Volunteer: Public Health Medical Placement in Ecuador

Duration: Minimum 1 month (flexible for min. 2 weeks depending on intern s qualifications), Maximum 1 year

Start Dates: Project is ongoing, and you can join at any time, depending upon availability

Cost: $450 for the 1st week + $250 for each additional week (2 month minimum is recommended)

Fee Includes: all food, accommodation, pre-departure + in-country support, orientation and all project related activities

Does not Include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations

Please note: This opportunity is designed to give you the contacts and experience to help further your career. You are not replacing any member of staff, but helping alongside them, whilst learning new skills.

Benefits

• Medical placement in a health clinic, hospital, or governmental public health assistance organization working alongside local doctors and support staff.
• Flexible placement, tailored according to your interests and abilities.
• Opportunity to experience the Ecuadorian health sector and increase your medical speciality skills.
• Hands-on experience in the medical field along with the opportunity to learn about traditional medicine, plant medicine, herbalism, ethnobotany, agriculture, indigenous rights, women s empowerment, grant writing, online marketing/media and more.
• Numerous research +amp; dissertation opportunities available with partner organizations and universities, if requested.
• Participate in and help develop cultural exchange events including ecotourism, medicinal plant remedy workshop, farm to table Amazonian forest foods meals, and guayusa tea ceremonies.
• Keywords: medical project, hospital placement, flexible serious project, public health, medicine, emergency medicine, traditional healing, indigenous rights agroforestry, biodiversity, sustainable development, research, community development, economic development, climate change, women s empowerment.

Introduction

The Ecuadorian Amazon is home to the most biodiverse ecosystem in the world, as well as over 12 indigenous groups. The region in which interns will work is called the Napo province, centered around the main city of Tena, about 4 hours East of Quito, Ecuador s capital city. This province has disproportionate access to healthcare and a lack of educational resources for prevention. Our Medical and Public Health interns support staff at a local hospital, rural health clinic, or public health organization located in the Ecuadorian Amazon, as well as the option to promote health education and learn about traditional medicine practices within a local community.

Because they live with local families, interns forge meaningful connections to the people and plants of the Amazon, gain global health perspectives, and practice their skills alongside experts. In addition to engaging in unique Amazonian activities such as swimming in waterfalls, making chocolate from fresh-picked cacao, and trekking in the virgin rainforest, our immersion program offers the chance to become part of an Ecuadorian family and community, dive deep into language learning (Spanish and Kichwa!), and create your own community-based projects.

This is an opportunity for motivated, enthusiastic, and adventurous interns to immerse themselves in the field of Medicine and Public Health, in the most biodiverse place in the world – the Amazon rainforest. It is a unique opportunity to see and be a part of the changes that are occurring as Western and traditional medicine come together. If desired, you could also participate in research and innovative projects to continue to analyze this union and cultural significance.

We also accept medical/nursing student or healthcare professionals to contribute directly to your chosen specialization. You can get involved in more than one specialty or placement during your project. We are also able to host academic groups, pre-med students, and individuals.

Daily Life

During your project, you will first have a 3-day orientation to start learning about the culture, people, geography, and what it means to be an intern abroad. After this, you’ll spend a couple of weeks shadowing and assisting in different areas including the with the nurses, different doctors, pharmacy, dentistry, and community health. You could also request to focus on a particular area. You will also be able to go on medical visits and brigades out to communities and home visits in the region. Lastly, you will be able to create your own community public health talks to give in the waiting room and/or local schools.

For those looking to learn about the Public Health field outside of a hospital or clinic, there is also the possibility of interning with an international humanitarian emergency response organization and a government-funded program that works with the most vulnerable and at-risk groups (elderly and children), and includes doctors, physical therapists, dentists, psychiatrists and more. This program goes on medical brigades and community visits to provide care for people that cannot easily access health centers. They also organize events and workshops to teach community members about public health topics like sexual education and violence prevention.

Lastly, there is also the option to collaborate with a women’s traditional medicine and birthing center, or do research with the local association of natural healers.

These projects can be combined with us supporting you to network with communities, women’s groups, and shamans to create an independent project researching traditional plant medicine and practices.

Please note: all information above is subject to change. Please check the most up to date information on the Global Nomadic website when applying.