Health Project in Costa Rica

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose
• North Western Region: 
Atenas

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: All Year Round

Description: Global Crossroad's health projects provide volunteers with the opportunity to work in hospitals, clinics, and with special projects providing healthcare to disadvantaged and at-risk people in Costa Rica. Volunteers work alongside doctors, nurses, therapists, and other medical professionals in urban or rural areas.

Depending on your medical experience and Spanish language skills you may be asked to assist with various procedures such as delivering babies, suturing wounds, and giving vaccinations. Some volunteers may help with vaccination and public health campaigns.

Highlights: Medical placements ARE available for people without medical training. These volunteer projects are generally located in an urban hospital or clinic and often involve working with children who have mental or physical disabilities. Volunteers will generally help feed, bathe, and play with the children; and may be asked to assist in physical therapy.

Clinic/Hospital

Medical volunteers assist with general check-ups and examinations of patients, as well as assist in triaging emergency patients and possibly in traveling to patients' homes in rural areas to help with vaccinations and/or to care for patients who have become immobilized. May volunteers will also work firsthand with patients struck with tropical diseases.

Depending on the volunteer's ability to conduct themselves in the Spanish language and the expertise they demonstrate, the clinics will let you work as independently as possible.

Clinica San Juan de Dios

Clinica San Juan de Dios offers free treatment to mentally and physically disabled children. The clinic employs nurses, teachers, and physical therapists. Volunteers are assigned various tasks depending on their skills and interests. All volunteers must help in the clinic feeding, bathing and playing with the children. Volunteers may also work as teaching assistants in the school, assisting with art projects and helping the children with their work.

Qualifications:
- You must have medical background; medical student or doctor or nurse
- Placement in health projects requires notarized documentation of your medical school, nursing school, or other medical credentials.

Cost in US$: Starts from USD 1099

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 or above

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Global Crossroad's Mission Statement: Global Crossroad offers many remarkable and challenging volunteer, internship, mini-adventure and cultural immersion programs to volunteers in fascinating countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru. Our meaningful and unique programs engages our volunteers in projects that will uplift lives of poor children and women as well as allowing them plenty of opportunities to enjoy the historical, cultural and natural wonders of the host country.

Year Founded: 2002