Medical Mission Trips with Medical Missions Outreach
Get an In-Depth Look at Medical Missions Outreach and the Medical Volunteer Opportunities They Provide Around the World
Medical mission trips provide healthcare professionals, including nurses and physical therapists, a practical, hands-on way to bring desperately needed healthcare services to the most impoverished places in the world. By volunteering for a medical mission trip, you gain valuable and instructive healthcare experience and gain first-hand experience practicing medicine in developing nations.
The organizations that arrange medical mission trips range from large, multi-national operations to smaller-scale efforts coordinated by local charities and churches. Medical Missions Outreach began as a very small operation but has since grown to have a significant positive impact in many of the poorest communities around the world. Their effectiveness comes from partnering with local churches, medical professionals, and hospitals to bring medical, dental, and surgical services to the local population at no cost.
(Click here to see our full list of the best medical mission trips and volunteer opportunities)
What is Medical Missions Outreach?
Founded in 2003, Medical Missions Outreach is a faith-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides medical, dental, and surgical care to communities that don’t have access to adequate healthcare services. Medical Missions Outreach provides for the spiritual, medical, dental, and physical therapy needs of its clinics’ patients. They focus heavily on patient education to empower individuals to better care for themselves and their families, then follow up with local healthcare providers for continuing treatment as needed.
For non-surgical medical mission trips, volunteers are in the field for about nine to ten days. During that time, Medical Missions Outreach sets up pop-up clinics in whatever facilities are available in the area. These locations can include churches, government buildings, schools, and even tents. Medical Missions Outreach welcomes all residents for treatment free of charge and without regard for race or religion.
Typically teams of about 40 people comprise each mission, about 15 of whom are medical personnel. When available, these clinics also include physical rehabilitation specialists who help patients with mobility issues alleviate their pain and improve mobility. Additionally, Medical Missions Outreach travels with its own pharmacy and limited laboratory.
Medical Missions Outreach Mission Statement
Medical Missions Outreach uses the tool of medicine to point others to the Great Physician.
Where Does Medical Missions Outreach Serve?
Medical Missions Outreach is an international charity that provides medical care in impoverished and underserved communities in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, and Latin America.
Here are a few of the upcoming scheduled trip destinations:
- La Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Bishoftu, Ethiopia
- El Progresso, Honduras
- Chipata, Zambia
- Kingstown, St. Vincent
- Atkinson, Dominica
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- San Jose del Monte, Philippines
What Kinds of Medical Professionals Does Medical Missions Outreach Need?
Medical Missions Outreach teams are made up of a variety of medical and non-medical volunteers. Their teams provide ethical medical care and provide an immediate and lasting impact on the patients whose lives they touch. Duties performed by individual volunteers will be limited to the scope appropriate to their level of medical certification or education.
Here’s a list of the medical professionals that Medical Missions Outreach currently needs:
- Registered Nurses
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Certified Nursing Assistants
- Physical Therapists
- Student Nurses
- Physicians
- Physician Assistants
- Nurse Practitioners
- Pharmacy Techs
- EMTs
Medical Missions Outreach Volunteer Requirements
Medical Missions Outreach requires you to complete their application process before being considered for service. You’ll be asked to provide your resume, professional certifications, undergraduate and medical degrees as applicable, and identification documents.
They also strongly urge you to be up-to-date on all your vaccinations, including:
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Pertussis (Td/Tdap)
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella (MMR)
- IPV
- Polio
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
Medical Missions Outreach encourages you to obtain further country-specific immunization advice from the U.S. Centers For Disease control.
The act of coordinating, establishing, operating, and transporting a pop-up medical clinic is hard work. Medical teams put in long hours each day. A typical day sees approximately 500 patients walk in for treatment. Supplies can sometimes be limited, so medical professionals need to be creative in accomplishing goals when supplies run low.
You must be prepared to work outside of your comfort zone. You’ll be a guest in a community with a different culture, customs, and languages. You’ll see illnesses you’ve probably never seen before. The poverty and difficult circumstances your patients live with will be profound, but the rewards of your work will bring the highest levels of satisfaction any medical professional can hope for.
What Benefits Does Medical Missions Outreach Provide?
International Medical Relief will take care of many necessary arrangements, including:
- Airfare
- In-country transportation
- Three meals per day (not including meals in transit)
- Lodging
- Travel insurance
Volunteers typically stay in comfortable local hotels, two per room. If you’re traveling with a friend, Medical Missions Outreach will work to place you both together. When the trip destination is in a remote location, you may be housed in dormitory-style accommodations. Either way, your security is always a priority.
For security reasons, you will have access to a safe IMR email account for in-country communications. Medical Missions Outreach strongly recommends you not share your private communication accounts or detailed personal information with anyone while on assignment.
What Expenses Am I Required to Cover?
Medical mission trip costs vary by destination and are prominently displayed on the webpage for each upcoming medical mission trip. In addition to the trip cost, there are several expenses that are your responsibility to cover. These expenses include:
- Inoculations
- Passport and visa fees
- Food and entertainment while in transit
- Malpractice insurance (though not required)
- Personal expenses
- Toiletries
How to Get Started
Suppose you’re interested in volunteering for a medical mission trip with Medical Missions Outreach. In that case, the process begins with visiting their website and learning more about their many upcoming mission trips, their approach to providing medical services, destination information, and trip costs. Once you find a trip that interests you, navigate to the Contact Us page and fill out the Get In Touch form. Medical Missions Outreach will then reach out to you and begin the formal application process.
Click here to learn more about Medical Missions Outreach.
Start Your Career in Healthcare by Earning Your Degree or Diploma
Advancing your healthcare career is a great way to earn a more competitive salary*, but the rewards go far beyond the money and increased responsibility. By becoming a medical assistant, registered nurse, or earning a BSN degree, you’ll play a key role in restoring health to the patients you serve. If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’re looking for, then the perfect place for you to begin your journey could be at Provo College or its sister school, Eagle Gate College.
The Medical Assistant Program at Eagle Gate College can be completed in as little as 9 months and provides the necessary training for entry-level positions as a medical assistant in a healthcare facility such as a clinic, physician’s office, or urgent care facility.
Or, if you’re ready to take the next step towards becoming a registered nurse, you can start by enrolling in our BSN program. If you already hold an ADN, then you can earn your BSN degree online in as few as 20 months through the Eagle Gate RN-to-BSN program.
Finally, if you’re interested in helping injured or disabled people restore their strength and mobility, we encourage you to explore our Physical Therapist Assistant program.
