General practitioners (GPs) and medical doctors
General Practitioner Roles
Preventable diseases cause high levels of mortality and morbidity in many of the countries where we work, with remote or rural communities often left unsupported. As a VSO GP you could help strengthen primary care, improve referral, and help widen access to treatment. You could be working in countries such as Uganda, Malawi or Tanzania.
Experience Required
You’ll be a qualified and registered general practitioner with at least three years’ post-qualification experience. Knowledge of tropical medicine, reproductive health, maternal and child health, or HIV and AIDS is desirable. Teaching, training and management experience is especially desirable.
Roles are generally longer term, ranging from one to two years, and we also have occasional short term assignments for up to six months. For short term roles, you will need at least six years' experience in your field and be available to depart within one year.
Support
In return, we'll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training prior to your placement, and our financial package includes a local salary, return flights and visas, accommodation and full medical insurance. NHS employees can volunteer with continued membership of the NHS pensions scheme. When you return home, we'll help and support you to resettle, and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.
Example placements
General practitioner
Uganda
Uganda has experienced significant economic growth for over a decade and poverty has fallen substantially. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda has been a leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS with prevalence dropping from 18 percent to percent during the past ten years. However, due to numerous resource constraints, Uganda remains one of the 25 poorest countries in the world.
One of these constraints is the limited availability of quality primary health care to poor communities. The Ministry of Health has developed a strategic plan, which aims to increase the physical access to quality care by improving the management of health services. Based in the International Hospital Kampala, you’ll develop out-patient services and home-based chronic care for disadvantaged communities in Kampala, and ensure that patients can access better quality primary care.
What does the role involve?
- Managing the out-patient department and treating patients in collaboration with clinical officers
- Supporting the treatment of chronically ill patients, particularly those living with HIV and AIDS at home
- Improving the follow-up system of patients by strengthening information management
- Providing clinical follow up and supervision at peripheral health centres across Kampala, working with nurses and community health officers
- Supporting the overall improvement of community based health services for poor communities in Kampala
Skills, qualifications and experience required
You’ll be a qualified doctor with skills in general practice and a minimum of three years’ post qualification experience. An interest in HIV and AIDS issues and some management or planning experience would also be useful. You’ll need to be patient, flexible and resourceful, and have good team working skills in order to build relationships with colleagues and members of the community. A positive attitude and good sense of humour always helps to integrate into the local culture and get the most out of your volunteering experience.
And the rest...
Landlocked Uganda lies across the Equator, bordering Tanzania, Sudan, Congo, Kenya and Rwanda. It’s a naturally fertile country with 25 per cent of its area covered in rivers, lakes and swamps. Uganda’s climate is pleasant and comfortable. You’ll be based in the capital city Kampala, which is less crowded than many other African cities. There’s a friendly and social atmosphere with a real mix of people from all social, religious and tribal groups. On the social scene, the city has a variety of good restaurants, bars and cinemas so you shouldn’t have trouble keeping busy in your free time.
We’ll ask you to commit to 12 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, a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. NHS employees can volunteer with continued membership of the NHS pensions scheme.
