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Fantastic 4.54rating (29)
  • Good Health And Well-Being

Spanish-Speaking Medical Placement

location
1 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Work in community clinics and health centres serving low-income neighbourhoods of Cusco, alongside the doctors and nurses who staff them.
  • Bring intermediate Spanish - this one is a hard requirement, not a nice-to-have. The clinics run in Spanish and patients do not speak English.
  • Open to pre-med, medical and nursing students, so you do not need to be enrolled on a medical degree to join.

Highlights

  • Work in community clinics and health centres serving low-income neighbourhoods of Cusco, alongside the doctors and nurses who staff them.
  • Bring intermediate Spanish - this one is a hard requirement, not a nice-to-have. The clinics run in Spanish and patients do not speak English.
  • Open to pre-med, medical and nursing students, so you do not need to be enrolled on a medical degree to join.
  • Expect to shadow first and do more later. What you are allowed to do depends on your training and your Spanish, and is decided by the doctors.
  • Start any week from one week to twenty-four, and use your weekends for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Shadow and assist doctors and nurses in Cusco community clinics. Open to pre-med, medical and nursing students with intermediate Spanish.

    This placement puts you inside the clinics and health centres that serve Cusco's low-income neighbourhoods — the ordinary, busy, under-resourced end of Peruvian healthcare, rather than a teaching hospital.

    Read this part before anything else: you need intermediate Spanish.

    It is the single hard ...

    About the program

    This placement puts you inside the clinics and health centres that serve Cusco's low-income neighbourhoods — the ordinary, busy, under-resourced end of Peruvian healthcare, rather than a teaching hospital.

    Read this part before anything else: you need intermediate Spanish.

    It is the single hard requirement on this placement and we would rather lose the booking than have you arrive without it. The clinics operate in Spanish. The patients speak Spanish and often Quechua. The doctors and nurses you are shadowing are working, not teaching, and a volunteer who cannot follow a consultation is a bystander at best. With intermediate Spanish you can take a history, understand what you are watching and be genuinely useful. Without it, you will spend weeks standing in a corner.

    If your Spanish is not there yet, come later, or take an intensive course in Cusco first — there are good schools and it is an inexpensive city to study in.

    Who can join

    Pre-medical, medical and nursing students. You do not need to be enrolled on a medical degree, which makes this different from our clinical elective placements — those require it. You will be asked for your CV and documentation of your studies before you are placed, and the clinics use those to decide what you are allowed to do.

    What you will actually do

    Shadowing comes first, always, and for some volunteers it stays the bulk of the placement. That is not a failure of the programme; it is what supervising doctors judge safe for a given level of training. Volunteers who are content to observe closely, ask good questions and take notes get a great deal out of it.

    Beyond observation, and depending entirely on your training and your Spanish, you may take part in ward rounds, take vital signs, do routine checks such as blood pressure and temperature, maintain patient files and help with forms and documentation. More experienced volunteers have assisted with wound suturing and vaccinations, and observed in surgery. None of that is promised in advance, and any listing that promises it should be treated with suspicion.

    There is also a plain human part of the job: talking to patients, making a clinic visit less frightening for someone who has waited a long time to be seen.

    A note on altitude

    Cusco sits at roughly 3,400 metres, which is worth knowing clinically as well as personally. You will see altitude-related presentations here that you would not see at home, and you will probably feel the altitude yourself for a day or two. Plan a gentle arrival and leave high-altitude trips until your second weekend.

    Who this suits

    Students who want exposure to healthcare delivered under real resource constraints, and who are honest with themselves about their Spanish. You must be 18 or over. A clean criminal background check is required, along with your CV and evidence of your studies.

    Typical day

    Sunday — Arrival in Cusco. You are met at Alejandro Velasco Astete airport (CUZ) by the local coordinator, who will be holding a VolSol sign with your name on it, and taken to your host family.

    Monday — Orientation with the local team: safety, culture, getting around Cusco, and an introduction to ...

    Typical day

    Sunday — Arrival in Cusco. You are met at Alejandro Velasco Astete airport (CUZ) by the local coordinator, who will be holding a VolSol sign with your name on it, and taken to your host family.

    Monday — Orientation with the local team: safety, culture, getting around Cusco, and an introduction to your placement and the staff you will be working with. A light day on purpose, since the altitude is usually making itself felt.

    Tuesday to Friday — the working pattern:

    • 07:00–08:00 — Breakfast with your host family
    • 09:00–13:00 — At the clinic
    • 13:00–14:00 — Lunch
    • 14:00–15:00 — A second shift, where the clinic needs one. This varies by placement and by day
    • 19:00–20:00 — Dinner with the host family

    Clinic hours are not fixed in stone. Community health centres run to demand, and volunteers who stay flexible about their hours are the ones the staff invite into more.

    Weekends — Free. The Sacred Valley is on the doorstep, Machu Picchu is the trip most people plan around, and Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake, Moray and the Maras salt pans all fit a weekend. In the city, the Plaza de Armas, San Pedro market and San Blas repay proper time.

    The pattern repeats from the second week onward.

    Free-time activities

    Clinic hours usually finish in the afternoon, which leaves Cusco open to you. Volunteers use the time for Spanish lessons — a good idea on this placement in particular — or for San Pedro market, the Plaza de Armas, and the climb up to San Blas for the view across the roofs.

    Weekends are free. ..

    Free-time activities

    Clinic hours usually finish in the afternoon, which leaves Cusco open to you. Volunteers use the time for Spanish lessons — a good idea on this placement in particular — or for San Pedro market, the Plaza de Armas, and the climb up to San Blas for the view across the roofs.

    Weekends are free. Machu Picchu is the trip most people build their stay around; book the permit well ahead, because daily visitor numbers are capped. The Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake, Moray and the Maras salt pans all fit a weekend, though the highest of them are worth saving until you have acclimatised.

    Cusco is also a good place simply to eat and listen to music, and most volunteers end up travelling in groups formed over dinner with their host families.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Education Requirements

    Medicine, Pre-Medicine, Nursing at Enrolled on a pre-medical, medical or nursing course level

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    CV, proof of medical, pre-medical or nursing studies, criminal background check, passport copy and travel and medical insurance

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Other Skills

    Intermediate Spanish is required, not preferred - the clinics run in Spanish and patients do not speak English. Beyond that, come as a pre-medical, medical or nursing student and send your CV and proof of study with your application, because the supervising doctors use them to decide what you may do. Clinical experience of any kind helps. Bring your own stethoscope and white coat if you have them. A clean criminal background check is required.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 15:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Included in the programme fee:

    • Host family accommodation for the whole placement
    • Three home-cooked meals a day, Monday to Friday
    • Arrival pickup from Cusco airport, or an agreed meeting point if you arrive overland
    • Orientation with the local team on your first full day
    • Your clinic placement, and introduction to the doctors and nursing staff
    • 24-hour in-country support from the Cusco team
    • Comprehensive pre-departure information
    • Certificate of participation on request

    Not included:

    • Flights
    • Weekend meals — most volunteers are away travelling on Saturday and Sunday
    • Travel and medical insurance, which is mandatory. Buy it through us at extra cost, or bring your own and send a copy
    • Vaccinations, including any occupational immunisations you need for clinical work
    • Your own stethoscope, white coat and scrubs
    • Local transport to and from the clinic
    • Spanish lessons, if you take them in Cusco
    • Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and other weekend trips. Machu Picchu permits are capped daily and need booking well ahead
    • Personal spending

    Most nationalities enter Peru visa-free as tourists, so there is usually no visa cost — check your own country's position before booking.

    The price shown already includes your application fee – there is nothing further to pay us on arrival. Payment can be split into interest-free instalments, with the balance due 45 days before you start.

    Airport Pickup at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport

    Arrival pickup is included. Land at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) and the local coordinator or a representative will be waiting at the terminal door with a VolSol sign showing your name, then take you to your host family.

    If you are already in Peru or arriving overland — plenty of volunteers come up by bus from Lima or Arequipa, or across from Bolivia — tell the team beforehand and they will meet you at the bus station or another agreed point instead.

    Send your flight or bus details before you travel, and message the team if anything changes en route. Somebody is on call.

    Accommodation

    You live with a Peruvian host family in Cusco, sharing a room with one or more other volunteers. You eat with the family and live in their home rather than in accommodation attached to it. For a placement where your Spanish is doing real work, this is a considerable advantage: you get several hours of practice a day without paying for a single lesson.

    The houses are clean and comfortable. Most have two bathrooms with hot showers, and many have Wi-Fi and cable TV. Bedding is provided. Cusco is genuinely cold at night for much of the year — altitude rather than season — so bring warm layers whenever you come.

    The clinic is a manageable distance from the houses, and the team shows you the routes during orientation.

    Private room upgrades are usually available at extra cost.

    Food & Beverages

    Three home-cooked meals a day, Monday to Friday, eaten with your host family.

    Expect a soup to start, then rice, potatoes in more varieties than you knew existed, fresh salads, juices and a dessert. The menu changes daily, and Peruvian home cooking is a genuine reason to look forward to dinner.

    Weekend meals are not included — deliberately, since most volunteers are away travelling on Saturday and Sunday. Budget for eating out then. Cusco is well supplied with good, cheap places, starting with the San Pedro market stalls.

    Flag allergies and dietary requirements before you arrive and the team will match you to a family who can cook around them. Vegetarians are straightforward; strict vegans should say so early.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) in Cuzco. We assist you to find cheap flights to Peru. 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 Peru provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

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

    Details on arrival

    Start dates — Weekly and year-round, with arrival on a Sunday.

    Getting there — Fly into Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco (CUZ). Nearly all international routes connect through Lima (LIM), with a 90-minute hop to Cusco. A night in Lima first is worth considering: it breaks the journey and softens the altitude jump.

    Transfers — Arrival pickup from Cusco airport is included. If you are arriving overland or already travelling in Peru, tell the team and they will meet you at the bus station or an agreed point instead.

    Documents to prepare early — You will need a CV, documentation of your medical, pre-medical or nursing studies, and a clean criminal background check. The clinics use these to decide your level of involvement, so send them well before you travel. Background checks take several weeks in some countries.

    Altitude — Cusco is at about 3,400 metres. Expect breathlessness and possibly a headache for a day or two. Go slowly at first, drink plenty of water, ease off the alcohol, and leave high day trips until your second weekend. Anyone with a heart or lung condition should speak to a doctor before booking.

    Health and immunisation — You will be in clinical settings, so make sure your vaccinations, including hepatitis B, are current, and speak to a travel clinic well ahead. Bring your own stethoscope and a white coat if you have them.

    Visa — Most nationalities enter Peru visa-free as tourists for up to 183 days. Check your own country's position before travelling.

    When to come — The dry season, roughly May to September, brings clear days and cold nights. November to March is greener and quieter with afternoon rain. The clinics run year-round.

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

    Program Fees

    $614 per week 1 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    1 - 24 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.5
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Americas > South America > Peru > Cusco

    Meet your project coordinator

    Sahil
    29
    reviews
    4.54
    Fantastic
    2007
    Founded

    Verified

      Below average response rate
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    Volunteer Abroad  >  Health Services  >  Medical Training in Peru
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    Travel dates

    1. - 1. Jan 1

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