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MEDICAL EXPERIENCE INTERNSHIP IN ACCRA

Working in the health sector in the developing world is a real challenge. Observe experts in your field and learn how they work in GHANA. We have a variety of Medical placements available in Ghana. You could work in a hospital, clinic or teaching hospital, in any one of a number of departments. If your interest is nursing, we have a number of institutions who would appreciate your help.

For social, cultural, but mainly economic reasons, people don’t seek medical attention until their condition is incredibly advanced or they are serious pain. Coupled with poor health and sanitary provisions, medics in these countries are faced with conditions that we don’t see in the West.

SUMMARY FACTFILE
Start Dates All year round - you choose your start and finish dates!
Duration Minimum stay on this project is 4 weeks. You can participate for up to 1 year, subject to visa requirements
Requirements

You should be either

  • either planning to study medicine or a medical-related subject

  • currently studying medicine or related subject, or

  • working in a medical field

Price From £1,295 for 4 weeks, ranging to £1,895 for 12 weeks. Full Price List
What's included Accommodation Food Meeting you at the Airport Transfer to your accommodation Transport to and from your projectFull pre-departure support Local in-country team support and backup 24-hr emergency support .
What's not included Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and assistance), Return transfer to airport.
Who can do this Project? All our projects are open to all nationalities.
Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+

PROJECT OVERVIEW
One of the institutions we work with is the Holy Trinity Medical Centre. This Centre is fairly new, having been established in 1988, and has undergone various reconstructing processes to become a one-step affordable humane service centre by constantly improving its service delivery.

Holy Trinity has a team of 28 regular Doctors, including an Eye specialist, Skin specialist, Physician specialist, Surgical specialist, ENT Specialist, Dietician, Gynaecologist, Psychiatrist etc. This group practice minimizes referral to the teaching hospital from the Clinic and facilitates regular exchange of contemporary medical knowledge, practice and research.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

  • An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into Africa and Ghanaian culture.

  • You'll learn a lot from experts in your field about how they work in a culture that is very different to what you're used to.

  • New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

  • An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

  • And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

WORK CONTENT
The Holy Trinity Clinic, like many medical facilities, is very busy and consultants see an average of 350 to 500 patients per day, or between 9,800 to 14,000 patients per month. The facilities and equipment include:

  • A well-equipped Dental clinic

  • An X-ray unit with an experienced Radiographer

  • An Optometrist Opticians clinic, which conducts can also conduct eye tests and provide prescription lenses and frames.

  • Surgery

  • Internal medicine

  • A Paediatrics Department

  • Accident and Emergency

  • A Gynaecology Department

"My first impression was surprise at how nice the hospital seemed, I had been expecting something far more run-down. By the sound of it, this is quite largely because it is a private clinic. The hospital itself is more of a large doctors-surgery, just with a few specialists, a lab and an X-ray machine."

You can work in a variety of medical departments, where you can either assist or shadow the staff members. The type of work you will be allocated will depend to an extent on your own abilities and capabilities, which is understandable given that you will be dealing with patient health and safety.

You will be involved in the day-to-day running of hospitals and clinics, observing or directly assisting the doctors and nurses. You can help out in simple but practical ways, vastly increasing your own knowledge and understanding of medical practice.

You will get a good general feel of the Centre by working and/or observing in most departments and you will be exposed to hands-on nursing work.

"After spending some time with various specialists we have spent the final two weeks of the placements with GPs again. Everyone has been willing to have us observe and have been keen to explain to us. The ENT specialist also invited us to Korle Bu (the Government Teaching Hospital) where we observed consultations and sat with medical students as they practised their clinical skills both in consultation rooms and the wards."

If you plan on specialising in a particular field of medicine, we can arrange to place you in a relevant department, to ensure that you receive maximum experience in your chosen field. Some of the specialist areas are described below.

Nursing:
For example, if your interest is nursing, we have a number of departments who would appreciate your help. This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in your field in a different culture where practices may differ considerably to what you're used to.

Optometry:
If you're planning on going into Optometry, the Holy Trinity has an opticians department where they conduct eye tests. Here you'll be able to observe and assist. The Optical section serves patients with prescribed frame and lenses.

Dentistry:
Like many developing countries Ghana has a problem with good dental hygiene among people living in poverty. This leads to bad teeth and other medical problems that result from tooth infections. The Holy Trinity has a Dental Clinic where you can work alongside the dentist and nurses and assist the dental team. The Dental Department is equipped with 2 modern Dental Chairs, Dental X-ray Units, etc. It caters for all dental needs of their patients.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in your field in a different culture where practices may differ considerably from what you're used to in your home country.

REQUIREMENTS
According to the hospitals and medical centres, you "must have a passion, enthusiasm and dedication for medicine and caring for people". In other words, they don't wish to play host to 'curious observers' - instead, they want you to gain maximum benefit from your time with them.

"This placement has been rewarding work experience fro me and it has made me determined to get a qualification so that next time I can truly work, rather than observe. For anybody wanting a career in medicine this is an excellent opportunity and I would recommend it." Kate Malia, gap-year student, Ghana Medical Project

   

About Ghana and our fascinating voluntary projects available for you to do




ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Volunteer Feedback
Info on Living in Ghana
Summer Camp Photo Gallery

ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN GHANA

Your accommodation will vary depending on the type of placement you're doing and where you are located. You may live in comfortable guest house accommodation, but you will most likely live with a host family. This means that you get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally live like a Ghanaian. Local family stays enable you to fully experience the local culture from the inside.

Many of our volunteers remain friends with their host families long after they leave Ghana and in some cases they return to the country later especially to visit their family. Sometimes members of their Ghanaian family have even gone to visit them in their home country.

"My family - Lizzie and Prince are lovely. The children are very sweet, and I feel extremely lucky to have been placed with them. The house is of a Western standard in most ways, and Lizzie's cooking is excellent. I feel a part of their family already."

Food will be local cuisine - again this is to enable you to fully experience living as local Ghanaians do.

When we arrange your placement, we will liaise extensively with you regarding both the placement and your accommodation.  As always, our Local Manager will look after you well and will always be on hand to help and offer advice.

 

Caroline on the left, Susannah on the right
standing on the front verandah of their accommodation with Caroline’s host, Lizzie

 

 Photo Gallery

TRAVEL:

You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

You'll fly into Accra where you'll be met by our Ghana Manager, or one of his staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your work and your accommodation and introduced to your hosts. You'd be well advised to prepare yourself for an almost overwhelmingly friendly welcome!

VISAS: Visas are required and must be purchased before departure. We'll liaise with you about your visa requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy.  

Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket.

To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

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