Medical observation and experience opportunity – Volunteering Medicine and Healthcare

Gain invaluable hands-on experience, working side by side with medical staff and fellow volunteers at a hospital or a neighborhood health clinic. Enjoy your Volunteering medicine and healthcare.

Daily routine in a hospital

This opportunity will give you an insight into the running and daily routine of a hospital or a neighborhood health clinic regarding medicine and healthcare. You will experience the stark contrast between Western medical practice and the realities of medicine in developing countries.

As the hospitals and clinics are still modernizing, there are many challenges faced and as a result you will also see medical conditions that have remained untreated and have developed to an advanced pathological stage. Therefore, this project not only provides you with responsibility, it also allows you to broaden your perspective by working at a hospital/health clinic in a developing country.

Various activities

Furthermore, you can gain experience in a range of different departments and activities within the hospital/health clinic, such as: emergency, pediatric, maternity (only female volunteers), diabetes, integral attention & prevention for HIV, tuberculosis and uterine cancer as well as nursing. If you are interested in working in a specific department, please let us know in advance and we will try our best to make it happen. There is also the possibility to work in the hospital pharmacy. You are welcome to also work on our other projects in combination with the medical program: Medicine and Healthcare.

4.9/5 - (16 votes)
Aldeas de Paz medical internship

Program Activities you are welcome to join!

Medicine and Healthcare – Activities can include but are not limited to

  • Observing, shadowing and assisting doctors and nurses during their work
  • Participating in patient care: comforting patients and assisting with examinations
  • Make swabs for disinfection
  • Writing down a list of medications with the time for each patient
  • Stocking up on materials and preparing or reprocessing 
  • Prepare and, if necessary, distribute medications (infusion, pills, …)
  • Checking on the well-being of the patients
  • Volunteers may choose to teach English to the doctors, provided that there is a sufficient number of doctors interested
  • Empty catheters (hospital only)
  • Fold and wrap compresses

What to expect

Although project work will be provided, volunteers are encouraged to come up with their own ideas and initiative. This is an excellent opportunity to practice all your skills and learn new ones! As with any medical service, volunteers should recognize that their schedules may be subject to sudden changes and are dictated by patients/clinics needs. Working hours within the Volunteering Medicine and Healthcare will be primarily in the morning when the physicians are at the hospital/health clinic. There is the possibilty to also take part in weekend shifts and watches with doctors and nurses as this gives you excellent exposure to work observation and experience opportunities!

HOLIDAYS: Christmas Holidays from December 16 until January 06, 2025.

Attention: Volunteers are welcome to stay at our Volunteer Guesthouse during Dominican Christmas and new year holidays! Even though working and business life comes to a halt through this two week period when the whole country is celebrating Christmas, our volunteers are welcome to celebrate Christmas and new year together with us and the Dominican people!

COSTS & BENEFITS: Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and to offer financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The minimum contribution starts at € 155 per week (after the second week) and includes Spanish language classes and accommodation at our fully equipped guesthouse apartments, a special program donation as well as a personal welcome service and pick-up at the airport, transfer to the bus, bus fare and free transfer to your placement location.

SPECIAL OFFER: Spanish language classes – volunteers and interns receive free language lessons every week. The classes focus on developing communication skills so that students are able to put their knowledge to practical use as soon as they step outside the classroom. Our teaching method enables students to develop four basic skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. The idea is to learn Spanish in a natural and spontaneous way, just as students have learned their mother tongue. Our students are encouraged to speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations: the basic syllabus is supplemented by special exercises, such as role-play, situational dialogues and work projects. Outside the classroom, the learning process continues as you are immersed in the Spanish language and the Dominican culture.

Your Profile

This program is suitable for a wide range of students and professionals. It is also available to pre-university students interested in a career in medicine. The key requirements for a medical volunteer or intern are initiative, enthusiasm and readiness to work in unfamiliar circumstances. More specialized skills will allow for more specialized activities. B1 Spanish skills are necessary, but an advanced level of Spanish will open up many more opportunities. To enhance your experience as a volunteer/intern we offer free Spanish language lessons every week.

Please bring blue short-sleeved scrub top and pants and closed shoes for work in the Medicine & Healthcare program in hospitals and clinics. The two-piece utility garment is the uniform of choice for doctors, nurses, and others who work in hospitals around the country. However, we have always some used scrubs which we can lend you for the program!

Volunteer placement or Internship?  As a volunteer you are free to commit any number of hours per week. Thats up to you! As an intern however you probably have to fulfill requirements set by your school or university. Just mark the tab on the inquiry form and inform us of your school or university internship requirements in advance so that we can work out your personalized work plan together. Also tell us about your personal expectations and goals and we will see how we can help you achieve them.

Time Commitment: A minimum time commitment of 2 weeks is required

Availability: This program Medicine and Healthcare is ongoing throughout the whole year

Placement Locations: Hospital and neighborhood clinics in Samana and Las Terrenas

Important:
Each traveler to the Dominican Republic is required to fulfill correctly the information on the electronic ticket for the General Directorate of Migration. After entering the data, you will receive a QR code that has to be presented already at the airline check-in. Please click here before you take your flight: eticket.migracion.gob.do

Your donation helps us to help others ..... We also take care of you !

• Airport welcome service & transfer to your placement location
• Fully equipped Accommodation in Las Terrenas or Samana depending where you will be placed
• Free WiFi & access to washing machine
• Free regular Spanish lessons throughout your placement
• Placement introduction, certificate & student credit
• Full support and 24/7 backup from local staff
• Information about adventure packages & in-country travel

Left row shows the lowest donation requirement incl. shared accommodation

shared room apartment accommodation
– standard –

Weeks Total
2 € 1250
3 € 1405
4 € 1560
5 € 1715
6 € 1870
7 € 2025
8 € 2180
9 € 2335
10 € 2490
11 € 2645
12 € 2800
13 € 2955

extra week €155

single room apartment accommodation
– upgrade –

Weeks Total
2 € 1430
3 € 1675
4 € 1920
5 € 2165
6 € 2410
7 € 2655
8 € 2900
9 €3145
10 € 3390
11 € 3635
12 € 3880
13 € 4125

extra week €245

host family home stay inclsingle room & 2 meals)
– upgrade –

Weeks Total
2 € 1610
3 € 1945
4 € 2280
5 € 2615
6 € 2950
7 € 3285
8 € 3620
9 € 3955
10 € 4290
11 € 4625
12 € 4960
13 € 5295

extra week €335

4.9/5 - (16 votes)