Hospital doctors and physicians
We’re looking for GMC-registered hospital doctors with at least three years' post-registration experience (ST2), and ideally an MRCPCH (short-term roles require extensive specialist experience).
Roles are generally longer term, ranging from one to two years, but we also have occasional short-term assignments for up to six months.
Specific requirements vary according to each role, but you'll need a solid foundation in a broad range of adult medicine. Teaching, training and management are all central to your VSO roles, so experience in those fields is important. Experience of infectious diseases, tropical medicine or HIV and AIDS is often also desirable.
What you’ll be doing
Preventable diseases cause high levels of mortality and morbidity in many poor countries. Remote or rural communities in particular are often left without adequate care. As a VSO doctor you could help strengthen primary care, improve referral and help widen access to treatment.
Working in a clinic, hospital or healthcare centre, you’ll be improving vital care. You’ll also be teaching and training staff to help them improve and develop their services.
Example roles
Please note these are just example placements to illustrate the kind of roles that may come up in your skill area.
General Practicioner or Hospital Doctor, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
There is still a lot to be done in Sierra Leone in terms of healthcare. There’s a crippling shortage of qualified healthcare staff which has resulted in low standards of care in hospitals. You’ll be based in the Pujehun District Hospital which provides both primary and secondary health care.
There has been remarkable progress in consolidating peace and rebuilding the country’s infrastructure since the end of Sierra Leone’s civil conflict in 2002. There is still a lot to be done, especially with regards to healthcare. There’s a crippling shortage of qualified healthcare staff which has resulted in low standards of care in hospitals. As a result people have stopped accessing services leading to increased mortality rates. You’ll be based in the Pujehun District Hospital which provides both primary and secondary health care. Over 70% of the nursing staff are volunteers with minimal skills and there is no resident midwife.
What does the role involve?
The role will be divided into 3 main areas;• Working with patients and providing on the job training of health staff in the Out Patient department
• Capacity building clinical staff in the In Patient Department
• Coaching and training support staff in management and administration
Alongside this, you will support outpatient services particularly the free health care which has recently seen an increase in patient cases which the two local doctors are struggling to manage.
Skills, qualifications and experience required
You’ll be a qualified doctor with a minimum of three years’ post qualification experience. An interest in medical education, experience in international child health would be beneficial. Experience of formal or informal training and mentoring would be helpful. You’ll be based in a district hospital and will need the flexibility to adapt your approaches to working with less diagnostics and fewer drugs than you’re used to, and the passion and good humor to take on lots of challenges.
And the rest...
You’ll be living and working in a rural environment, you must be willing to live with a limited supply of water and no electricity (although you will have access at work). You’re likely to be housed with other VSO volunteers. We’ll ask you to commit to 12 - 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local salary, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more.Current roles
Below are placements ready to go in the next 3 months. To apply for these, please fill out the registration form quoting the relevant placement number; if the role you are interested in becomes filled we will get in touch about other suitable roles. If you aren’t ready to leave yet or none of these placements are suitable, you should register to start the application process and we can match you later.
From 12/09/2012
Anaesthetist
Ethiopia
You’ll provide training to medical students, nurse anaesthetists and clinicians.
Anaesthetist
Yirgalem Medical College at Yirgalem General Hospital
Sidama, Ethiopia
Start date: 25 March 2012
Length: 12 months
What does the role involve?
To help relieve the shortage of experienced anaesthetists in the region, you’ll provide training to medical students, nurse anaesthetists and clinicians. You’ll also deliver anaesthesia in the intensive care unit and provide outreach support to patients.
Skills, qualifications and experience required
You’ll need a medical degree with specialty training on anaesthetics and experience of intensive care. Together with sound competence in delivering general anaesthesia, you’ll need strong theoretical knowledge and ideally some previous training experience.
And the rest...
The hospital has 200 beds with all the usual departments. It’s relatively well equipped and you’ll be provided with an office space including internet access.
To apply for this role please put the following reference on your application form: ETH0544/0004/0001
Stories
FAQ
Can I apply to work in a specific country?
Usually not. We recruit volunteers to a recruitment pool, rather than for specific roles.
Contact us
+44(0)20 8780 7500
9am-5pm, Mon-Fri
