Vietnam: Volunteer Medical Placements and Work Experience

Volunteering on a Medicine project in Vietnam is a challenging and unique experience. As a medicine volunteer you will gain a great deal of valuable work experience alongside some of the most skilled and inspirational doctors in the country.

All Medicine volunteers in Vietnam must have completed at least one year of medicine related studies or training by the time they join this project.

Our medical placements are in Hanoi and are based at two large hospitals. One specialises in acupuncture - treating patients suffering from spine problems, paralysis and other related disorders. The second hospital specialises in cardiovascular conditions, with over 1200 heart surgeries carried out at this hospital to date. Both hospitals have a range of departments that volunteers can work in, including paediatrics, in-patient and out-patient departments.

Your Role as a Medicine Volunteer in Vietnam

On arrival you will be introduced to your supervisor, their role is to ensure that you have the opportunity to learn as much as possible during your placement. Your role at the hospital will usually start by being observational as you shadow the local staff. If you show enthusiasm and initiative and develop a good relationship with the medical staff, you may find that you gain enough trust to be given more to do. As with any job – and especially in the field of medicine - you must prove yourself to be trustworthy before you are given responsibilities!

Although English is increasingly spoken in Vietnam, not all of the doctors will speak English; Projects Abroad will therefore provide you with a translator for your first couple of weeks to help you settle in and you can ask lots of questions.

You will usually work from Monday to Friday with the weekends free. You will live in shared volunteer houses in Hanoi.