Overview
The Medical & Healthcare Volunteer Program in Peru will not only enable you to make some meaningful contribution towards the lives of the people, but it'll also help you to learn more about the healthcare system of the country.
Volunteers working in this program make a genuine contribution to staff working within Peru’s health clinics and medical centers. Volunteers mainly work in medical clinics which provide care and treatment to the people residing in the poor and underprivileged areas of Cusco.
Depending on your medical experience and Spanish language skills you may be asked to assist with various procedures such as suturing wounds, giving vaccinations, helping with taking vital signs of patients, being involved in the daily procedures of medical centers, observing or directly providing various sorts of assistance to existing doctors and nurses.
The Health Care Program is particularly suitable for premed and medical students who want to gain valuable clinical experience by working with professionals. All the volunteers in this program work in the capacity of assistants to the doctors and nurses in the placements.
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. Participants should have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Medical volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report, CV as well as other documents pertaining to their qualifications prior to joining the program. Pre Medical, Medicine and Nursing students are welcome to join the program. Students must have an intermediate level of Spanish to join the program.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
- The major task would be to shadow the professionals and assist them whenever needed.
- Depending on your skills, you'll be assigned work like suturing wounds, giving vaccinations, etc.
- You can also assist the Doctors during critical surgeries and operations.
- You need to be actively involved in the daily procedures of the clinic, taking rounds of the wards, maintaining files, and doing routine patient checkups like measure Blood pressure, check fever, etc.
Note: Your tasks would depend on your expertise as well as the knowledge of Spanish Language.
Volunteer Work Schedule
- Sunday - Arrival in Cusco, Peru
- Monday - An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, informing the volunteers about relative topics such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behavior, food, and other suggestion over things to do in Peru.
- Tue to Fri - Volunteer Work.
- Weekends: Free to explore the city/ Head out for Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley etc.
- Breakfast - 07:00 am to 08:00 am
- Working hours at the placement - 09:00 am to 01:00 pm and 02:00 pm to 03:00 pm (The second shifts depends on the requirement at the placement)
- Lunch - 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm
- Dinner - 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards.
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating in.
Living
When you choose to volunteer in Peru, just pack your bags and arrive at the destination with a relaxed mind. Our dedicated coordinator at the location arranges airport transfers, stay, meals and also weekend tours for you. All you have to do is arrive.
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from the Cusco Airport by the local coordinator or representative. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in Peru will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand or at the bus station.
Accommodation
Volunteers are provided with accommodation with local host families. By staying with a host family you will experience the local culture, customs and Peruvian way of living. Volunteers are hosted in shared bedrooms with other volunteers. Usually, there are 2 bathrooms in every host family with hot showers. Accommodations are clean and comfortable. Some houses have the WiFi connection and cable TV as well.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by the local staff. Areas like culture, greetings, locations, transportation, safety, and volunteer placements are given during the orientation. The orientation will be given by the local staff in Peru.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with three cooked meals a day (Monday- Saturday) at the host family house. Meals vary from day to day and generally include soups, vegetable salad, rice, potatoes, juice, dessert etc.
During your Free Time
Volunteers are free to visit and see places or do shopping during their free time. On the weekends most of the volunteers plan a trip to Sacred Valley or the world famous 'Macchu Picchu' - the lost city of Incas. In Cusco, you can walk around Plaza de Armas and explore the different restaurants and shopping areas.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of $199 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Insurance (Provided at an extra cost)
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Airfare
- Visa and Visa extension fee
- Airport drop, airport taxes
- Local Transportation
- Any personal expenses
Program Dates
| Months | 2022 | 2023 |
| January | 0216 | 0822 |
| February | 0620 | 0519 |
| March | 0620 | 0519 |
| April | 0317 | 0216 |
| May | 0115 | 0721 |
| June | 05 | 0418 |
| July | 031017 | 020916 |
| August | 0714 | 0620 |
| September | 0418 | 0317 |
| October | 0216 | 0115 |
| November | 0620 | 0519 |
| December | 0418 | 0317 |
FAQ's
Connect with Past Volunteers
We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to connect with other participants and our team.
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
Accommodation and Living
Your country coordinator will take you to your placement location and introduce you to everyone after giving you a basic orientation about the program, city, culture etc. You will also be narrated about the directions to the project location from your accommodation and the modes of transport which you can use.
Volunteering Solutions arranges accommodation for volunteers in homestays or with host families in Peru. The accommodations are simple and have basic amenities.
Three meals are provided in a day of which the lunch is the specialty of Peruvian families. The food is tasty, hygienic and nutritious, suited to all volunteers. The volunteers should note that the food is provided from Monday to Saturday of each week. On Sundays, volunteers can eat at nearby eateries or find out good restaurants as per choice.
Yes – please do ensure that you inform the local team about your food preference and they can make sure to provide you with the best food! Also, please do mention your specific food preference in the application form as well.
You can change your money at any bank or at the airport by showing your passport. There are ATMs located all around the city. The market areas around the project location also have ample ATMs and money exchange counters.
Depending on your project placement, you may get free evenings and weekends. You can utilize this time to visit local markets and other places around your project location.
Places like Barrio de San Blas, Hatton Rumiyuq, Convent and Church of La Merced and Cathedral of Peru have been declared as a World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and must be visited by volunteers during free time and weekends. Of course, we also arrange for tours to Macchu Picchu.
Volunteers are also free to plan quick getaways and explore Peru. We also arrange programs for groups in Tambopata Rainforest areas and the country coordinator can be contacted for the same.
Your program fee covers mostly all the major expenses when you arrive in Peru except your personal expenses. You will need to cover your personal expenses, such as bottled water, local transport, telephone, the internet, shopping, sightseeing etc. However, you should carry around $70-80 per week for your basic personal expenses. However, this amount can vary and you would need a higher amount if you go on different weekend trips out of town.
Flights and Visa
All participants joining the volunteer projects in Peru need to apply for Visa at the nearest Peruvian High Commission in their city. Along with the Visa application, you need to attach the required supporting documents. We provide volunteers with the necessary supporting documents for their Peruvian Visa application. More information shall be provided after you become a Volunteering Solutions enrolled participant.
The Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) in Cusco is well connected with all major airports across the globe and flights are easily available. American Airlines, US Airways, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, Emirates Flights are some of the popular airlines.
Health and Safety
Peru attracts travelers from different parts of the world and is generally safe. However, we recommend all volunteers to take necessary precautions against thefts and robberies. Also, seek permission from your coordinator before venturing out alone in the evenings.
Volunteers can also look up resourceful sites like Lonely Planet to gather more information about Peru and its general atmosphere. You are also recommended to follow the safety guidelines provided by the in-country coordinator during Orientation Session.
We recommend you to consult your physician or travel doctor before traveling to Peru. However, we recommend you take general vaccinations like
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Yellow Fever
Diarrhoea
Yes, for all volunteers it is mandatory to have a travel medical insurance. To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider.
FAQ's Application and Program Details
After you complete your application, your personalized ‘My Account’ will be activated.You will need to upload your CV/Resume along with your photo in the same. Our backend team and the placement site takes around 10-12 working days to review your application. After we review your CV and documents, your booking will be confirmed and booking confirmation will be updated in your ‘My Account’. Some projects need a mandatory criminal background check and the same is mentioned in the project info of your program. Approval of your application depends on your qualification and eligibility criteria for each project.
We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care for providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
Yes, we will provide you with the Certificate after successful completion of your program. The certificate is provided on request.
If you are planning to come for multiple programs during your trip, you will have to pay the application fees just once. Your application fee is valid for a year's time (from the date of applying). You will not have to pay the application fees again if you come within the mentioned time frame.
For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program.
Volunteers usually work for 5 to 6 hours a day, for 5 days a week, depending on their program. You will have the weekends to explore Peru. However, volunteers need to be flexible, open minded and understand that work requirements can alter any time.
The minimum age requirement for the programs in Peru is 17 years. For the Medical program, volunteers must be 18 years and above.
He/she should have the flexibility to adjust to a new environment and culture.
Volunteers should have a basic/ intermediate knowledge of Spanish Language.
For Medical Program – Pre-Medical , Medical and Nursing students as well as Medical Professionals are welcome to join. Participants with other qualifications in the medical field such as CAN, EMT can also join the program.
The participant should be in good health.
All volunteers need to arrive in Cusco, Peru, for the Peru programs on the starting date of their project.
Volunteers are picked from the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco by the in-country coordinator or representative. Accommodation is provided in a homestay or with the host family.
A short orientation is given after arrival about the city, placement, safety precautions. The volunteers are also taken for a short tour of the city before the commencement of the program. However, the tour is dependent upon the arrival time of your flight.
