Non-Medical Volunteers
The Foundation of All Our Clinics
Are you interested in international volunteering but you don’t have medical experience?
On short-term mission trips abroad with International Medical Relief, typically at least half our volunteers have no medical background. This is true whether the mission trip is to Africa, Asia, Central or South America, or the Caribbean. We send volunteers around the world, and the services of non-medical volunteers are a critical component to the successful operation of our clinics.
Whether you’re looking to make an impact through a family mission trip this year – we welcome children and teens who want to volunteer! – or you just want to travel to deliver humanitarian aid to those less fortunate than yourself, an international mission with IMR may be ideal for you.
As a non-medical volunteer, you will work side by side with the medical team each day in clinic, as well as build important relationships with members of the community. IMR volunteers provide comprehensive community health education to our patients to empower them to take and manage their own health care. This is a critical component for all the volunteer work abroad that we do, as it allows us to leave a lasting footprint on the community. You will be a part of this important team.
See Life Through the Eyes of the Locals
It is an amazing opportunity for non-medical volunteers to travel abroad to a developing country and see a place they always dreamed of visiting. These volunteers have the privilege to see life through the eyes of locals, understand the culture of these communities firsthand, and go outside the boundaries of the locations you read about in history books to enjoy the smiles and tears of the people.
Roles for Non-Medical Volunteers in Clinic
Community Health Education
Blogger & Mission Historian
Do you love to write? Do you want to be in the know? Send out the daily blog of important clinic events to the team’s family and friends. Speak with a team member in each department at the end of the day to capture their special story and write a short blog that helps family and friends at home (and on the IMR Facebook page, tweets, hashtags and Instagram!) to be part of the action!
Well Care Pharmacy Team
Be part of a nightly team that pre-packs over-the-counter medications for use the next day! Work with a group of your team members to prepare medications in advance that are commonly used. This is a great way to get to know your fellow team members! Pre-packing commonly used medications significantly cuts down the wait times in pharmacy and helps us see more patients. You will learn about the uses and common doses of a wide range of medications used in clinic.
Patient Registration and Intake
Patient Escort Services
Photo Documentarian
Statistics Team
Community Projects
Clinic Setup and Breakdown
Testimonials
Our leader, Karla, wow…she is a literal angel on earth. She goes above and beyond to help the people we are serving and above and beyond to help her team. If something was wrong, Karla was on it. Needed something, Karla was on it. She made my first time out of the US easy. She loves so quickly and is always available.
I served with an incredible team. So easy to get along with and all there with the same goal, to help. I loved them and I loved the people of Honduras. I can’t wait to go again. Wish I could go on every trip! Thank you IMR for the difference you are making in the world, I’m grateful to be apart of it! See you soon.
As a non-medical volunteer, there was definitely a place for me. I got to help in multiple areas, in closing with the dentists. Getting to play with and talk with the people was the best part of the whole experience. Knowing Spanish was a definite bonus, but the translators working with us were incredible. I could not believe the skill and kindness of the group of interpreters (especially since a large group of them were still in high school!). They made the experience much better for those we were seeing and for our group of volunteers.
If you want to serve, and are looking for the right group, IMR should be your first and last stop. We can’t wait for our next mission next year and for many years to come!!
As a non-medical volunteer who is aspiring to become a nurse, it was amazing to see first-hand interaction between the nurses and providers.
Because it was a mini trip we had 2 clinical days and while it wasn't long, it was evident to see the impact that each and every one of us had made with the individuals.
During my 2nd day of clinical, I had an interaction with a woman that I'll never forget. She told me about her life in Puerto Rico, her children, and other loved ones, but I soon realized that most of her family moved away from PR and she had spent most of her time alone.
I realized that by simply listening and engaging with her that I was able to make an impact. This trip was truly symbiotic, my perspective on life and the success, memories, joy that I had while giving that to others Is something that I will never forget. Thank you IMR and my amazing team leader for everything!
My experience has been that IMR teams bring medical expertise and supplies into places like Haiti and Tanzania and work collaboratively with local doctors, nurses, translators, and others within established sustainable long-term relationships.
Recently on the Tanzania trip, I appreciated the emphasis on COVID-19 safety protocols, bringing people through triage to see a doctor and with pharmacy staffing as well. The local team decided on where clinics were to be and when our team showed up the necessary spaces were available. The Tanzanian doctors were able to work on providing long-term care as needed. I enjoyed working in our IMR Tanzanian team.
I will continue to volunteer with IMR and am grateful to have the opportunity to serve in this collaborative and helpful environment.
I was able to shadow doctors, assist in pharmacy, accompany patients to the lab, perform eye tests to give glasses, educate them on community health, and help with triage. I was able to learn so much in such a short amount of time. It was an eye-opening experience and I met some of the most amazing people. To this day I still keep in touch with the other team members. This was the best trip I have ever experienced and I will never forget it.
I fell so in love with the trip and the mission that the following year I went on another IMR trip to Haiti with a friend I met in Africa. The work that IMR does truly changes the lives of the patients and the people that go on the trip.
Whether you are a physician, a nurse, a dentist, in the medical field, or simply just a student, IMR makes it their mission to help teach, educate, and provide sustainable care to those in need. Throughout my multiple experiences with IMR I can confidently say that the work they do is very special and impactful for all parties involved. I look forward to accompanying IMR on future trips. I cannot thank IMR enough for what they have done for me and so many others. I continue to support IMR on their mission while I am in Colorado and until I complete my medical license.
Join Us in Making a Difference.
You can join an IMR medical mission team or donate today!