9 Best Medical Volunteer Programs Abroad

Choosing to volunteer abroad gives travelers the opportunity to better get to know the communities they are spending time in, while giving back. Exploring new places and learning new things is a great benefit to the traveler. However, many of these communities would benefit greatly from the support of those traveling through. 

Volunteering abroad is traveling and making a positive impact rolled into one. With medical volunteering you can give back to the community and gain some practical experience at the same time. People all over the world need medical and healthcare services, meaning volunteering with medical programs can take you anywhere in the world. 

For many interested in the health and medical fields it’s hard to get experience and training outside the classroom. These fields are vast, offering a wide variety of career possibilities. How do you know which direction to take your career without some real-world experience to give you a glimpse of what your work might look like? 

Here are some of the best medical volunteer programs abroad to get you started:

• African Impact
• The Atlantis Fellowship
• GoEco
• International Volunteer HQ
• The Real Uganda
• Love Volunteers
• Kaya Responsible Travel
• Child Family Health International
• Maximo Nivel

The best programs for medical volunteering this year

Editor’s note: This information on medical volunteer projects abroad was accurate at the time of publishing. Please refer to each individual program for current data.

1. African Impact

"My experience with this internship is one that has truly impacted my life in many different ways. When I applied for it, I have no idea I would be getting such a well-rounded experience. I learned so much about the medical system in Kenya, but I also got to experience different communities through our volunteering and community outreach." —Read more African Impact reviews

• Where? Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• When? Year round: 2-4 weeks; 5-8 weeks; 9-12 weeks
• Why? African Impact has been on the scene since 2004, creating impactful experiences in Africa for thousands of volunteers from around the world. You can count on them to provide an experience that's worthwhile for both you and your host community.
• More African Impact info

2. The Atlantis Fellowship

“The Atlantis Fellowship is a life changing experience for students interested in a health major to explore the medical world. It not only gives a person the chance to shadow doctors, see impressive procedures in different specialties very closely, and make lifelong connections, but it also gives a student the chance to see a new culture and how it influences healthcare. I had a really good time !!”—Read more Atlantis reviews

• Where? Spain
• When? Summer or Winter: 1-2 weeks; 2-4 weeks; 5-8 weeks
• Why? This program gives pre-med students the opportunity to ethically shadow doctors in international hospitals. The program helps to prepare students for their medical school applications and futures as medical professionals. 
• More Atlantis Fellowship info

3. GoEco

“The project enabled me to mingle with the locals and I saw first hand how the project helped the people of Cambodia. I made many friends with the same passion as mine that is to deliver quality health care regardless of their status or background. I also learnt and observed how healthcare is delivered in another country.”—Read more GoEco reviews

• Where? Bali, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, Malawi, Peru, South Africa, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• When? Year round: 1-2 weeks, 1-2 years, 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks, 7-12 months, 9-12 weeks
• Why? GoEco’s wide variety of programs and destinations means students at all levels, with varying degrees of experience, will get the most out of their time abroad. Not only will students gain academic credit, they’ll spend their time supporting those in need and lending a hand to often understaffed hospitals and clinics. 
• More GoEco info

4. International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ)

“I had a great experience with IVHQ Ghana as a medical volunteer for 4 weeks. We focused on outreach initiatives including malaria testing and wound care. I felt that my work really made a difference. I met people from all over the world who had the same compassion and drive to help others.” —Read more IVHQ reviews

• Where? Worldwide
• When? Year round: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks
• Why? With ten years of experience and 18,000 volunteers annually, IVHQ is one of the most popular volunteer programs around, and for good reason. Volunteers will work in a variety of settings while also getting to know the community they are working in and its members. 
• More IVHQ info

5. The Real Uganda

“I have nothing bad to say about my experience through The Real Uganda, in fact it was one of the best decisions I ever made to travel with them. If you want to make a real impact on true Ugandan communities, to work with inspiring, passionate and dedicated people, to do something you can’t do anywhere else, but still have the chance to have a weekend to go on safari, or white water raft the Nile, then this is for you.”—Read more Real Uganda reviews

• Where? Uganda
• When? Year round: 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks 
• Why? Volunteers work in rural clinics doing a variety of tasks, including education, with the aim of supporting rural public health. The Real Uganda gives volunteers a taste of what locally-led community development looks like and how it works. They also want you to experience all of the wonders of the country, so you’ll have time to explore too.
• More Real Uganda info

6. Love Volunteers

“My general impression is that I loved the volunteer program. South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is rich in culture, food, and wildlife. I am very content with my project and staff. Everyone was generous and willing to teach. The staff really made my volunteering experience enjoyable. My tips for the other volunteers is to come with an open mind and to be open to new experiences.”—Read more Love Volunteers reviews

• Where? Over 30 countries worldwide
• When? Year round: 1-2 weeks, 1-2 years, 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks, 7-12 months, 9-12 weeks
• Why? Running a variety of different volunteer programs around the world, Love Volunteers is committed to working with communities directly, giving volunteers and communities the support they need. 
• More Love Volunteers info

7. Kaya Responsible Travel

“I spent two intense weeks that I will never forget, I came back to my country (France) my head full of beautiful memories and with so much experience in terms of medical discovery and learning. It was a human adventure, as I met really good people, kind and caring...As well as the medical team.”—Read more Kaya Responsible Travel reviews

• Where? Belize 
• When? 1-2 weeks, 1-2 years, 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks, 7-12 months, 9-12 weeks
• Why? Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn from experienced healthcare professionals while also lending a hand to assist the local doctors and nurses. As a medical volunteer in Belize you’ll learn more about healthcare systems in international settings and broaden your knowledge base and skill set. 
• More Kaya Responsible Travel info

8. Child Family Health International

“Through CFHI, I learned to question my perspective and learn from local experts. I learned that health is not only the classes I took, the biological processes I studied or the hospitals I was familiar with, it is social, it is personal and it looks different to each of us. Healthcare in India is something that I am by no means an expert in, which is why I was refreshed that CFHI fosters a learning environment where participants are learners and local experts are teachers, guiding students through the intricacies of global health and social determinants of healthcare in different environments.”—Read more Child Family Health International reviews

• Where? India
• When? Year round: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks
• Why? The Rural/Urban Himalayan Rotation offers students the opportunity to study in a variety of settings. Students will see healthcare in various capacities and learn about the challenges facing these communities, as well as the improvements being made. This may be more academic than hands-on compared to other programs on this list, but students will leave India with a better understanding of healthcare in rural India.
• More Child Family Health International info

9. Maximo Nivel

“I arrived in Cusco at the beginning of January very unsure of what to expect and overwhelmed with nerves! The second I stepped off the plane, the staff at Maximo made me feel right at home and extremely comfortable, considering that I was on the other side of the world, in a foreign country, alone, for the first time ever! After my first week here, I had already created so many friendships and memories and was starting to have a routine.”—Read more Maximo Nivel reviews

• Where? Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru
• When? Year round: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 3-6 months, 5-8 weeks, 7-12 months, 9-12 weeks; Alternative spring break
• Why? Maximo Nivel values immersion and language learning in addition to giving back. Learning about the community and culture you are spending time in will make you a much more impactful volunteer, and volunteering will make much more of an impact on you.
• More Maximo Nivel info

[Explore ALL Medical Volunteer Programs Abroad]

You’re ready to volunteer with medical projects all over the world!

Pack your stethoscope; you’re volunteering with medicine abroad ASAP!

Whether it’s teaching school children about the importance of handwashing in Nepal, or helping doctors care for cuts, scrapes, and breaks in Uganda, you can make a difference for those you help and your own future at the same time. No task is too small when it comes to helping others. 

While it is a wonderful thing, to want to get involved in healthcare volunteer projects abroad, it’s important to remember that this is a serious field. Do your research (you’ve already started with this article!), ask questions, and make sure you are ready to commit to volunteering with medical professionals. 

Take advantage of this unique opportunity and spend time getting to know the members of your host community and learning and experiencing another way of life. You’ll leave your healthcare volunteer project with useful experience, new friends, an appreciation for another culture, and maybe even some new language skills. 

Use MyGoAbroad to Find & Compare Healthcare Volunteer Programs