Deciding to Volunteer Abroad

I joined the student-led OSU chapter of a national organization called Volunteers Around the World (VAW) in September of 2016, but I was initially unsure if I would commit to going on a service trip abroad. I then took a class called “HIV: From Microbiology to Macrohistory.” During the course of this class, we discussed the ethics of volunteer programs – especially those where US students go abroad to do things that they aren’t qualified to do here in the US. That discussion really opened my eyes and made me think about my own decision to potentially volunteer abroad this coming summer.

I spent time doing research on VAW and the medical outreach program I was interested in. From that research, I learned that VAW chooses the communities where they set up mobile free clinics by asking if this project is something that the community feels is wanted and/or needed. While each group of volunteers only stay in-country for a short period of time, there is a larger infrastructure set up in those countries so the communities will be visited at least once every year. VAW strives to make sure that their volunteer projects don’t lead to dependency on international aid and compromise the dignity of the people they are trying to help. Instead, VAW makes an effort to involve local people and businesses in hosting and transporting volunteers. Many of the doctors that volunteers shadow are also local, and the organization makes an effort to stick around and support the project for many years if they are wanted.

Once I knew that I was getting involved with an organization that does its best to remain ethical, I was able to make an informed decision. I am going to participate in a VAW trip to Panama this summer because of how much I stand to learn and grow from the people I meet. Not only will I learn basic medical techniques, but I will learn more about problems facing the healthcare industry in Panama. I will also learn more about patient care and communicating with patients – even through language and culture barriers. All of these lessons will hopefully make me a better and more mindful physician in the future!