Have you ever thought about going internationally to help those in need? Well as someone going into the medical field, we have a lot of opportunities! You may have heard of Doctors Without Borders and other similar programs, but have no clue what they do. Well, we are here to tell you what you need to know.
Table of Contents
Médecins Sans Frontières
Doctors Without Borders aka Médecins Sans Frontières was founded in the pursuit of providing assistance to populations in turmoil due to natural or man-made disasters or victims of conflicts. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) which has been providing to the world since 1971, serves over 70 different countries as an international medical non-governmental organization. They serve regardless of race, religion, culture, politics, or any other labels in hopes to provide humanitarian assistance to all. Back in 2020, MSF contributed over 540,000,000.
Commitment
In order to first apply to the program, one must have completed at least residency to start. This is due to the fact that MSF is very intense in usually located in major crisis areas where there is little time to train new medical physicians.
The typical assignment for MSF lasts for around 2 years of time commitment with 2 to 4 field assignments during those years. Each of those assignments may last 6 to 12 months depending on how critical the situation is.
The length of these assignments is on the longer side compared to other programs because they allow the field workers to get used to the environment before jumping in all the way. On top of this, the patients get continuous care from the workers which can lead to better overall outcomes.
Surgeons, OB-GYNs, and anesthesiologists are exempt from getting used to the period since their work usually deals with time-sensitive problems.
At the moment of writing this article, the Ukraine War is going on and MSF has sent doctors from all over the world to help provide lifesaving care to those affected by the devastation. The current situation in Ukraine is so bad that there is not enough food and water for more than one week. The ongoing bombings and missiles have led to many injuries requiring a current shortage of MSF physicians needed for aid.
If you know any physicians who would be interested in helping the civilians in Ukraine or other crises please contact MSF.
Benefits
MSF pays all of their field workers due to the long duration of the projects with a hectic schedule. The salary that MSF posts on their public page is $2,426.67 per month. They also provide 25 days of paid vacation per year. All vaccinations and medical fees needed for the assignment are reimbursed.
Pre-departure training is also included in joining the organization. Although it is required that individuals get their own permits and visas to travel where they are serving. Medical, disability, dental, vision, and life insurance are all covered by the MSF.
Projects Abroad
Now I know many of you reading this are probably not done with residency and want to help internationally. Worry not we got you covered!
Projects Abroad is an international program that allows people interested in serving to participate without any previous experience. From High-Schoolers to professionals can work through them to gain the vital experience that is learned from helping those in need abroad.
Projects Abroad don’t usually operate in areas of crisis or emergencies making it much easier for inexperienced people to join. Medicine is only one of the various areas that one can volunteer in. The projects last for 2 to 8 weeks which is good for those in school as they can go during their breaks.
Another great thing about these guys is the schedule is super flexible as you pick the dates you want to attend and usually they will accommodate you to those dates.
Applying
These programs offered by Projects Abroad are payment-based, sort of like an internship. The cost of each of these programs vary, but ranges in the few thousand dollar range. Prices increase as you add more weeks to your trip.
Similar Programs
There are plenty of other programs that allow you to work abroad besides the main ones above. Another popular one is Global Medical Staffing who started in the 1990s to provide Australia and New Zealand with doctors during their shortage. Now, they serve globally at many different countries. They boast that their smaller size compared to other programs allows them to be efficient and productive. But they are a branch of CHG Healthcare allowing them to get plenty of resources.
Another great program is Head Medical which connects you with international job offers. This is more of a job offering than a international outreach program. This program may be more suited to those of you who have a dream of living abroad like Paris or something. It’s a great offering for those looking to explore the world while working a normal job as a physician.
Some things to consider
There are many other programs out there that allow you to work internationally besides these main two. But regardless of which one you choose you should keep the following in mind.
If you want to work as an international doctor you should expect significantly lower pay. This is especially true if you are used to the salaries in the U.S. So make sure to double-check that all finances are set before you set out on your life-changing adventure. Also if you are from the U.S. you still have to pay taxes on the income as well as in the country you are residing most likely.
Another thing to consider is that you may not have a stable internet connection. This can be a big thing for many as this is how they stay close to their loved ones. Try to inform all those close to you that sometimes you may not be able to contact them due to the area you are stationed in.
Scheduling is something else that one should be wary of as usually, these types of jobs are high-paced and very demanding. Most of the time the physicians have very little control over how many patients you are seeing in one day. This could be a big thing, especially for those coming from private practice.
One more thing to consider is to take adequate time to apply to a program. This is because the visas, passports, background tests, and medical tests can take a few months to complete. As stated above MSF helps cover the costs for these, but some other programs may not so be prepared for that.
Overall Picture
As future medical personnel, we all have that passion to take of people. Some of us want to go beyond and help those in underserved areas across the world. If you have dreamed of that hopefully this article answered your questions.
If you want to work as a full-fledged doctor and help those in the most need then Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is the place for you after residency. This organization makes sure to create a professional work environment for you to work efficiently and effectively with their various benefits. It’s a great place for those with no obligations back home to go explore the world while making a real impact in places that desperately need it.
For those of you that prefer to work with a smaller scale organization Global Medical Staffing is a great program to join. These guys offer international programs to help needed communities but at a smaller scale than MSF does.
But if you are a student who is eager to help and gain experience during your school years, Projects Abroad is not a bad option. The only downside is Projects Abroad is pretty costly, but the experience would be like no other. Another potential upside to Projects Abroad is that you can put it on your resume for future schools or applications as it would show your dedication to serving people around the world.
If you would like to travel abroad, but continue to live more of a normal life Head Medical is a great place to head to for international job offerings.
Regardless of how you choose to work overseas make sure to consider the pros and cons. Hopefully, this article covered everything you need to know about working internationally. Best of luck on your Doctor Journey!
By Kartik Goswami