Volunteer Costa Rica Escazu: PreMedical Program

This program is ideal for compassionate volunteers who want to help teens and adults who have a range of physical and intelectual disabilities. This Center is a meeting place where special needs community members, and their families can come and socialize with each other. The center is open Monday to Friday from 8:00AM - 2:00PM and as different activities such as jewelry making, music therapy, art and drawing lessons, sports, popular dance and handicrafts. Volunteers are needed and welcome at this transitional shelter for children with chronic illness. The care center can accommodate 25 children, most of whom suffer from burns, healing from a transplant, awaiting surgery or are being treated for chronic disease. Patients from the National Children’s hospital are referred here to avoid prolonged hospitalization, and also provide housing for those coming from rural areas. The place has large green areas and provides a serene environment for sick children. Each family is provided support through nursing, nutritionists, psychological, pharmacy according to the clinical picture of the child. This help includes food, clothing, literacy, recreation, training and emotional support to the patients and their families. Pre-medical volunteers have the opportunity to assist the nursing staff with non-evasive procedures, shadow during examinations, and learn about treating long term chronic illnesses in children. Your role will vary providing care, feeding, interaction with the children, as well collaborating with the staff and teachers on their daily activities. This can be a challenging program but all help is needed. If you are a pre-medical, pre- nursing or public health major seriously considering a health career, this is a perfect project to gain first hand knowledge of medical standards in developing communities in Costa Rica. This program can be combined with language immersion lessons.