Medical Volunteer Abroad Programs

You spend your placement inside a local hospital or clinic, rotating through departments such as general medicine, maternity, pediatrics or public health depending on the site. Pre-med and nursing students mainly observe and assist with basic, supervised tasks; registered health professionals work more directly with patients under the guidance of local staff. Every placement is matched to your training level, not the other way around.

These placements suit pre-med, nursing and medical students plus qualified doctors, nurses and midwives, all aged 18+. Some hospital placements, in Kenya and Tanzania for example, are open only to registered health professionals, while clinic-based programs in Peru and the Philippines also accept pre-med and nursing students. You should be studying or working in a health-related field and comfortable in a clinical setting.

Fees start from $748, with a $249 deposit securing your place and the balance due before departure. This covers accommodation, meals, airport pickup and in-country support for the length of your placement; flights, visas and insurance are separate. See how program costs break down if you want a fuller picture before applying.

Placements run from 1 to 24 weeks, so you can fit one around a semester break or a longer placement year. Start dates run weekly year-round, with the next intake on 13 Sep 2026. Because hospitals and clinics need advance notice to plan your placement, it is worth applying several weeks ahead of your preferred date.

Placements run across Philippines, Kenya, Peru, South Africa and Tanzania, with Philippines, Kenya, Peru and South Africa the busiest destinations for medical volunteering. Each placement is based at a partner hospital or clinic in a specific city, such as Nairobi, Cusco, Cape Town or Tacloban, rather than a floating regional program. Check individual country pages for the exact hospitals and departments involved.

That depends on your qualifications. Pre-med and nursing students mainly shadow local staff and help with basic, supervised tasks such as taking vitals or assisting during rounds. Registered doctors, nurses and midwives take on more direct clinical work, always alongside local clinicians and within the scope of their own training. No volunteer diagnoses, prescribes or carries out procedures unsupervised.

Placements are arranged through hospitals and clinics that our in-country teams already work with, and every volunteer gets an orientation on arrival plus 24/7 support for the length of their stay. As a certified B Corp, we keep placements observation-appropriate so students never exceed their training, and local medical staff stay responsible for patient care throughout.

Medical volunteer programs are shorter, more flexible placements for students and professionals who want supervised clinical exposure alongside other travelers. Our separate medical internship programs (Med Trips) are structured for students needing a formal internship with defined learning objectives, often for course credit. Both keep you within an observation-and-support role; the internship route is more academically structured.

Yes. Because placements involve contact with patients, a clean background check is required before your place is confirmed. You will also need to submit a CV or resume and a copy of your passport with your application. Some hospital placements additionally ask for proof of your professional registration or current studies.

Yes, on the placements designed for them. Clinic-based programs in Peru and the Philippines accept pre-med and nursing students with no prior clinical experience, since the role is observation and assistance rather than hands-on treatment. Hospital placements in Kenya and Tanzania are reserved for registered doctors, nurses and midwives, so check each program's eligibility line before applying.