Peru: Volunteer Medical Placements and Work-Experience

Volunteering on a Medicine & Healthcare project in Peru is a fascinating experience. As a Medicine & Healthcare volunteer you will gain a great deal of valuable work-experience alongside skilled medical and dentistry professionals. The facilities are generally of a basic standard, although the huge disparity between rich and poor means that there are also a number of well-equipped private hospitals in the country.

Our Medicine & Healthcare programme in Peru is based in the World-Heritage city of Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire. We work with several hospitals in the city, and volunteers are allocated to a particular hospital depending on their experience and preferences.

Volunteers who are qualified or part way through their medical training often work at Es Salud hospital, which is the biggest hospital in Cuzco. This hospital is modern and well equipped and volunteers can work in a variety of departments with specialist medical professionals. We also work with the second biggest regional hospital in the Cuzco area and with a specialist hospital for anyone focusing on obstetrics and gynaecology.

Volunteers can also work at one of several health clinics, where volunteers with less experience will usually work closely with one doctor, who has more time to explain the illnesses and treatments than the staff at the bigger hospitals. The main areas here are general medicine, gynaecology and paediatrics. Outreach visits to local communities are also sometimes arranged.

Finally we have the option of working at a children’s rehabilitation hospital. This hospital is run by a priest and looks after many children with special needs. Volunteers here help to feed and play with the children.

Our programme coordinator is Patricia Davila, a dentist, with many years of experience in the social health sector in Cuzco. Patricia previously worked for German and Dutch NGO’s and understands the needs of volunteers.

Throughout the year we are also invited to help with some specific health campaigns. For example in September 2008 we were invited to assist with the CIRPLAST campaign, where children with a harelip undergo operations. All volunteers who apply for Medicine & Healthcare in Peru will be kept up to date with these extra projects.

Volunteers on the medical placements usually work from Monday to Friday and have the weekends free. Daily hours vary from place to place, and will be decided during your first meeting with Patricia and your placement supervisor. Please remember that these medical placements should be taken seriously and the doctors with whom you work will expect you to be punctual and attentive. Volunteers with a positive attitude and pro-active approach will get a great deal out of the programme.

For all Medicine & Healthcare placements in Peru, you need at least intermediate Spanish.

Volunteer Nursing in Peru

If you are a trained Nurse, a Nursing student, or simply on a gap year or career-break and are interested in gaining some experience in the field you could volunteer with us as a Nurse in Peru. Our nursing volunteers work in a variety of hospitals and health clinics in and around Cuzco. Like all our medical related projects in Peru intermediate Spanish is needed. Your exact role will be determined by your knowledge and experience, but a willingness to learn and a flexible, enthusiastic attitude is essential.

Volunteer Dentistry in Peru

Volunteer Dental placements in Peru take place in health centres and clinics in Cuzco. Our supervising dentists are happy for volunteers to get involved, regardless of how much experience you have, however it is important that you have a keen willingness to learn and an intermediate level of spoken Spanish.

Elective Placements in Peru

You can do an Elective in Peru in Medicine and Dentistry.

If you wish to do your Elective in Peru, you will most likely be working in a large hospital or a health centre in Cuzco. You will shadow one of our supervisors who are all very experienced at working with western medical and dental students. They will be keen to test out your knowledge, as well as giving you the benefit of their training and experience.

Outside of the hospital you will live with a local host family, who will provide you with all your meals outside of your normal working hours. When you aren’t at work there is plenty to do in Cuzco, with ancient Inca buildings awaiting discovery amongst the cobble-stoned streets, as well as plenty of bars and restaurants. At the end of your elective why not take a short holiday and trek up to the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu?

All volunteers on Teaching, Care, Community, Medicine & Healthcare, Sports or Spanish placements in Peru now have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement.
Click here for more information.