Health Care Volunteering in San Jose, Costa Rica

Maximo Nivel is a locally based organization in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Volunteer abroad—get involved, make an impact, and learn to serve by working on local projects: - Working with Kids - Teaching English - Conservation - Construction - Animal Care - Eco-Agriculture - Medical and Healthcare To qualify: - Volunteers must be 18+ years of age or accompanied by a parent or guardian. - We require background checks from our volunteers. - Come with a great attitude and a willingness to pitch in. Since 2003, Maximo Nivel has been a leader in educational travel and study abroad. Our work-study-travel programs host more than 4,000 people per year. We are a professional, ethical, and hard-working organization that is completely dedicated to providing a great experience to every participant, student, traveler, and client! Every day, we strive to set ourselves apart and provide the best volunteer, education, and cultural experiences in Latin America, along with top-notch client service and great home-based facilities. Live it!

Provide medical healthcare for those in need while volunteering in the lively city of San Jose in Costa Rica! Within this unique program are two different placement options: healthcare and medical care. The healthcare option is for students studying health sciences, nursing, and pre-med. The medical care option is for licensed medical professionals or individuals finishing medical school. For an additional fee, volunteers have the ability to practice or learn Spanish! Those placed in healthcare will focus mostly on providing friendship to patients and caring for their general health needs, while those placed in medical will be involved in more hands-on tasks such as taking vitals and other tasks. Some tasks for these programs may include, but are not limited to providing companionship for patients, distributing medications, assisting with general patient check-ups, taking vital signs, and organizing and updating patient records.

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

Join young volunteers on a life-changing expedition and support their health and well-being as they seize the opportunity. This is a unique opportunity to gain valuable youth empowerment and counseling support helping young people through a transformative expedition. You’ll work with an organization dedicated to arranging volunteer expeditions where young people can gain the skills and confidence they need to become future global citizens and leaders. These expeditions are designed to test and challenge volunteers to foster their development and growth. Your role as an intern will be to support volunteers through this journey. This will include taking responsibility for volunteers' health and well-being, offering one-to-one counseling, and deploying conflict-resolution or behavioral management strategies. This versatile program offers broad career development with learning opportunities in an array of transferable skills, ideal for careers in social work, education, or sustainable development.

Find out why more and more people are choosing to become a Love Volunteer! Love Volunteers is the most affordable way to volunteer and help local communities in developing countries! Why are we cheaper than other organisations? Firstly, we are just a handful of passionate people working hard to help volunteers and local communities around the world. We don't have huge overheads - no company cars, no downtown office - we're just volunteers who knew we could do a better job. Secondly, we work with local organisations wherever we can to keep administration costs to a minimum and also to feed as much money and skills into the local communities where we operate. All of Love Volunteers partner organisations have been fully vetted to ensure that, not only does a genuine need for assistance exist, but that the environments that we place our volunteers are safe and of high quality. Choose from one or more of our 200+ amazing community-based programs in 37 developing countries around the world. Every program has been personally visited by one of our dedicated staff members and is regularly audited to ensure it meets our high standards in terms of safety, sustainability, and local impact.

Sign-up for our medical volunteering programs abroad if you are a medical or healthcare student who is aspiring for a medical career but needs real-time training and mentoring. You don’t necessarily have to have a medical degree, as requirements are different for each program. There are even pre-med volunteer abroad programs specifically for school leavers who are considering studying medicine in the future. We also offer customised placements for those seeking medical electives or medical internships abroad. Most of our medical electives abroad placement require that you spend 5-7 hours at our partner hospital or clinic as an observer of the daily routines of medical staff. You will be assigned a doctor or a department who will mentor you and may call upon you to assist with basic tasks such as taking vitals and treating minor wounds under the supervision of the local doctors. Our medical electives are offered in developing countries such as Philippines, Vietnam, India, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Peru and Costa Rica.

San José, the capital city, is in the central valley of the Costa Rican rainforest. As the cultural, economic, and political center of Costa Rica, this is where most people live, work, and play. Here, you can experience a vibrant and busy Latin American metropolis while also having the rest of the country's pristine natural wonders nearby. We provide opportunities to serve dozens of local NGOs, schools, clinics, and businesses through structured programs offered all year round. Program participants can work with host organizations in a variety of fields and areas: museums, local schools, youth and disability centers, health clinics, and several others. Through service at a local organization and guided reflection-based curriculum, our goal is to help you gain a better understanding of the local language, culture, and community. Each service-learning placement is unique, so visit our website to learn more about the specific program options available. We especially recommend San José for students interested in education or working in museums.

Discover Costa Rica—a country rich in biodiversity, natural beauty, and adventure. From white sand beaches and lush rainforests to volcanoes and vibrant cities, it's a destination for nature lovers and thrill-seekers alike. Whether you're into hiking, surfing, ziplining, or white-water rafting, Costa Rica offers it all. While the country is peaceful and safe, many communities face economic hardship and environmental challenges. As a volunteer, you can make a meaningful impact by joining projects in education, healthcare, construction, turtle or beach conservation, or through specialized internships in fields like human rights, hospitality, micro-business, and veterinary care. During your stay, you'll live with a friendly local host family, gaining a true taste of Costa Rican culture and hospitality.

Volunteer in Costa Rica with A Broader View Volunteers, a highly rated non-profit charity organization. Volunteer placements are available throughout Costa Rica, mainly in San Jose and Escazu and the Pacific and Atlantic coastal regions. There are 19 program options available for volunteers to choose from. A Broader View can accommodate up to 30 volunteers with housing. The organization has hosted numerous university student groups, Peace Corps alternative teens, and family volunteer programs in their Costa Rica turtle programs. Customized programs can also be arranged for groups of 5 or more volunteers. A Broader View Volunteers has extensive experience working with students, teachers, and families, providing tailor-made service trips for small groups. Costa Rica, known as the "Rich Coast" in Spanish, is a popular destination that attracts over a million visitors yearly. With its year-round mild climate, relaxed visa requirements for travelers, and friendly locals, Costa Rica is an ideal place to volunteer.

Classic Service Learning Trips (SLTs) are week-long, immersive educational journeys to Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, or Tanzania. During these trips, volunteers actively collaborate with local communities on various development projects, including constructing homes, improving access to clean water, and participating in mobile medical clinics that provide essential healthcare to underserved areas. These trips offer a unique opportunity to engage deeply with the communities that MEDLIFE supports, allowing volunteers to witness firsthand the challenges faced by those living in extreme poverty. By working side by side with locals, volunteers not only gain invaluable insights into global health and development but also contribute directly to impactful projects that foster long-term, sustainable change. Beyond the hands-on experience, SLTs encourage participants to reflect on the role they can play in addressing global inequities. The trip fosters empathy, awareness, and ignites action, empowering volunteers to join the MEDLIFE Movement and advocate for a world where poverty no longer limits opportunities.