Support Us

Volunteer Links

Do I need to have medical training to be a volunteer?

No, we’ve had lots of volunteers with no formal medical training. Volunteers with no medical background usually carry out new or ongoing projects at the clinic. Among many other accomplishments, past non-medical volunteers have designed a sexual education program, implemented a vaccination campaign, developed a diabetes and hypertension program, performed a health needs assessment, helped coordinate patient care in Santa Cruz and work in the pharmacy. In addition to health programming, volunteers have also tutored local children in English, built a children’s library at the clinic, kick start a solar energy project, film a documentary and fundraise for the clinic. Our volunteers have had pre-med, public health, social work, education, engineering, film and IT backgrounds or simply have had an interest in health, Bolivia and helping underserved communities.

Medical Residents and Medical Students

Residents and medical students from Loyola University and Northwestern University have been rotating at Centro Medico since 2004.

The residency programs at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Loyola University Hospital have worked hard to develop this amazing international rotation in which residents gain experience with tropical disease and in practicing medicine in a limited resource setting.

Medical students were Centro Medico's first volunteers, and now we have an international elective for fourth-year students. While positions are first offered to Northwestern and Loyola students, we welcome students from other medical schools throughout the U.S. A number of Wright State students have volunteered with an OB/Gyn attending to provide much needed care to our female patients.

Our Volunteers

Featured Volunteer from Abroad

Sharon Hopkins, MSW

To complete the field placement requirement for her master's program in social work, Sharon Hopkins volunteered at Centro Medico from April 2006 through July 2006. Sharon became our first Canadian volunteer and acted as our adolescent sexual health guru. Read more about Sharon...

Volunteer Blog: An Exerpt

Blogs, blogs, blogs! What are we going to do with all of these Blogs?!

posted by Mike September 8, 2007

People are really starting to rave about my blogs. I'm even keeping my fingers crossed for some sponsors! Possibly from Fingers Crosserstm which is a global chain of restaurants where they serve finger foods and hang finger related things on the walls.

Keep Reading

Featured Local Volunteer

Ibania Justiano

I am Ibania and am 19 years old. I am finishing my last year of high school. Every day I wake up early, go to school and then go to the clinic where I have been training for 5 years. At the clinic, I distribute medicine, check blood pressure and blood sugar levels and perform urine analyses and pregnancy tests. I want to go to medical school, specialize in gynecology and return to work at the clinic.