Medical Volunteer in Peru Cusco: Internship at a Health Center
As a medical volunteer Peru, you can help the local population during a medical internship to improve the health of Peruvians. As we focus on providing medical care to low-income families, we will place you in medical centers in deprived areas in Peru.
If you are a dental student, check out also our dental internship in Cusco!
The volunteer work is very valuable as these medical centers often have very few qualified medical staff available. In addition, the health centers are not well equipped with medical instruments and medicines. Medical interns contribute significantly to the care of the patients.
Practical experience for medical students
The health project is particularly suitable for students of preventive medicine who want to gain valuable clinical experience. All medical volunteers in this program work closely with local doctors and nurses.
Cristina: Great Opportunity for Career Development
Talking about the project, I’ve been in a little health centre in Cuzco. It was a less-favoured area, where I could learn a lot about diseases I hadn’t seen before so frequently and I could perform some procedures that I hadn’t tried in my country of origin.
For sure, this has been a great oportunity for my personal and professional growth. It is always very enriching meeting a new health system and a different way of working, making the best with the little resources that they have and knowing the individual patient very well.
The doctors were kind with us and let us explore and help them in their daily practise.
So, after all, I am really happy to have been a part of this adventure 🙂 – Cristina from Spain (23 years)
Practical tasks during the medical internship in Peru
Premeditors can help medical staff determine weight, height, blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature of patients. In addition, they help to make the beds, and in the cleaning.
Moreover, medical Interns help to prepare materials, perform vaccinations and sterilize medical equipment. Med students with previous medical experience and good Spanish skills can assist doctors in examining patients, cleaning wounds, injecting, and suturing wounds.
In addition, trainees help to take blood samples, document the medical history, and assist with referrals to specialist physicians or clinics.
Healthcare programs in Arequipa, Cusco and Iquitos
If you apply for the medical internship, you can choose from three different cities in Peru.
You can choose between projects in Arequipa, Peru’s beautiful white stone city, shaded by the famous volcano El Misti, or Cusco, the Inca capital with its archaeological treasures. A third option is the popular resort of Iquitos, the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon.
Start Dates & Arrival
Projects in Peru start on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Participants on our volunteer in Peru programs should arrive on Sundays. You can choose to volunteer from 1 to 12 weeks
Projects in Arequipa, Cusco and Iquitos
You can choose between projects in Arequipa, Peru’s beautiful white-stone city shadowed by the famous El Misti Volcano; Cusco, the home of the Incas and the archaeological capital of the Americas; and Iquitos, the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon.
Fees
- The program fee is paid directly to the host organization.
- All of the projects incur a registration fee of U$ 149.00 on top of the program fee.
What is included in the program fee?
- Airport Pickup in the volunteer location
- Orientation
- Accommodation for all projects (shared rooms in home-stays or volunteer residence)
- 2 meals per day (breakfast & dinner) from Monday to Saturday
- 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 programs are the most affordable to volunteer in Peru.
Iko Poran 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 Peru programs normally find US$ 70 to be sufficient for weekly expenses in the country.
*Refundable up to 60 days before the program start date according to our Terms & Conditions
Medical and Dental projects in Cusco
Require an administrative fee of $110 for 1 week to 4 weeks, $220 for 5 weeks to 8 weeks, $330 for 9 to 12 weeks. This is a mandatory requirement to place a volunteer in Cusco volunteer project and is added to the Program Fee invoice.
Accommodation & Meals
Volunteers working with us in Peru are placed either into host families or at a volunteer residence depending on the project. Two meals a day are provided from Mondays through Saturdays (breakfast & dinner).
Requirements
- Volunteers who join the health project play an important role helping doctors, nurses and other medical staff. Therefore it is vital that volunteers speak Spanish to at least an Intermediate level, as the patients can only speak Spanish.
- Volunteers must provide a CV and have a level of training, or experience in a medical field.
Each volunteer needs to have medical scrubs, medical gloves, shoes and first aid kit to work with.
You must be at least 18 years old at the start of your placement. Exceptions can be made for under 18’s accompanied by a guardian or with a parental consent.
All volunteers must have adequate volunteer travel insurance.
Language Requirements
To enroll in our volunteer in Peru programs it is important that you have a grasp of the basics of the Spanish language; in order to be able to communicate with the local people, the other staff/ patients/ children. We offer a week of Spanish lessons on arrival, it is highly recommended that you take at least these 20 hours before you start with the volunteering. Once you speak enough Spanish to communicate with the people, you will start work in your program for at least one more week. If you already know Spanish, or would like to take more than one week of classes, that can be easily arranged with your program coordinator.
Safety
You will have a competent support and advices from the local team and project leaders. Someone will always be available in the case of any emergency. Please keep in mind that you are in a different country and should take some precautions to avoid exposing yourself to certain risks.
The local coordinators will give you all the information to have a safe and unforgettable experience.
Internship in a Health Centre in Cusco
Medical Volunteer in Cuzco: Felipe had magical moments in Peru
Medical Internship at a Health Centre in Cuzco
More Volunteer Opportunities in Peru
Choose from some more volunteer opportunities in Peru!
If you love children, you can choose from educational work at a kindergarten, or teach English at school.
Furthermore you can gain some practical experience with a dental internship.
If you are passionate about learning about local culture in Peru, you may immerse in an Andean Community, or experience the life of a village in the Peruvian Amazon.
Finally, if you are into architecture or love some practical work, try out our construction volunteering project.
Find Health Promotion Projects in more countries
Visit our page with all the Healthcare Volunteering projects.
In Thailand, you can go for a medical internship in Surin, to help residents from a low-income neighborhood.
Volunteering abroad in more countries
Find the overview of all the volunteer abroad opportunities here.