MEDLIFE’s medical volunteer programs are designed to provide students and healthcare professionals with hands-on medical experience while making a meaningful impact on the communities they serve. MEDLIFE partners with local healthcare professionals to ensure volunteers can access the resources they need to make a real difference.
MEDLIFE Service Learning Trips are curated specifically for med students or volunteers looking to enter the medical field. Volunteers gain hands-on experience with patients and can learn from watching our local medical professionals work. We offer Classic SLTs, for those who are interested in general medicine and poverty reduction. Dental SLTs, where volunteers get to provide education and care specifically for oral hygiene/care. And Nursing SLTs, for nursing students looking to gain more hands-on experience.
Our main goal is to focus on long-term results. MEDLIFE provides follow-up care to all our patients to ensure they are achieving this. Our philosophy is to treat the cause, rather than the symptom. We understand that medical assistance is not something that can be fully successful without consistent follow-through.
MEDLIFE is also dedicated to ensuring our staff and volunteers approach their work with cultural sensitivity. Many of our volunteers may not be familiar with the cultural practices of the communities they serve. This is why we promote a strong emphasis on education and training for our volunteers. All SLT participants attend “reality tours” where they can witness first-hand the local communities they work in and learn from locals about their reality. Volunteers also participate in round-table discussions with their group leaders where they can learn and discuss what it means to provide sustainable assistance, cultural understanding and sensitivity, and the difference between empathetic help and sympathetic help.
The purpose of our Service Learning Trips is to collaborate with the local communities rather than to intervene. We respect the opinions and values of our partner community members and make an effort to include them in our work. This is why all development projects done on SLTs are different, as they are curated according to the needs of the community. At the end of the day, we always strive to leave a positive impact on the community that provides a better quality of life to its residents.
If you are interested in joining an SLT, visit our website to learn more!