Overview
Volunteer Peru, Many of Cusco’s medical and dental facilities are critically understaffed and underfunded. The hospitals are overburdened with patients, many of whom have illnesses preventable by basic hygiene and healthy living practices. International medical volunteers fill a necessary gap.
Undergraduate students (medial, global health, nursing, dental) are welcome to join our health-related projects in Cusco Peru. These projects not only provide a hands-on learning opportunity in universal health care practices, you will also make a lasting impact on the community of Cusco.
Pre-dental students will shadow in a local Peruvian dentist and assist the staff with non-evasive tasks. Procedures such as fillings and repairs are most common, as well as root canals and extractions. Pre-medical and Student nurses will support the Centro de Salud which provides both primary and basic emergency care to low-income families. Some of the daily volunteer task may include
- Assist with patient consultation and diagnosis
- Assisting in different departments, shadowing the doctors and nurses
- Working in the triage/admissions area
- Outreach campaigns: preparing materials/and set up
Our program is open to volunteers of all ages and educational or professional backgrounds. As our sites are open year-round, volunteers are welcome to travel at any time and for any length of time. Volunteers in Cusco Peru are housed through ABV’s homestay program. Homestays are with local families, in clean, comfortable, safe neighborhoods. All homes have western style toilets and showers. Homestays all have telephone access and are located within walking distance of internet cafes. Volunteers are asked to indicate all housing preferences, including meal requests and pet/food allergies in the application forms.
Sample Itinerary – Monday through Fridays
- 730am Breakfast at your homestay
- 800am-1200pm Hospital/clinic rotation (shadowing, assisting, charting)
- 1200pm-200pm Lunch at your homestay
- 200pm-500pm Hospital/clinic rotation or Language Immersion lessons
- 730pm Dinner at your homestay