How Volunteering with NGOs Can Enhance Your Medical Career

A medical career is the most rewarding profession in the world. Students who develop their interest in biology and pursue medical studies can become involved in the medical related field. The overall education after class 10th grade is related to the biology stream. The career in the medical stream is not only bound by the MBBS course, but it also has many allied healthcare professions such as nurse, technician, therapist, pharmacist, etc. Once the candidate gets admission in any of the relevant courses, proper guidance is important for choosing the career according to their interests and goals. 

Mostly the degree duration in the medical stream is 5 years, in which PG and other specialized degree course duration is not included. Colleges and universities organize the initiative along with the NGOs to provide healthcare services to the underserved populations. In this article we are highlighting how NGO volunteering can help to enhance the medical career. 

What is NGO Volunteering and Role of Volunteering in Medical Career

 

NGO are the non-governmental organizations that work for many communities to make their lives better. These kinds of organizations are mostly non-profitable and not properly funded by the government. So they need the involvement of the people who can collaborate with them to serve  -services such as medical services, teaching, educating them about human rights, personal development, etc. but without any cost. 

Candidates who take part in NGO volunteering are generally students who work with limited resources, also it  gives medical students the liberty to enhance their abilities and work efficiently and creatively.  

Mostly the NGOs organize healthcare camps, in varied localities, from rural areas to urban clinics, some NGOs also organize medical camps outside the country,  in which the medical students participate  as volunteers.

 

Top Benefits for Working with an NGO for Medical Students

 

Volunteer programs help the medical students to understand the real-world scenarios, actual challenges in the medical career, and work ethics in different areas. Here are the benefits for  the medical students who got involved as volunteers.

 

•  NGO volunteering certification can be a strong addition activity in a student's resume. 
• Generally, these kinds of healthcare education programs improve the leadership quality and communication skills of medical students.
• The medical students organize workshops, health talks, and debate on topics such as hygiene and daily healthy routine in rural areas. These programs also make a positive impact on people’s lives.
• Teamwork and collaborative initiative enhance the potential to work with various regions in the future.
• Students who are involved in research and practice can get direct feedback, so they can use this feedback to improvise the medical facility. 
•  It helps the student’s medical career to build confidence and provide practical experience of patient care, follow-up routine, clinical practice trial, etc. 
• Working with the diverse population allows the students to learn about the various medical conditions and healthcare situations. 
• Students in NGO volunteering get the opportunity to build a professional network with doctors, NGO staff, and community leaders, and help with professional collaborations in the future. 
•  Students can explore their interest in different areas of medicine and public health, so they can identify the potential medical career paths or specialties.

Major NGO Volunteering Programs for Medical Students

Healthcare Education

Students from 1st and 2nd year can attend the healthcare educator role as a volunteer. The aim of this kind of camp is to educate people about regular hygiene, promote regular exercise, mental health, and organize interactive activities and workshops for better understanding.

Vaccination and disease - specific program

Vaccination and disease- specific camps and targeted programs where the NGOs set up vaccination clinics with the help of medical students and local health authorities.  These kinds of programs are very beneficial for the people who belong to crucial areas with limited health resources. Nursing students, MBBS students and other biology speciality graduates can gain the experience to lead these kinds of vaccination drives as volunteers.   

Nutrition Program

NGOs address nutrition education and organize food distribution camps, the target of the volunteers is to provide nutritional supplements. Volunteers must understand the needs of the population, they serve and focus on providing essential vitamins and minerals. Educate about the healthy eating practice, meal planning, and promate daily healthy diet chart. 

Health Checkup Program

Students who have knowledge about pathology lab work, microbiology and diagnosis can be a part  of health checkup programs for heighteen-up the medical career . The aim of these camps is to detect health issues. These health checkup programs are organized in schools, work places, community centers etc.  

Maternal and Child Health Programs

Maternal and child health programs ensuring the pregnant women receive the proper nutrition to support their health and newborn child health. Apart from that they educate new parents about infant care, and recognize the signs of illness in newborn children, address mental health issues related to pregnancy such as depression and anxiety. The students who are studying gynecologist, and pediatrician in their UG/PG degree can take part in these types of volunteer programs to get growth in their medical career. 

Emergency Medical Aid Program

Emergency medical services are generally offered at the time of disasters. With the help of NGO volunteering hospitals establish temporary clinics in that zone to perform emergency surgery, and emergency medical service. The volunteers get a chance to work with local and international organizations and government agencies. Set of teams who know about the medical interventions, emergency response, and can help to rebuild the health facility in a post-disaster setting. 

International NGO Volunteering and Programs for Medical Students 

Various international volunteer opportunities guide about the world-wide healthcare challenges, cultural immersion, global health issues, advanced medical technologies, etc. This kind of NGO volunteering certification is also considered at the time of job placement. 

The top most international NGOs that provide volunteer projects worldwide to boost student’s medical career are WHO (World Health organization, Peace Corps, Global Health corps, MVI (Medical Volunteers International ) etc.

The international volunteer certifications enhance the professional image and add credibility in the medical carrer of the student. The volunteer role provides both practical and ground knowledge that support career advancement and help to explore the career paths and required specialty subjects for further research.