Volunteer Doctor, South

Are you passionate about using your knowledge and skills to help others? Answer your calling, and take your leave of purpose.

The Tshemba Foundation is appealing to international doctors to address a critical health care gap in rural South Africa’s north eastern provinces where doctor shortages are posing substantial challenges to adequate health care.

You will experience and learn from a stimulating and challenging working environment, treat conditions and cases not usually seen in urban areas and help leave a legacy of improved quality of care by sharing knowledge and skills with local staff who are eager for support.

Tshemba offers its volunteers free, safe and secure accommodation at its Volunteer Lodge, situated in Moditlo Private Game Reserve. The Lodge serves as a welcome off-duty refuge where like-minded healthcare providers relax after an intense day of work. Here they exchange ideas, create healthcare solutions for daily challenges faced and connect with peers from all over the world, all the while taking in the magnificent natural surroundings.

In your role as a volunteer doctor you can offer:

• direct or indirect patient care in various departments of a public hospital and/or surrounding clinics
• postgraduate support to medical staff in training
• skills development and/or formal teaching for local staff
• administrative or management support, including clinical and quality improvement projects
• develop health interventions and protocols alongside local staff

Our clinical team will work with you to develop a personalized volunteer schedule that combines your skills and experience with the needs of various hospital departments and clinics in the area.

Length of placement:

• Currently, volunteer placement lengths are flexible based on your area of expertise. We recommend a minimum of 8 weeks for generalist international volunteers and can negotiate shorter stays for specialists. We will work with you to determine where you will be placed and how long your stay will be to have maximum impact.

Requirements:

• A current license in good standing from your medical regulatory body
• Registration with ECFMG and the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) which our team will assist you to apply for. Current ECFMG certification will expedite the process.
• We welcome interest from ALL REGISTERED PHYSICIANS however, the greatest current need are for Cardiologists, Radiologists, Family physicians, Geriatricians, Neurologists, Dermatologists, Internists, Psychiatrists, Paediatricians, Gastroenterologists, Ophthalmologists and General Surgeons.

Physicians who have volunteered with Tshemba tell us that they have been re-energized and transformed by the experience, and their passion for medicine reignited.

Please reach out if you have any questions and to discuss volunteering your time.