Health and Medical Elective in Nepal

  Nepal

Kathmandu

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: 2 weeks to one year

Description: spent a week working with VIN in their Health/Medical Care program. I received basic orientation to Nepali culture and language prior to being placed within my host family in the village of Jitpur. They were very hospitable and endearing. I was allowed the opportunity to experience authentic Nepalese life and culture, and regarded as family. There was an intense admiration and appreciation for the Nepalese people almost instantaneously, for their resourcefulness, simplicity, and good-natured dispositions. I worked in the community health post, which involved assisting patients with symptom management, and offering health promotion and illness prevention strategies. I also had several occasions to go remote areas and model tooth brushing for particularly vulnerable individuals and children. Overall, my experience was insightful and empowering. I learned so much. I extend my deepest gratitude to VIN for their continued support throughout my time in Nepal, specifically Bhupi, Kabita, Sam and Nishan. - Shelley Pikes, Canada
                                                                                       
VIN also aims to mobilize volunteers with health backgrounds in rural Communities where people do not have access to any health facilities, as the government is not able to provide adequate health services in the rural communities. Further, rural Nepali people are often unwilling to go to the hospital and other contemporary health services because of orthodox and superstitious thinking and other cultural influences. Some Nepali people may visit a dhami / Jhakri (witchdoctor) when they are suffering from a disease, so most of them sometimes die without getting the benefit of modern medication. VIN is playing an active role in linking those rural people with those around the world and within the country who are really eager to serve the many needy people in Nepal's rural areas.
VIN welcomes all the interested medical students, individuals, professionals, organizations, associations and other groups to join the health program.

VIN organizes Health Program in three ways:   

Health Camps : Medical Volunteers will be mobilized to work in health camps for a prearranged schedule: 1 day to a week. Volunteers will work with their Nepali counterparts, who assist both Nepali and foreign volunteers. Volunteers' responsibilities are to distribute medicine and consult with citizens about health care, by this means raising the awareness of health and sanitation throughout the rural communities.   

Health Institute:   Volunteers will be assigned to health posts, hospitals, and other health institutions, either being run by the government or a local community, in both rural and urban settings. Volunteers will work with health assistants, doctors, nurses, or some combination there within. They will work daily, 3 to 5 hours, for 5 days a week.   

Teaching Health and Sanitation   Many Nepali people are unaware of issues. We therefore mobilize volunteers mainly to work with the youth clubs, women's groups and other local organizations to teach them about proper health and sanitation habits. In addition, volunteers will provide First-Aid information to the local people in rural villages, thereby providing them with a practical and sustainable health and sanitation skills. At the mean time, volunteers will give health education classes to children clubs in government schools that may last from a week to several days. Clubs community groups pass this information to other Clubs, groups and communities at large. We prefer medical students or doctors for this program; however, we do accept other volunteers who have some experience in the area.


Medical Internship:   For a significant number of Nepali people, it is very difficult to receive proper health care. Many of the states health centersestablished to provide services in rural areasare inadequately staffed. Internship Nepal gathers compassionate volunteer groups to help alleviate this problem in an effort to improve the quality of health care for disadvantaged Nepali people.    Volunteers / Interns in this program assist local doctors and medical staffs in the treatment of patients. Volunteers may also participate in hospital programs in a variety of fields such as record keeping, sanitation, nutrition, or treatment of minor injuries.    Our medical volunteering program places doctors, nurses, and medical school students in hospitals and clinics throughout Nepal. We have standing requests from local facilities for Internists, Urologists, Surgeons, Oncologists, Ophthalmologists, Nurses, and Dentists. Volunteers have the option of working in either an urban or rural setting.   As a medical school student, you will participate in a wide range of activities. You will accompany doctors on their rounds, explore different treatments for simple ailments, provide physical therapy, and take part in vaccination programs. Depending on the timing of your visit, you will have the opportunity to visit large general hospitals, maternity clinics, children's hospitals, HIV/AIDS wards, and alternative-medicine clinics. Your visits will be given some context by local doctors and nurses who will discuss issues such as typical illnesses/treatments and the general state of health care in Nepal.   Interested volunteers must have certification or proof of experience in a medical field, such as a medical student ID, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physicians credentials. Due to the health risks involved, volunteers who are not properly trained in health care cannot work on this project.

Length of program:   Minimum of 1 weeks and Maximum of 5 months.

Qualifications:   Medical volunteers need to be either currently studying or practicing in the medical field, which includes doctors, nurses, medical students, and nursing students.

Highlights:
Intern will mainly be involved in the working in the Health Post/Sub Health Post Clinic/ Hospital.
Health students will be assigned to clinics, sub-health posts, hospitals and other health institutions. These are either run by the government or a local community in both rural and urban settings. Health students will work with health assistants, doctors, nurses or some combination this kind. Your daily work will include helping to perform the health staffs' job. It will also involve researches of common diseases and health issues. Students will get the opportunity to learn about the basic medication system in Nepal. The work will be daily, 3 to 5 hours, 5/6 days a week.

Qualifications: - Anybody with a health background can apply for the post.
- Medical volunteers need to be either currently studying or practicing in the medical field, which includes doctors, nurses, medical students, and nursing students.

Cost in US$: 400 - 1200 USD

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 +

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Nepal Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-5

Application Process Involves:

• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Volunteers Initiative Nepal's Mission Statement: Our mission is to empower marginalized communities, with a focus on women and children, through enhanced education programmes and whole community training to achieve democracy and raise economic productivity.

Year Founded: 2005