Medicine and nursing projects in Mexico

The medical and nursing work experience projects in Mexico are based in Guadalajara.

We work with a number of partner hospitals, ranging from large multi-disciplinary hospitals to small rural clinics. During your time on this placement you will be able to work with or shadow doctors in various departments, work alongside paramedics, care for children with cancer and assist nurses with patient care.

Many of the hospitals we work with are part of the Red Cross or Green Cross organisations. Unlike in the UK, medical provision in Mexico is not free. These organisations provide hospital and medical services to those who are unable to afford it. They are also on hand to provide assistance in the event of natural disasters such as the earthquakes and hurricanes that occasionally hit the region. As these organisations are non-profit organisation they are always in need of funding and volunteers.

Depending on your previous experience, volunteers often start the project with an induction. The first week will cover basic first aid so that you are able to provide a positive input in to the programme rather than just shadowing doctors on ward rounds. Our partner hospitals and clinics will look to you to make a positive input to the programme so this is not a project where you will be just observing. You are encouraged to play an active role helping the medical practitioners. You can then choose to spend your time shadowing doctors in various wards, assisting the nurses in trauma care or accompanying the paramedic crew on their busy shift which makes the programme well suited to budding medical students, those interested in becoming nurses and those keen on a career as a paramedic.

Several of our past volunteers on this programme have elected to work weekends and evenings rather than during the days as this is usually when the hospital is at its busiest and when the most help is needed. Therefore, it helps if you have a flexible attitude to your working day!

Volunteering in hospitals and clinics in Mexico will mean that your time on this project will be quite varied. As well as spending time with the doctors, nurses and paramedics, you will also be asked to help with other tasks also. This may include fundraising for the hospital, helping maintain the building (painting children's wards) and assisting on outreach programmes.

Although all our projects in Mexico include a basic Spanish course, it is useful if you have at least some basic Spanish before joining the medical project in Mexico. If you have no Spanish or are not confident that your Spanish is quite up to scratch we would recommend combining programmes and joining a teaching or orphanage project first. Alternatively, we are happy to recommend a good 1 week Spanish course. Many on our medical projects spend time helping in orphanages or schools in the afternoons. This is a great way to give something back to the community that is teaching you so much.

We also have opportunities to spend part of your time delivering medical care in rural communities caring for the indigenous Huichol. The Huichol community predate the Spanish conquistadors and are located in isolated communities high in the Sierra Madre Mountains. On this project, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the community doctor as well as learn more about traditional indigenous medical practises. This placement is very different to life in the cities or even towns. You will live amongst the Huichol community in the mountains in very basic living conditions. Part of this additional programme includes learning Nahuatl, the original language of the Mayas and Aztecs.

Read more about our volunteers helping the Huichol community and little Norma's story Click here>>

Read about Emily's medical project in Mexico Click here>>

This project is not just for budding medical students, this programme may also be suitable for those about to study:

Nursing
Physiotherapy
Dentistry

Dates and Costs

Medicine

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
2019	£1,295	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295
2020	£1,295	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,295	£1,195	£1,295	£1,295
2021	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195	£1,195

All costs shown above are for one month.

Add ons
Combined orphanage project More Click Here>>	£100 (per month)
Huichol Project More Click Here>>	£200
Intensive 2 week Spanish Course	£200
Additional weeks	£225 (per week)
Additional months	£895 (per month)