After the Vietnam War in 1960, Cambodia entered a civil war which destroyed the social structure of the country. Many doctors and educated professionals died during this period. As things stand, the country’s medical facilities don’t meet the minimum sanitary standards. As such, working as a volunteer on the medical volunteer program in Cambodia entails working in some of the world’s poorest medical institutions.
Volunteers will observe the doctors and nurses in public hospitals located in the city of Phnom Penh. They’ll have the chance to observe the work of various departments. Volunteers need to be flexible and willing to accept different tasks. They must also accept that their presence in the hospital is not required, and that they are simply there to gain an insight into the Cambodian medical system.
Volunteers in this program often have to work for 8 hours a day, with a lunch break at around 1:00 PM.
Requirements:
- Volunteers must also have completed at least one year of medical school, nursing school or a training course related to the project.
- At least 3 years’ experience are required in order to work in the Surgery Department.
- Program start date: every Monday
- Minimum stay: 2 weeks
Example of the program:
Volunteers can work in the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital, located in Yothapol Khemarak Phoumin Boulevard in Phnom Penh. The hospital is managed by the Ministry of Health. The departments in which the volunteers will most commonly work are the Paediatrics Department, the Plastic Surgery Department, the General Disease Department and the Odontology Department, as well as attending surgery in the ICU.
