental volunteer abroad, dental medical mission trips, medical mission trips for nurses, or health volunteer abroad trips for pharmacists, midwives, EMTs, and public health professionals.
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Since International Volunteer HQ’s (IVHQ) inception in 2007, the organization has grown into one of the largest volunteer abroad providers in the world, providing safe, affordable, and responsible placement programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Pacific for over 15,000 participants each year.
Along with IVHQ’s Medical and Health programs, and medical mission trips, they offer childcare, teaching, wildlife and animal care, environment, construction and renovation, arts and music, sports, community development, elderly care, special needs care, and NGO support projects. IVHQ has partnered with STA Travel to help volunteers book cheap flights and create low-cost itineraries.
Located throughout Bali’s Ubud area, the Healthcare Education program invites volunteers to teach local schools about basic hygiene and health. Those volunteers with healthcare backgrounds may also organize healthcare campaigns and perform check-ups at local clinics. This program lasts one week to three months, and Bahasa Indonesia language lessons are provided for volunteers interested in taking classes. Click here to learn more about this program.
Through this program, volunteers are placed at a Kathmandu or Chitwan hospital, or a Bhaktapur medical college, where they may observe operations, work with children in physical therapy, examine and change dressing for burn patients, assist with emergency room rounds, and perform checkups for new mothers. Volunteers may work in ICU, radiology, oncology, emergency, surgery, burn unit, gynecology, pediatrics, and pharmacy, and those volunteers staying three months or longer may take on more hands-on work. Applicants must have completed at least two years of medical or nursing school. Click here to learn more about this program.
Volunteers in the Costa Rica Healthcare program are invited to assist local doctors, nurses, and caregivers in clinics for disabled children, nursing homes, ambulance services, and HIV/AIDS assisted living homes in either Manuel Antonio or San Jose.
While Costa Rican law limits volunteer contact with patients, participants may assist with physical therapy, taking vitals curing wounds, and shadowing doctors. Volunteers must have some healthcare background in order to apply and may have more independence with their project depending on their level of Spanish, age, personality, and more. Click here to learn more.
You’ll play an important role in the underfunded and understaffed clinics and hospitals in Cusco, Peru as a volunteer with IVHQ’s Medical Program. Depending upon your level of education and experience, you’ll work alongside local staff to record patients’ vital signs and health histories, socialize with patients, clean facilities, and sterilize equipment. Qualified third- and fourth-year medical students and medical professionals may find themselves assisting doctors as they take physicals and histories, clean wounds, give injections and sutures, give vaccinations, draw blood samples, and may even provide basic assistance with physiotherapy. Click here to learn more about this program.
I loved being able to see health care from a different perspective. I had seen it in the United States and Argentina, but it was very very interesting to see how it’s done in Africa. The different practices they use and different rules they have.
I would definitely recommend doing this project. It opens your eyes to how health care can differ so much from country to country.
Since 2006, GoEco has offered affordable volunteer abroad programs and internships in over 40 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Australasia, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. With more than 150 different wildlife, marine, and medical programs, GoEco is a great organization to check out if you’re looking for a variety of impactful trips to choose from, from wildlife conservation to teaching English.
GoEco was recently recognized as the Top Volunteer Abroad Organization by GoAbroad, and Top Eco-Enthusiast by Greenmatch, and has been recommended by Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and more. As a volunteer, you will have 24-hour support from the GoEco team, from start to finish.
Currently, GoEco is offering a special travel grant where you can stay for the 3rd week free! Check out the qualifying programs here!
This program located in the city of San Jose is separated into two components: healthcare placements and medical placements. Healthcare placement volunteers are healthcare students (nursing, medical, physical therapy, and health science) and will be able to help in general patient care such as companionship in elders’ homes, art therapy, or lead public health workshops.
The medical placements are for licensed professionals as well as third and fourth-year medical students. They will be able to help in triaging patients, taking vital signs, giving injections, drawing blood, suturing, etc. depending on experiences and medical settings. Please note that even if licensed, you are not able to practice fully and freely. For more details, click here.
GoEco rates this program as one of the most comprehensive healthcare programs open to pre-med, nursing, and medical students to gain experience for future careers. The pre-med placements will be observational and will expose volunteers to different medical settings and fields.
For the nursing and medical placements, students will not only be able to observe different wards and disease processes but can also partake in some hands-on tasks. One of the volunteer locations is the Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, a large public hospital with many different wards where volunteers can work. Click here to get started!
Make an impactful journey to Zambia through this program open to all who have a desire to help. The country is in need of help as it is facing extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy, and unemployment. Even though there is no hands-on medical experience in this program, nursing or medical students will still gain exposure in public health as well as in community health.
In this program, volunteers will work in many different settings such as clinics, patients’ homes, elderly homes, prisons, etc. Depending on where you will volunteer, you may help in administrative work in clinics, assist in public health awareness projects such as HIV education and general hygiene, or provide companionship. There are also other ways to help the community such as assisting in afterschool clubs, farming, adult literacy clubs, etc. For more details, click here.
Volunteer in the southeastern Andes Mountains in health care or for a more hands-on medical care volunteer experience. This program has opportunities available for everyone, from those just starting out at university and those who already hold medical qualifications.
Volunteers will be placed based on their level of experience, but all placements allow volunteers to experience the Peruvian healthcare system firsthand. Learn more here.
Founded in Peru in 2003, Maximo Nivel offers volunteer and intern abroad programs, TEFL certification, and Spanish language programs in Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Since its start, 25,000 travelers have taken part in Maximo Nivel’s affordable programs in Latin America.
Among the many educational and career-building opportunities provided by this organization are medical care internships and non-medical healthcare volunteer abroad programs for students and professionals.
Maximo Nivel offers medical care and non-medical healthcare placements to volunteers who would like to work in hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, and other healthcare facilities. Healthcare projects are open to year 1 and 2 med school students, as well as pre-med, nursing, and other healthcare science students. Medical projects are open to year 3 and 4 med school students as well as licensed professionals. Depending on your experience and Spanish language abilities, you can shadow doctors or nurses, assist with checkups, run medical campaigns, help with triage, take vitals, organize patient records, and more.
Maximo Nivel’s medical programs include airport pickup, project management, housing, two meals per day, a walking tour, and more. To learn more about Maximo Nivel’s medical and healthcare programs, visit: http://www.maximonivel.com/volunteers/medical-healthcare/
Through Maximo Nivel’s medical internship, you can visit Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Peru for four weeks or longer to help communities in need and get a great deal of exposure to medical practices in developing countries. You’ll work in a hospital, clinic, private practice, or assisted living facility while partnering with a local medical professional to learn more about their work and to gain practical experience.
A few tasks you’ll take on include patient consultation, check-ups, elderly care, health education, triage, and administrative assistance, depending on your background and qualifications. You must have intermediate Spanish language ability to apply, and you must be enrolled in a pre-med, medical, or nursing program, or be a licensed medical professional. Learn more about this medical internship at: http://maximonivel.com/internships/medical
Projects Abroad is a leading international volunteering organization that was established in 1992. To date, it has hosted over 132,000 participants across 209 projects in 20 destinations around the world.
The organization’s mission is to make a real impact in the communities it serves by carefully planning and monitoring its projects. Each year, it supports the education of more than 14,000 children, removes nearly 30 tonnes of litter from the environment, and plants over 18,000 trees. It also offers a Gold Standard of Support, with over 30 years of experience and thorough risk assessments for every project.
The organization’s hassle-free approach includes airport pickups, local transportation, and safe, clean accommodation, all included in the price. In addition to volunteering, it offers a variety of internships and teaching abroad opportunities, as well as programs for families, groups, and high school students. Its minimum age requirements are 16 for Flexi trips and 15 for High School Specials. It also offers a lot of flexibility for volunteers, including accommodating dietary requirements, accommodation preferences, accessibility needs, and interpreter services at no additional cost wherever possible.
Medical Placements with Projects Abroad
Experience is key when it comes to starting a career in medicine. Projects Abroad’s wide list of Medical Internships lets you get your career off to the best possible start with practical international experience.
Put that white coat on and shadow professional doctors and nurses where they work. You’ll gain a unique insight into the healthcare of a developing country and witness eye-opening medical procedures and conditions. You can intern in a specialization, including:
On many of these internships, you can rotate between different hospital departments, like surgery, maternity, and pediatrics. This holistic experience will prepare you for many areas of your upcoming studies. An international internship is perfect to expand your medical horizons as you learn about healthcare in countries like Ghana, Nepal, Argentina, Peru, and more.
African Impact is an award-winning, responsible travel organization that offers multiple medical and public health volunteer and internship opportunities in 7 countries across Africa. It was founded in 2004 and has since hosted over 35,000 volunteers. African Impact has over 20 different projects, ranging from teaching in Zambia to marine conservation in Zanzibar.
The organization is known for its long-term objectives and measurable change. It is also recognized as a trusted specialist in volunteering and interning in Southern Africa. African Impact offers internships, as well as group, family, and high school projects. The minimum age requirement for their projects is 16, making African Impact a great option for teen and high school volunteers (i.e. aspiring pre-medical students).
Based in Limuru, central Kenya, this program gives you the chance to work alongside local health professionals in a hospital or clinic and provide valuable healthcare advice in schools and orphanages. As a volunteer, you’ll gain insight into Kenya’s healthcare system, lend a hand in an understaffed clinic, spend one-on-one time with vulnerable children to help with their development, and much more. Your specific placement will depend on your background and level of experience and may include observation, hands-on assistance for patients (under supervision), leading workshops, and other activities. Learn more and apply here!
The Public Health Internship in Zambia is a four-week global health program that takes place in the town of Livingstone. The internship is designed to improve access to and the quality of healthcare in the area. Volunteers will work in a low-income area to determine the health of community populations, launch and run initiatives, and address context-specific barriers to effective healthcare. The program provides participants with practical experience and allows them to explore key issues in Zambia’s public healthcare system. Through the program, volunteers will gain an understanding of social research methods in an under-resourced area and learn how to report on issues surrounding health.
They will also have the opportunity to engage with healthcare workers, professionals, and NGOs in a variety of settings to learn about current health challenges and emerging trends. In addition, volunteers will deliver practical workshops on topics such as disease prevention and healthy living. They will also learn how to collect and interpret data and survey methodology to help analyze health indicators. The program takes place in Livingstone, a beautiful rural town in southern Zambia located near the Zambezi River and the border of Zimbabwe. The town is a hub for visitors looking to experience Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. In their free time, volunteers can participate in a variety of adventure activities and explore the town’s rich culture and history. Accommodation is provided at the Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia, which offers a range of amenities including a swimming pool, lounge, bar, and fire pit area. The program is a great opportunity for volunteers to gain practical experience in public health and make a positive impact on the communities they serve. Learn more and apply here!
This program offers participants the opportunity to support local healthcare services by working alongside nurses and senior healthcare professionals. Volunteers assist in providing restorative care for adults managing chronic illnesses, offering medical support and attention directly within their homes in underserved communities.
This experience not only allows volunteers to gain valuable work experience but also contributes significantly to the well-being of patients in need.
Searching for a transformative experience abroad? Involvement Volunteers International (IVI), established in 1989, beckons individuals to be part of 25,000 volunteers who’ve positively impacted 112 projects in 23 countries.
Boasting a 34-year legacy, IVI is a unique non-profit. Their focus? Empowering communities in the South Pacific (Fiji) and India. Beyond just travel and volunteering, IVI delves deep into humanitarian aid and emergency disaster relief, supporting impoverished communities and refugees. University students also find opportunities to complete practicum hours in multiple health-related sectors such as medicine, dentistry, mental health, public health, and more.
IVI offers a wide variety of medical volunteer abroad projects. For those eyeing internships, there are openings in medicine, public health, and physiotherapy across destinations such as Peru, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. These internships come with guaranteed hours and essential documentation for university placements.
Whether you are a solo traveler, a family, or a university group, IVI has something for everyone. From teaching to construction, their projects cater to different needs. They even curate specialized itineraries for larger groups, making them a top pick for school expeditions. For those aged 16-17, parental consent is mandatory.
Curious about IVI? Explore their story on their official website: volunteering.org.au. With IVI, an enriching global adventure awaits!
Fiji is Involvement Volunteers International’s premier destination where they have over 25 years of operational history. With over one third of the population below the poverty line, high rates of malnutrition, and low literacy rates, Fijian communities desperately need the support of international volunteers. IVI offers a diverse array of health-related project opportunities, including Public Health & Nutrition, Medical Care, Mental Health Outreach, Medical Internships, and more. Project fees include accommodation, meals, airport pickup, 24/7 in-country support and so much more. Click here to learn more about volunteering in Fiji with IVI.
IVI’s medical volunteer projects in the Philippines on the beautiful island of Palawan. Palawan is a picturesque vacation destination that, like the rest of the country, suffers from poverty, malnutrition, lack of access to education, and frequent natural disasters such as typhoons. In Palawan, IVI has set up a rural healthcare project where volunteers can work in the village medical center. As a medical volunteer, you will have the opportunity to shadow local doctors, educate the local community on healthy living, and perform health checks on visitors.
Program fees include accommodations at a volunteer house where you will have the opportunity to live with your fellow volunteering participants. Click here to learn more and apply.
Guatemala is a Central American country where the population is largely impoverished with 23% of people living in extreme poverty. Furthermore, the indigenous population in Guatemala has very high rates of malnutrition with 8 out of 10 children undernourished. Furthermore, hospitals and clinics in Guatemala are often understaffed necessitating the need for international volunteers.
As a medical volunteer, you’ll conduct health screenings for local communities, raise awareness about nutrition and diabetes, and give hygiene advice to the local population. Click here to learn more and apply.
Volunteering Solutions (VolSol) is an international volunteer organization that was started in 2006. Since 2007, they have hosted over 17,000 volunteers in projects across 25+ countries, including popular destinations such as Nepal, India, Thailand, Greece, and Morocco.
In addition to their 120+ volunteer projects, Volunteering Solutions also offers intern abroad opportunities, the highlight of which are their international medical internships. Volunteering Solutions has written a nice article on the difference between medical volunteering abroad and medical internship electives here.
Volunteering Solutions provides meaningful internship opportunities for all aspiring medical professionals in the beautiful country of Nepal. This program is a volunteer work project located in the capital city of Kathmandu, where volunteers will be placed in local hospitals and other healthcare settings. This program is open to all pre-medical and medical students who wish to learn about healthcare practices, medical facilities, and resource management in Nepal. Click here to learn more and apply.
Shadow English-speaking dentists and gain firsthand experience in various dental specialties. Interns observe procedures in areas such as dental public health, endodontics, maxillofacial surgery, oral surgery, orthodontics, pediatrics, periodontics, prosthodontics, and radiology. The program is designed for students pursuing careers as dental assistants, hygienists, technicians, therapists, or specialists.
Internships range from 2 to 12 weeks, with working hours typically from 11 AM to 8 PM, Monday through Friday. Participants are accommodated in fully furnished shared apartments in residential areas of Athens, close to public transportation and amenities.
Designed for individuals with prior knowledge or experience in healthcare who are not currently enrolled in a medical or nursing degree program. Participants have the opportunity to observe various hospital wards and units, gaining insight into the healthcare system of a developing country.
The program includes project-specific training on the Sri Lankan medical industry, familiarization with local customs and codes of conduct, and interaction with local medical professionals. Volunteers are accommodated in volunteer houses near their placements and can explore the local area during their free time.
GVI is an award-winning organization offering volunteer and internship programs focused on conservation and community development. Participants can engage in various initiatives across multiple countries.
GVI emphasizes sustainable impact and personal growth through immersive experiences.
Promote healthy lifestyles within communities near Cape Town. Volunteers collaborate with an international team and local residents to implement health initiatives. The program duration ranges from 2 to 12 weeks, with participants engaging in approximately 35 hours of fieldwork per week. GVI also provides unique local experiences, such as sunrise beach yoga and snorkeling in kelp forests, to enrich the volunteer journey.
Engage in preventive health initiatives in Pokhara. Volunteers contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, by facilitating daily hygiene practices and first aid workshops with young students and women in local communities. The program duration ranges from 1 to 12 weeks, with approximately 35 hours of fieldwork per week.
Support health initiatives in Cusco. Volunteers engage in approximately 35 hours of fieldwork per week, contributing to projects that promote public health within the local community. The program duration ranges from 2 to 12 weeks.
Engage in community-led health initiatives. Volunteers contribute to holistic well-being and sustainable living by participating in workshops on nutrition, hygiene, and mindfulness. The program duration ranges from 2 to 12 weeks, with approximately 35 hours of fieldwork per week.
Collaborate with local nurses and community members in the Dawasamu region to promote healthier lifestyles. Volunteers assist in collecting data on health challenges and conduct public health workshops, focusing on areas such as nutrition, preventive health measures, and waste management. The program duration ranges from 1 to 12 weeks, with approximately 35 hours of fieldwork per week.
Let’s Sum It Up
Medical volunteering is a unique opportunity that can hugely benefit both the host community and the volunteer. If you’re an established medical professional, using your skills to volunteer abroad may be the perfect way for you to do what you love while having the opportunity to work in a new environment and possibly even in a different field. Volunteer medical missions, intern trips, and solo trips are all fun and fulfilling options.
For many doctors, nurses, and other medical workers, medical volunteering is a chance for them to do what they always wanted to do- enjoy personal interactions through helping people- with a different set of challenges than they would have in their usual work environment.
If you’re a graduate medical student or undergraduate pre-medical student, volunteering for health and medicine provides field experience to help you plan your own career and professional goals. For everyone, serving as part of a medical volunteer project is an excellent way to volunteer in a way that is sorely needed by communities abroad. Since medical expertise is so difficult to obtain in many parts of the world, medical volunteers are a response to what, for many communities, is a grave and enormous need.
As always, volunteering also gives you, the volunteer, the opportunity to forge a link with a community that could span decades. Your experience doesn’t have to be limited to one trip but may extend into something that becomes simply part of your mission and experience as a medical provider. It’s common knowledge that no one can take only one volunteer trip, and we hope that this experience will deepen your dedication to your profession and desire to serve people.
Explore more healthcare-related travel guides here:
Brittany Edwardes ยท Guest Volunteer Travel Writer
Brittany Edwardes is a Fulbright Scholar who spent a year teaching and living in Southeast Asia. Brittany is very passionate about service learning, spending time outdoors, and making her own pasta.