Healthcare system in Cambodia is still limited in terms of equipment and system. There are a number of private hospitals in the city; however, a large number of lower-class local people cannot afford to go there when they can barely earn enough to support their meal, so it will be hard for them to support medical care in private hospitals that’s why they don’t have many choices but to go to public hospitals. We have cooperated with public hospitals for healthcare placements. This offers a variety of different experiences and perspectives of medical care system in Cambodia from other countries. If you are medical students, you can get involved in surgery rooms, but remember that there is mainly observation or do any tasks assigned or under guidance by the doctors or staff; try to put yourself and patients in a safe place. Additionally, there are local doctors, nurses and nursing students in different wards, so sometimes there are not many tasks for volunteers/interns. Again, volunteering in a healthcare project consists mainly on observation and doctor shadowing.

Hence, it is important to be active and proactive in the hospital and importantly, to maintain a good communication with nurses or nursing students because they can help you translate what doctors speak as you know hospitals are busy and hectic places so not every doctor will explain everything in details. 

Goals for this project:

• Learning and sharing medical knowledge and skills
• Exchanging inter-cultural experiences between locals and volunteers/interns

Requirements that volunteers need to supply for this project:

• A certificate of English level at least pre-intermediate level (for non-native speakers; French is preferable)
• Must be a nursing or medical students
• A criminal check
• CV and cover letter in English
• ID photo
• Scrub (white is casually)
• 2 weeks as a minimum stay

Phnom Penh

2 Weeks

20 - 30 Hours per week

3 Daily meals

Volunteer house or host family

Introduction days are on Monday & Tuesday; placement begins Wednesday