Medical care is a necessity of
human rights and these hospitals and clinics that we partner with strive to
provide the best care. Due to this, they are very welcoming of anyone who is
willing to help.
Volunteers will be placed with
doctors and nurses in actual care facilities in Ghana. They will increase their
medical knowledge while actively participating in the daily operations of
hospitals and medical centres.
Volunteers will provide all due
assistance to doctors, nurses and the rest of the healthcare staff in hospitals
and clinics in Ghana. Certified doctors and nurses will provide the daily
treatment of illness while medical and nursing students are placed as assistants.
There are many different departments available including maternity, pediatrics,
mental health, surgery, pharmacy, accident and emergency, physical therapy, etc.
This is a great opportunity to learn about different techniques from other
countries and to improve your own knowledge.
This volunteer experience is a
wonderful opportunity for learning and honing skills. You will learn what it is
like to work in the daily operations of the hospital as well as the importance
of working with doctors and nurses. OGVO medical / nursing programs are found
all around cities in Ghana. Volunteer nurses will have the opportunity to be a
part of medical outreach work such as visiting local orphanages or traveling to
remote villages to provide medical assistance
Your level of involvement at the project is dictated by
medical experience, duration of program and willingness to get involved. The
medical staffs are accountable for you whilst you’re under their supervision,
so it is completely up to them if you are permitted and want to get involved in
hands-on procedures. Whilst previous OGVO volunteers have been given the chance
to administer IV injections, dress wounds, taking blood pressure etc, we can
never guarantee or promote hands-on involvement for participants regardless of
their medical experience or background.
Generally speaking, those with little or no medical
experience assume a largely observational role. If you are studying medically
related degree, then you should have more opportunity to undertake some more
basic hands-on involvement. However, to reiterate we can never guarantee or
endorse hands-on experience should you choose to get hands-on, as the decision
ultimately lies with the medical staff.
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.
Benefits as a Volunteer/Intern Abroad
Increase Your Employment
Opportunities
- Such
global working and living experiences help you build
up your resume and stand out from the rest. Potential
employers admire the tenacity it takes for someone to leave their comfort
zone and challenge themselves.
- International
volunteer experience indicates valuable
personal qualities. It shows that you are a responsible
global citizen with a helping heart.
- Knowledge
of a second language or a foreign culture can dramatically increase
exciting global employment opportunities. It is an excellent way of
developing a competitive edge in the global employment market.
Develop Global Networks
- Our
programs provide you a good opportunity to cultivate long lasting
friendships. These networks will contribute to both your personal life
and your professional life.
Increase Your Cultural
Intelligence
- Open
yourself to a transformative experience as you immerse
yourself in a foreign culture first hand. Expand your
world-view, and challenge your personal beliefs. Life’s
too short to live in a bubble.
Access Great Learning
Opportunities
- International
volunteer/intern programs provide valuable on-the-job
learning opportunities.
- Many
participants have taken our programs to earn
university credits towards their degree, to take a co-op
term, or to earn volunteer hours
for medical school applications and graduate school application.
- It
helps you to enhance your language skills.
The most effective way to learn a new language is to speak it in
day-to-day life. It is much more rewarding than just learning it in a
classroom.
Travel and Have Fun
- International
volunteer travel is the best way to see the world
as it gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself right into the local
culture. What is the point of seeing the world in hotels when you can
actually be a part of the local society? You will be living and working
with the local people and other international volunteers.
- Endless
travel opportunities are excellent ways
of exploring more places in the country. Whether you like to join a
wildlife/scenery tour or a cultural tour, we can provide you flexible
work schedule and free travel advice to facilitate travel arrangement.
Location
Ghana is a peaceful and welcoming country; Ghana satisfies one's appetite for both modern and traditional life. Its wide valleys, low-lying coastal plains, and thick rainforests resound with the beat of traditional rituals, while her cities glow and vibrate with all the bustle of the modern world. The Ghanaians are the friendliest people in West Africa: warm, proud yet humble with a contagious and calming sense of funniness.
Ghana is hot. It is always hot. What’s more, it's always humid. Humidity usually lingers between 95 and 100 percent. The rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-November - sometimes. The rain provides a little respite from the intense heat, but temperatures will still be in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The south of the country experiences the heaviest rainfall during September.