Medical Volunteers in Cambodia: Healthcare Volunteering at the Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh

Join our medical internship in Cambodia at the Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh to gain practical experience for your medical or nursing career. While volunteering at the National Pediatric Hospital, your coordinator will introduce you to your tasks and responsibilities at the clinic. According to your experience, you can do valuable practical work and also gain experience, as you are working alongside the nurses and doctors. During your internship at the hospital, you’ll gain insights in the work of several departments.
Gain valuable experience as a medical or nursing student
In order to join the medical internship in Cambodia, you need to have completed at least one year of medical school, nursing school or related training. With three years or more pratical experience, you may even do some work in the surgery department.
DAY 1—ARRIVAL DAY (Sunday)
Our team will collect you from the airport and help you check you into your accommodation at the guesthouse or host family. You will then have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the hospitality of Cambodia.
DAY 2—ORIENTATION & WELCOME (Monday)
In the morning you will formally meet your coordinators and fellow group members. At orientation you will learn more about Cambodia and your program. Later the tour will take you on a journey through Phnom Penh.
DAYS 3-6 – PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL (Tuesday – Friday)

You will join your coordinator at the National Pediatric Hospital. Volunteers’ Responsibilities at the hospital will vary depending on your background and previous experience. Medical interns are generally work alongside the nurses and doctors. During your stay, you will have the opportunity to observe work in many departments.
Medical volunteers at the Pediatric Hospital need to have completed at least one year of medical school, nursing school or related training to join this project. For Surgery department volunteers need to have at least three years’ experience.
Full details will be provided during orientation. Work plan will be formatted together with the hospital team.
DAY 7—FREE DAY (Saturday)
Today is free for you to relax and explore.
ADDITIONAL WEEKS:
Volunteer Placements longer than 1 week follow the same format. You’ll be at project Monday to Friday, Saturdays and Sundays are free for exploring.
Medical Volunteering in Cambodia: The History of the Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh
From 1974 to the early 1975, World Vision International (WVI) led by Dr. Stene Moh Niham constructed an L-shaped building be a pediatric hospital in Phnom Penh. Unfortunately, on 17th April 1975, the Khmer Rouge came into power and took control over Phnom Penh. As a result, the building was completely closed and left the hospital in the process.

On7th January 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime collapsed. One year later, the Ministry of Health and World Vision International renovated and officially opened the hospital on 15th October 1980, named as Central Pediatric Hospital. At that time, there was only a doctor, Dr. Ho Bon Hon, who was then appointed to be the very first director of the hospital and to work with four staffs from WVI: two doctors, one laboratory technician, and a nurse. There were also total 54 hospital staffs that were nurses and administration officers. Last but not least, there were only 75 beds at that time, yet currently the hospital has 150 patient beds.
In 1983, many children in Cambodia surprisingly were in danger of a Malaria outbreak that had never happened in the country for decades. However, the Central Children’s Hospital prevented the illness and rescued thousands children lives even during the tough Cambodian civil war.
In 1991, the Central Pediatric Hospital changed its name to National Pediatric Hospital, which is also a first national level Pediatric hospital in Cambodia.
General & Specialized Consultations:
- Neonatology, Hematology
- Pulmonology, Nephrology
- Gastro-enterology
- Diarrhea and Malnutrition
- HIV/ AIDS
- Infectious Disease and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
- Stomatology
- Physiotherapy
- Dermatology
The Atmosphere of Phnom Penh and Things to do in your Free Time

The atmosphere of Phnom Penh is always vibrant and bustling. Hence Phnom Penh can be a great place for entertainment in free times.
During your time in Phnom Penh, the team will recommend some fabulous bars and restaurants. Phnom Penh has department stores, supermarkets, shops and many market stalls to buy souvenirs.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Medical Internship
Q: Do I need any experience or qualification for this program?
A: Yes, volunteers must have completed at least one year of medical school, nursing school or related training to join this project
Q: What do I do the day I arrive?
A: We will pick you up provided you arrive on the official start date at Phnom Penh Int’l Airport. We would appreciate if you could arrive between 7.00 and 20.00. However, we can also pick you up at night.
Q. What do you recommend I bring?
A: We suggest good walking shoes or trainers, a torch/flashlight, mosquito repellent, small first aid kit, waterproof clothing, swimwear, towels, clothes suitable for project work, hat, sunscreen, UV Protection sunglasses, toiletries, an unlocked mobile phone, Cambodian SIM card, a good book or two and a two pin US/EU style power adapter. Please note many of these items can be purchased very cheaply in country.
Q: What should I wear at the medical project?
A: You must bring your own scrubs or lab coat. For other days you can wear the clothes as you comfort. But Cambodia is a traditional developing country, so too short and revelling clothes might be disturbing for the people there, we suggest you to take careful on that.
Do I need a visa for the
medical
internship?
You do.
To apply for a visa on arrival you will need:
1. Your Passport with at least two empty pages for the visa, and 6 months validity
2. The application form, provided at the airport or on your plane
3. US $30 (tourist)/35 (business) application fee in cash
4. One (1) passport sized photo
5. A pen for filling out the form
The process of obtaining a visa on-arrival is simple. Fill out the provided application form and hand it – together with your passport and the photo – to the authorities at the airports, pay the fee, and then wait for a couple of minutes to get your passport, now with Visa, back.
Once you have your passport back, it’s time for the actual immigration process. After that, you’re free to claim your luggage and explore Cambodia…
Please note that if you apply for the visa upon arrival, you will only get a one-month visa. If you want to stay for longer than a month in Cambodia, you have to extend your visa at least a few days before it runs out. We can help you to extend your visa. Please bring a passport photo for the visa extension.
Q. What vaccinations do you recommend?
Please ask the advice of your doctor or a registered nurse to make an informed decision.
Q: How much money should I bring with me?
This really is up to you and what your spending habits are. For a meal, expect to pay between $ 0.50 (local vegetarian dish at a street stall) and $10 US (international/ meat dish in a fancy restaurant).
Q. Do I need travel insurance?
A: You must ensure you have personal travel insurance.
Q. What should I do if I have a problem or concern?
During your orientation you will be given contact details of your coordinator who will always be your first point of call if you require any assistance.
Start Dates of the Medical Internships
Projects as a medical intern in Cambodia start on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Volunteers should arrive on Sundays.
You can choose to volunteer from 2 to 24 weeks.
Orientation
Orientation for medical volunteers in Cambodia takes place on Monday after the arrival date and includes a city tour.
Fees: What’s included with the Medical Internship
- The program fee is paid directly to the host organization.
- The medical internships incur an additional fee of US$200.00 for the first 4 weeks, and if continued, an adicional US$100.00 for more 4 weeks to follow.
- All of the projects incur a registration fee of U$ 149.00 on top of the program fee.
What is included in the Childcare volunteer in Cambodia program fee?
- Airport Pickup
- Cultural welcome dinner
- Orientation plus city tour
- Accommodation for all projects
- 3 meals per day
- Support from local staff & Program supervision
- In-country 24/7 support throughout your stay
- In-country administration costs
- Donation to support the local project
There are no hidden costs. These projects are the most affordable to volunteer in Cambodia.
IKPVA is an NGO based in a developing country. We are dedicated to helping you help others, at the lowest possible price. We are interested in making volunteering abroad more accessible so that more people can help do really important work.
Participants in our Cambodia volunteer programs normally find US$ 50 to be sufficient for weekly expenses in the country.
The program fee should be paid to the host country and it is due 30 days before the project start date.
Accommodation in Phnom Penh
All volunteers that work in Phnom Penh will stay at the volunteer house. The house has just renovated to be the most comfortable and convenient for volunteers to feel like their home.
The house is located very close to the Russian Market and volunteers can walk just only around 5min. The volunteer house has electricity, cool & hot water and Wi-Fi access. The bathroom is inside all rooms. Bedrooms are comprised of single beds and bunk beds with bedding provided. The house also has a dining area downstairs, a living room with TV & books. Volunteers can expect to share a room with one or two other volunteers.
Meals
You will be provided with three meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner at each of our guesthouses. Khmer cuisine shares many commonalities with the food of neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam and commonly contains rice, vegetables, or noodles.
The kitchens are open from 6:00AM to 9:00PM and there are no restrictions on which selections can be chosen. Breakfast typically includes coffee, tea, and juice with bread or eggs. Lunch and dinner meals typically consist of rice, noodles, soup, vegetables, beef, fish, pork and fruit. If your workplace is not close to the house you also can ask the cook to pack a lunch for you.
Requirements for Medical Volunteers at the Hospital
Flexibility to participate in many different tasks.
Creativity and initiative in an environment with limited resources.
Must have completed at least one year of medical school or related training.
Daily Working Time
Daily working time from: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Break for lunch from: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Working Days: 5 days (Monday to Friday)
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More Volunteer Opportunities in Cambodia
Learn more about all the projects to volunteer in Cambodia here.
You may choose, whether to teach English at school, or care for children as a child care volunteer at a daycare.
Whether you are a vetinary student or just love animals, join our animal rescue project, to save poor dogs and cats in the streets.
Finally, you can do valuable work as a volunteer on NGO Support, in order to help developing the country.
Medical Volunteering abroad
Learn more our medical volunteer abroad programs in several countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America!
For instance, you can join a medical internship at the Pediatric Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Medical students can also work on healthcare volunteering in Thailand, Surin.
There is even a dental internship in Peru available, where medical volunteers can work at a healthcare centre in Cusco.
If you are still wondering, whether to study medicine, try out our pre-medical observation program in Sri Lanka. There, you’ll get in touch with practical experiences at the modern hospital of Colombo. At the same clinic, students can join an internship specializing on clinical psychology.
In South Africa, students can join a fascinating wildlife veterinary internship!
Moreover, we offer a new project on wellness coaching with the young students at a college in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.