from 553€

Fantastic 4.5rating (41)

Pharmacy Internship

location
2 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 16 - 50+

rating  Fantastic 4.5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Put your knowledge and skills to test in an unfamiliar, international setting.
  • Improve your skills in providing drug information to patients at a hospital.
  • Complete ward rounds within the pharmacy, as well as with medical teams.
  • Learn about clinical pharmacy practices and methods within a hospital setting.
  • Go on weekend excursions or join social events together with other OGVO volunteers and interns.

Especially suitable

Age 16+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

On this program you can work with local professional medical staff in a hospital, and visit outlying communities to provide basic medical advice and services

Acquire your career in Pharmacy off to an eye-opening start by completing your elective in Ghana with OGVO. On the project you will gain valuable practical experience by working with a professional pharmacy manager at a hospital, as you share your skills and knowledge in communities that are largely ...

About the program

Acquire your career in Pharmacy off to an eye-opening start by completing your elective in Ghana with OGVO. On the project you will gain valuable practical experience by working with a professional pharmacy manager at a hospital, as you share your skills and knowledge in communities that are largely underdeveloped and low on resources.

In Ghana, health care is often limited by lack of funding, outdated facilities, and shortage of staff. On your elective, you will contribute directly to improving health care in the community where you are placed, and to a healthier life for those you visit and treat on outreaches.

In order to take part in this project you have to be a Pharmacy School student. 

Your role on the Pharmacy School Elective in Ghana

During your placement, you will work alongside a qualified supervisor who will help you become accustomed to your specific pharmaceutical practice. You will observe the daily pharmaceutical care services provided by local medical staff, and assist where required. You will also go on outreach projects into outlying communities to provide basic medical services to small villages often without health care. Some of the tasks you will do include:

  • Completing ward rounds with the pharmacy and medical teams
  • Supervising the outpatient dispensing of medication
  • Providing drug information to patients at a hospital
  • Assisting pharmacists with clinical pharmacy practices
  • Taking part in medical outreach projects, where you will provide local people with medical advice, prescribed medicine, and basic medical services

Your experience in Ghana as a Pharmacy School student will be eye opening, as you will be exposed to the health care practices of a developing country. You will be required to test your knowledge and skills in a space unfamiliar to you, and to think on your feet as apply yourself in your work.

The pharmaceutical knowledge you bring to the work-space will benefit staff and patients, and will directly contribute to improving the health care services provided in the communities you interact with. Your influence will therefore leave a lasting impact and will contributing to the sustainability of the Pharmacy Project in Ghana.

Most colleges have deadlines for your Elective application paperwork. If your college needs information on the hospital where you will be placed, or requires forms to be signed by your project supervisor, we strongly advise completing our application form at least one month before this deadline. We can only provide this detailed information once you have applied and been accepted onto an Elective placement with us. If your college has no set requirements, we still advise that you apply as early as possible.

Can I use this program as part of a college or university placement? 

It is certainly possible to use one of OGVO’s programs as part of your university or college placement. Project staff can sign off any paperwork required by your course tutors. OGVO regularly receives medical, childcare, psychology and nursing placement students at our projects across Ghana and we have ties with some of the leading universities.

If you’re a course tutor and would like further information about how one of OGVO’s programs could meet the placement requirements for your degree course then please contact us directly.


Typical day

Wake up each morning at your host family before eating breakfast, donning your white coat, and grabbing a tro-tro or shared taxi that will take you to the hospital. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way. 

A typical day starts at 8am, and ends at 4pm, Monday to Friday. ..

Typical day

Wake up each morning at your host family before eating breakfast, donning your white coat, and grabbing a tro-tro or shared taxi that will take you to the hospital. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way. 

A typical day starts at 8am, and ends at 4pm, Monday to Friday. Since the pharmacy is open day and night, you can also organize a night shift with your supervisor. At 12.30pm, you’ll have a chance to eat during your lunch break. You can either bring a lunch from your host family, or you can buy food at the hospital cafeteria.

At the beginning of each day, you’ll check in with the local pharmacist who is to be your supervisor for the duration of your elective or internship. You’ll start each day by shadowing the doctors during ward rounds. They will go around and visit each patient who stayed the night, seeing how they are doing and recommending any necessary change in their medication. You’ll assist the pharmacist with the dispensing of this medication.

A few times a week, you’ll go with the medical staff and assist with the dispensing of medication at community outreaches. You’ll fill doctors’ prescriptions and ensure patients are aware of how to take the medication and how often. All of this work is supervised by an experienced pharmacist.

At the end of the day, you can head home and enjoy a home cooked Ghanaian meal with your host family. This is the perfect time to get to know more about their culture. Over the weekends, you can spend time with other electives or interns, explore the many historical sites around Cape Coast, or just relax on the beach.


Free-time activities

During weekends Volunteers/Interns have the opportunity to visit all that Ghana has to offer. Weekend trips available include visits to Mole National Park in the Northern Region of Ghana. This National Park offers a great Safari-like experience and is one of the biggest Elephant Sanctuaries in ...

Free-time activities

During weekends Volunteers/Interns have the opportunity to visit all that Ghana has to offer. Weekend trips available include visits to Mole National Park in the Northern Region of Ghana. This National Park offers a great Safari-like experience and is one of the biggest Elephant Sanctuaries in Africa with the chance to spot Lions, Leopards & Antelopes in their natural habitat.
Volunteers can also take a trip to Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana to relax in the beautiful beaches and see the famous Cape Coast castle, the Kakum Canopy walkway and Elmina castle, where slave trade begun.

NOTE: We do provide tours, therefore you can add a tour before or after your volunteer program for an additional cost. We can perform quality tours and can offer discounts to volunteers.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 16 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 16 years old on the program start date.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Education Requirements

Medicine at High School / University /College etc. level

Required Documents

No

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

No previous experience is required

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 16:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Our Generation Voluntary Organization

  • airport meeting and transfer to project site
  • comprehensive pre-departure information
  • introduction to host family and program orientation
  • accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
  • supervision and visa support letter
  • Application review and processing
  • support and guidance as well as 24 / 7 hour emergency back-up from staff
  • all information before and during your time with us in Ghana
  • regular culture activities (personal spending not included)
  • The price does not include visa, flight, vaccinations/immunizations, personal insurance (required), personal spending and in-country travel.

Airport Pickup at Kotoka International Airport

You should arrive into Kotoka International Airport in Accra (ACC). You will be met at the airport by one of our local staff or an appointed driver who will be holding a named sign. They will take you to your accommodation where you will spend the rest of your day at leisure.

Accommodation

Volunteers on this program will be accommodated with a local host family, and will gain the opportunity to become immersed in the local culture and custom, improving their knowledge of the people, culture and language. Ghanaian families are renowned for their kindness and hospitality and they love to learn about different cultures. Living with a local family truly is the best way to throw oneself into the local culture and to meet people who will often become lifelong friends!

All families have been fully vetted by our team and have extensive experience hosting international volunteers. Bedrooms are private but generally shared with volunteers of the same gender. Volunteers will be provided access to a shared bathroom. Generally, your host brother, sister or mother assist you with your laundry but it is not an obligation, learn to wash your clothing’s with your hands in several buckets, enjoy the sun drying your clothes and odor the African fragrance in your clothes.

It is important to remember that the living conditions in Ghana are different from home. Most families have running water, but hot water is still uncommon in some areas. Although the accommodation is basic, this is part of the challenge and experience of volunteering in a developing country. With a little patience, and a flexible attitude, you will quickly get used to your new surroundings.

Food & Beverages

Three meals a day are provided by the home-stay families and consist mainly of traditional Ghanaian meals with some flexibility for home comforts when available.

Breakfast is usually ready by around 7am; however you can eat later if you prefer to get up late. Lunch is usually packed by your host family in a lunch box so that you can eat at your project if you wish. Dinner is usually served around 6pm.

If you have special eating needs, you can indicate that while applying. Even though special eating needs are not something we can guarantee, we will do our best to meet your needs.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ghana. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ghana provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Ghana you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ghana. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

This program is available all year round, so volunteers or interns can arrive any day of the week or any month of the year with advance notice!

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 553€
24 weeks (max. stay) 2,687€
Average fees 194€/week

Program fees

194€ per week 2 - 24 weeks Age 16 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 24 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Our Generation Voluntary Organization during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Our Generation Voluntary Organization

Fantastic 4.5 rating (41 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2004

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Frank

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Our Generation Voluntary Organization (OGVO) works to foster cross-cultural understanding through travel and volunteer work experiences in Ghana, Africa.

Meet your organization

The Our Generation Voluntary Organization (OGVO) was founded in 2004 in order to enable young people to use their leisure time for international volunteering, interns, cultural exchange programs etc. in Ghana. Our Generation Voluntary Organization is a non-profit and non-governmental African Organisation. Our volunteer programs/projects are suitable for anyone on a Gap Year, Career Break or for anyone looking to do a short term volunteer program.

Our Generation Voluntary Organisation provides safe, unique, flexible, meaningful and extremely affordable volunteer programs and non-paid internships work-experience in Ghana. We have a variety of programs on offer at affordable prices. Our projects are designed to cater to the needs of people from all backgrounds. 

Since its inception in 2004, OGVO has delivered great experiences to thousands of volunteers across the ten regions of Ghana. Our Medical and Healthcare internships are much admired amongst the medical students, and this is where medics get hands-on knowledge into complex medical procedures. Be it for college credits or an internship or volunteer certificate or even a service learning trip - schoolies, gapers and numerous high school students enroll for our programs throughout the year.

Our Generation Voluntary Organisation's volunteer and intern programs are available in both urban and rural areas. OGVO has flexible start dates and durations that runs from 1 week to 6 months depending on the program of your choice. Extensions can be arranged with advanced notice. You can arrive any day of the year with advanced notice as well. During this time, you will be staying in the home of a local Ghanaian family. Our host families are carefully screened, socially respected and experienced with hosting international volunteers.  Accommodation is simple but clean and includes 3 meals a day of local cuisine. Typically, volunteers eat breakfast and dinner at the host family and have lunch at their project.  

OGVO believes that home stays offer you the best experience during your time in Ghana by allowing you to save money, while providing you with an easy way to integrate into Ghanaian culture. In most cases, you will share a room with volunteers (of same gender). Your weekends are free to explore some of the amazing sights that Ghana has to offer. Volunteers regularly travel together and our team will help you plan weekend trips. Our staff visits volunteers regularly and always happy to help our volunteers in any way needed.

At Our Generation Voluntary Organisation  our programs are designed to help the local communities at the same time of providing a valuable learning and cultural experience to our volunteers and interns. We invite you to volunteer or intern in Ghana with us, and have the experience of your lifetime!

As a volunteer or intern in Ghana you will have the opportunity to work in number of different capacities including Teaching English & other subjects to kids, Medical & healthcare internships, Dental electives,Veterinary, and many more!

41 reviews · rating4.5

Ibeawuchi Nwachukwu rating4.4

2019 at Pharmacy Internship

I volunteered for four weeks as a Pharmacy intern at Tafo government hospital. Right from the application process, the Coordinator Mr Frank Odoi was helpful and all through my stay in Kumasi, thanks to Frank, I had all the necessary information I needed at any given time. Above all, he ensured all ...
charles girard rating3.6

2023 at Environmental Protection & Conservation

First, if you are going with this organization to Ghana, do not rely on the photos. There are at least 15 destinations in Ghana if you are leaving with this organization so pay attention to the comment, inform yourself about the destination before. On the other hand, I imagine that all destinations ...
Elisavet Goulia rating5

2023 at Mental Health and Psychology Internship

It was a greatful experience as the host family as my experience at Pantang hospital. Ghana is a polite and peaceful country with people with good vibes and the appetite for dance and ...
Leila Leloup rating5

2023 at Construction & Renovation

2 friends and I, aged 16 and 17, from the Uk, spent 2 weeks helping with construction in Senya Beraku, a small fishing village. We stayed with Seth and Naomi, our host family. Seth and Frank greeted us at the airport and we took a taxi to where we were staying. We arrived late so we set up our room ...
Fenna van den Berg rating4.4

2023 at Animal Care Supporter

Me and my son worked at the Kumasi zoo for 2 weeks. From the moment we arrived everything had been arranged, we where picked up, and someone showed us what bus we had to take to go from the guesthouse to the zoo. Although we where somewhat overwhelmed by the bussride and the fact that the kumasi ...
Laura Meier rating4.2

2022 at Construction & Renovation

I highly recommed volunteering with OVGO/Miracle Works Education Complex. I took part in the construction project and stayed with Seth and Naomi. During my stay of 4 weeks we built a classroom for the school. As I am used to construction processes in Germany it was really interesting for me to find ...

Location

Africa > Western Africa > Ghana > Kumasi

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