USA Based Volunteer Opportunities

The volunteers at Medical Teams International donate their time and services and do not receive financial compensation. Employment opportunities are available at www.medicalteams.org/employment.

Medical Teams International accepts volunteers who are 16 years of age or older.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'd like to volunteer internationally. Who do I talk to?
Visit our International Volunteer webpage to learn about opportunities and requirements. Call our International Volunteer Hotline at 800.959.4325, ext. 1201 or e-mail us.

I'd like volunteer at your Oregon, Washington or Minnesota offices. Who do I talk to?
Review our USA-based volunteer opportunities page. Call our Volunteer Hotline at 800.959.4325, ext. 3336, for more information.

Do you have student internship positions at headquarters?
Yes. Medical Teams International offers unpaid student internships for credit or non-credit in the administration, international programs, development and communications departments. Check our Student Interships page for current openings.

What's the difference between a Disaster Response volunteer and a Community Development volunteer?
Disaster Response volunteers respond to emergency situations like natural disasters, wars and other desperate circumstances. Teams typically serve for 1 month. These volunteers must be licensed/certified medical personnel with significant developing-nations experience. Our staff hand-select team members based on their experience and the needs in the field. Read more about our Disaster Response work.

Community Development volunteers plan their teams several months in advance. They work to build capacity in the community and often hold training seminars for local health professionals. These teams pay their own way and work with our local partners. We review each of our applicant's credentials and send volunteers whose skills match the needs of our partners.

Do I need to be a Christian to volunteer?
No. If you can support our mission, we welcome you to volunteer.

Do you take naturopaths?
No. We are not currently sending naturopaths because our partners are not requesting this specialty.

I filled out the volunteer application, but haven't been placed on a team yet.
When you know which team you are interested in, please contact the appropriate team coordinator so they can talk with you about potential placement on the team. Please review our current team openings.

How long do volunteers serve?
Typically, our teams serve between 1 - 4 weeks. We do have some placements for 3 - 6 months, depending on the project.

Do I have to speak the local language?
No. Although speaking a local language is helpful, it is not required. We DO provide translators when necessary and/or when possible.

What measures do you take to ensure that I'll be safe?
Volunteer safety is our top priority.

We require that every volunteer complete our online International Volunteer Orientation before departing. This course provides all of the necessary information for volunteer service abroad. We also require volunteers to review a country-specific safety manual before their departure. We recommend our volunteers register with their national Embassy before departing in case of an emergency. Our country offices and local partners each have a security plan in place.

Do you take unlicensed students?
Yes, but only to serve as a lay worker. We typically send unlicensed medical or dental students on teams with licensed professionals.