Role of Volunteer
As a medical volunteer in Tanzania, your duties may include assisting local medical personnel and taking on various tasks independently at the clinic or hospital. Certified volunteers assist with outpatient department services and dispense medications and deliver injections/immunizations. Volunteers also support health education via community outreach programs and assist with family planning and antenatal services. Assist doctors, nurses and medical staff
- Examine and work directly with patients
- Treat minor injuries
- Hospital administrative duties such as record-keeping
- Educate patients on the importance of sanitation, hygiene, nutrition, etc.
Please note: We welcome pre-med and medical students into our medical volunteer in Tanzania project. However, if you are a pre-med or medical student, your role will be that of an intern who is there for learning purposes only. You’ll be able to shadow the doctors and nurses and learn from observation and experience medicine being practiced in a developing country from a very close perspective, but you will not be permitted to do anything that you wouldn’t be permitted to do without certification in your own country.
Skills/Qualification Needed
You are interested in applying for medical volunteering in Tanzania, you must have certification or proof of experience in a medical field, such as an EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician’s credentials. Due to the health risks involved, volunteers who are not properly trained in healthcare cannot support this project. **If you are a pre-med or medical student, we do have internships available for you! Your understanding of Tanzanian culture and diversity can help improve the experience for both you and your patients. Consider enrolling in our one-week Language & Cultural Immersion program.
Volunteer in Tanzania: Project Locations and Free Time Options
Our volunteer in Tanzania projects are located in and around Arusha and Moshi. Arusha is one of the bigger cities in the north of Tanzania and sits at the base of Mount Meru, not far from the Kenyan border. It is well-known African congress center and contains the site where the International Tribunal for the Rwandese Genocide was held. Safari tours to the Serengeti, N'gorongoro, Manyara and Tarangire usually launch in Arusha. The city is also an excellent base for visiting the Arusha National Park, where volunteers can experience a wide range of habitats and experiences. There are lakes that serve as a gathering point for a kaleidoscope of waterfowl, the imposing summit of Mount Meru is nearby and Moshi is approximately an hour-and-a-half (90 minutes) drive from Arusha.
Moshi sits on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is an often over-looked tourist destination, but offers many intriguing cultural exposure opportunities. The Chagga people call Moshi home and it is in the middle of a major coffee growing region. Central Moshi is busy and colorful making an interesting walking excursion. The area around the market and Mawenzi Road is recommended, as there is a slight Asian flavor to the area and a Hindu temple, mosques and Indian traders.
