What to expect and how you'll make an impact

The healthcare system in Vietnam is run differently to many others in the western world, and volunteers can play an important role in assisting local staff. By volunteering in a local hospital, you can help in a range of departments and get exposure to a range of treatments and roles.

Government regulations prevent volunteers from carrying out independent tasks, so you can expect to be shadowing and assisting local doctors and nurses as they perform their duties. For this reason, this project is best suited to students hoping to gain an understanding of the Vietnamese healthcare system. Qualified volunteers are able to take part, but you should not expect to carry out hands-on medical care.

Medical volunteers can observe :

· Basic triage

· Wound care

· Rehabilitation

. Acupuncture

. Operation room.

Why do Medical volunteering in Ho Chi Minh?

When you volunteer in healthcare in Vietnam you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:

· Seeing a different medical system in action

· Observing a wide range of clinical practices

· Assisting with appropriate healthcare tasks

· Developing your communication skills

· Gaining medical experience

· Immersing yourself in Vietnamese culture

· Discovering Ho Chi Minh City

Volunteer requirements

· Volunteers must be studying medicine, nursing or in a closely related medical field to be eligible to join this project. Fully qualified professionals should note this is a largely observational placement.

· Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate in this program.

· All volunteers must communicate in English, have adequate travel insurance and provide a criminal background check before departure.

Medical specialties

On the Medical project in Vietnam you may be able to volunteer in the following areas: Anesthesiology Brain injury Mental Health (may be limited) Occupational therapy Orthopedics Pharmacy Physiotherapy Prosthetics Medical imaging/radiology Speech therapy Surgery (spine surgery, skin grafts, joint surgery) Ultrasound.

Accommodation:

You’ll stay at volunteer dormitory at ​a tourism college which is a 30-minute drive from the tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City. You can expect to share a room ​with 5-7 other volunteers, all sleeping in bunk beds, shared bathroom. Living conditions are basic; however, there is air conditioning. The showers are with cold running water (nice and refreshing in the hot weather!). WiFi is available in the volunteer dormitory; however, the connection can be slow sometimes so we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Vietnam. The local team can assist you with this during your program orientation. Some placements are located relatively close to the volunteer accommodation, however in some instances, volunteers may need to travel by public bus for 30​ to 40​ minutes to their placements. If this is the case, you will be accompanied by a member of the local team to ensure you travel safely.

Meal

Volunteers in Ho Chi Minh City are served three meals per day during the week. Breakfast is usually toast, cereal, fruit, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are typically traditional Vietnamese fare and include a wide variety of rice, noodle and soup dishes with plenty of vegetables, meats and fresh herbs. On the weekends volunteers are only served brunch and dinner. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply for the program so we can make arrangements for you.

Include:

· Accommodation

· Meals

· 24/7 in-country support

· In-country program orientation

· Pre-departure support

· Airport pick-up

· Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists

· Certificate of Volunteer Service