Educational Resources

Preparing for an international medical mission involves more than booking a flight and packing your bags. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or non-medical volunteer, understanding what to expect—and how to serve responsibly—is an important part of preparing for meaningful global health service.

International Medical Relief’s medical mission resources help volunteers learn how to prepare for a medical mission, understand their role on a medical team, work within their scope of practice, navigate international travel, participate in clinic operations, and serve with cultural humility and respect for the communities that welcome us.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience serving communities around the world, our educational resources cover medical mission preparation, volunteer training, international travel, clinical operations, patient care, community health education, safety, ethical medical volunteering, and sustainable global health practices.

Preparing for your first medical mission? You may be wondering: What should I expect? What should I pack? What will my role be in clinic? How should I prepare for international travel? How can I serve ethically and respectfully?

Start here. Our goal is to help you learn, prepare, and serve with confidence, compassion, humility, and respect.

Some mission information is time-sensitive, so registered volunteers should always stay current with emails and trip-specific communications from IMR. If something is unclear, please ask—we are here to help.

We look forward to helping you prepare for your mission and hearing the stories, lessons, and experiences you bring home.

You can always reach us at hello@imrus.org or 970-635-0110.  

We look forward to working with you as you prepare for your mission and hearing great stories upon your return!