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10 Medical Volunteer Opportunities - Local & International Christian Missions

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Medical Missions

Not all medical missionaries pack their bags and move their lives to a foreign nation. Many strive to fulfill the Great Commission through medical volunteer opportunities. They serve in short-term contexts, providing support to both local residents in need of healing and medical missionaries in need of encouragement.

But, as with every missions adventure, you need to know where to start. You need to find an organization that will help you find the right fit for your medical volunteer opportunity. 

To help with that, we’ve created a list of ten organizations that support medical volunteer opportunities. Each of these groups shares a relationship with the Global Missions Health Conference and is a trusted missions agency. We’ve also divided the list into domestic opportunities and international opportunities, though some of groups may fit both categories

 

Domestic opportunities

1. Ethne Health Clinic: While this ministry is centered in Clarkston, Georgia, its name (the Greek word for “nations”) is appropriate. Clarkston has one of the highest concentrations of immigrants and refugees  of any city in America. More than 60 languages are represented. In addition, many Clarkston residents struggle with health care affordability issues. Ethne offers gap-year internships for students, as well as dental and medical volunteer opportunities.

2. Christian Community Health Fellowship (CCHF): Believing that many health professionals have a heart for serving the underserved, Christian Community Health Fellowship is a network that attempts to connect these individuals. Working with clinics around the nation, CCHF provides missions opportunities for both students and medical volunteers. The goal is to live out the gospel by offering health care to the most vulnerable members of society.

3. CrossRoads Missions: CrossRoads is committed to connecting individuals and churches with missions. That includes medical volunteer opportunities, along with construction and other outreach models. With ministry projects in both cities and rural communities, CrossRoads gives volunteers options for their mission context. In addition, the organization offers international trips if God leads you in that direction. 

4. Genesis Family Health: Centered in southwest Kansas, Genesis Family Health operates four separate clinics that minister to a diverse population. In addition to individuals from the area, Genesis serves as the hands and feet of Jesus for immigrants and refugees from around the world. More than 16 people groups are represented, giving Genesis Family Health a great opportunity to share the gospel through physical and spiritual ministry. Services include medical care, dental care, and community outreach.

5. ECHO: The group’s full name—Empowering Church Health Outreach—provides a fit description of its mission and vision. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, ECHO strives to create partnerships between churches and charitable health clinics across the country. So far, more than 60 such clinics have been started and are meeting the needs of vulnerable populations. Medical volunteer opportunities include health care, dentistry, and optometry. Internships are also available.

 

International Opportunities

6. SIM: Originally known as “Sudan Interior Mission,” the history of SIM reaches back for more than a century. Today, SIM offers medical volunteer opportunities through its network of hospitals around the world. 

7. World Medical Missions: A ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, World Medical Missions provides volunteer mission trip opportunities around the world. On these trips, volunteers work alongside established medical missionaries. This provides a valuable missions experience for the short-term participant and support and encouragement for the resident missionary. World Medical Missions exists to encourage medical professionals in every discipline to follow in the footsteps of the Great Physician.

8. Equip International: One unique feature of Equip International is the organization’s commitment to placing missionaries in spots that allow them to work in their strengths. Instead of providing pre-determined medical missions opportunities, Equip works with volunteers to identify how and where their passions and skills will work best. They also offer additional training to prepare volunteers and help them be as effective as possible on the field.

9. e3 Partners Medical: The larger goal of the e3 network is to make sure churches are easily accessible to anyone who needs one. To that end, e3 Partners Medical serves in more than 90 countries across six continents. Volunteer opportunities allow short-term missionaries to serve both the physical and spiritual needs of their patients. Ministries include general health care, dentistry, optometry, and education. But evangelism is a key component to every opportunity.

10. Bethel’s Global Reach: Many times, the best path to evangelism is through meeting an individual’s physical needs. To that end, Bethel’s Global Reach is focused on improving communities, especially in areas that have the greatest needs. Through medical volunteer opportunities and other ministry avenues, Bethel’s Global Reach spreads the gospel through humanitarian ministry for the “least of these.”


The Tip of the Iceberg

As you might expect, this list of ten organizations providing medical volunteer opportunities is not exhaustive. Many other trustworthy agencies offer similar experiences for short-term missions volunteers. You can continue your research by looking through job boards and sites with partnership lists, such as the one offered by medicalmissions.com.

Above all, pray about what God wants for you. As He continues to work in your life, He will show you what kind of medical mission opportunities are available. He will guide you toward His perfect plan for your life and ministry.

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