Trip Details

Medical Volunteer Placement in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam

Are you looking for a project to gain medical experience? Our Medical Volunteer Placement in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, is perfectly designed for medical students or those with a medical background looking to volunteer abroad! Here, you will work alongside experienced, English-speaking doctors and Nurses assisting in the care of the patients. Please note, that as this programme is based in a government-operated hospital, recording and analysing will be a key part of this project, and is primarily an observational project. (although some tasks may include medication preparation, blood pressure measurement, basic triage and wound care.) For that reason, this programme is best suited to pre-medical or medical students hoping to gain more insight into the Vietnamese healthcare system.

Boost your Medical Skills Volunteering in a Vietnamese Hospital

For the duration of your stay, you will shadow the practices of an English-speaking Vietnamese doctor, observing, recording and analysing symptoms, diagnoses and treatments. Whilst facilities at the hospital are limited, they do include an x-ray room, children’s ward, adult’s ward and operating theatre, all of which you’ll get to know! Furthermore, for volunteers who stay on for longer periods, there will be opportunities to gain more responsibilities at the hospital. Here, staff will encourage you to share your opinions which will be valued, so you will have the chance to really engage with processes during your stay. Also, regardless of the length of your stay, every medical volunteer will receive a certificate as a record of their accomplishments – important for would-be medics!

Explore a fascinating Culture during your Stay in Ho Chi Minh!

In this bustling city, there is no end of things to do! Visit the Dam Sen Cultural Park, an amusement park with lakes, trees and gardens. Or, if you’re interested in religious culture, take a trip to the Thien Hau Temple of the Chinese sea goddess! For authentic Vietnamese architecture, you’ll find the Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda a breathtaking sight, with its many religious figures and painstaking art. Medical Volunteer Placement in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam. With so much to see, you’ll have plenty of adventures planned with your new- found volunteer buddies, as you spend a memorable time in this fascinating city!

Why book our Medical Volunteer Placement in Ho Chi Minh?

  • Help out in a busy medical environment as you improve your skills
  • Work with a great team of staff who are keen to support your during your project
  • Broaden your perspective of international medical care and treatment
  • Explore Ho Chi Minh during your time off, with fellow volunteers
  • Stay in our college accommodation with meals and beverages* included

*tea, coffee and drinking water

Get in touch to find out more or browse through our many other volunteer experiences.

Trip Itinerary

Get your scrubs on for this rare opportunity to shadow local medical professionals and gain insight into the Vietnamese healthcare system! Your times as a Medical Volunteer Placement in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam will look like this …

Mandatory Orientation Day

On the Monday of your first week of your medical volunteer placement in Vietnam, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise yourself with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Orientation Day Schedule

  • Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents.
  • Vietnamese Do’s and Don’ts, Vietnamese Culture Lessons and Vietnamese Language Lessons.
  • Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary.
  • Lunch
  • Activities with local students and more

Monday

During your first week on the project, you will take part in an introductory session where you will meet the staff at the hospital and be shown around the facilities. Procedures and equipment used will be fully explained to you and you will meet the fully qualified, English-speaking doctor that you will be shadowing while you stay. Staff at the hospital will discuss your medical background and decide with you the role that you will take on.

Tuesday to Friday

On the Tuesday of your first week, you will begin your medical placement. As well as being suitable for your level of experience, your duties will be responsive to the needs of the patients and the hospital. This could involve assessing patients, performing medical procedures to treat ailments, or observing practices in the operating theatre or x-ray rooms. In addition, you will be expected to attend regular meetings at the hospital where you will take part in discussions about practices and routines and how they could be improved.

Evenings and Weekends

At the end of your busy day as a volunteer, you can choose to explore the area or simply relax with new friends back at your accommodation. Many of our volunteers enjoy mixing with their new volunteer friends during the week and plan their weekend adventures together!

Please note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Activities and Events

Football is arranged for volunteers every Wednesday together with the local coordinators.

Places to Visit

Here are some interesting places to visit in your free time:

Backpacker street

Bui Vien Street is the main street, it is called ‘backpackers area’ of Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll find a wide variety of inexpensive restaurants, here, as well as bars, souvenir shops and hotels/hostels.

Landmark 81

Landmark 81 is the tallest building in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and is well worth the view!

Bitexco tower

There is an observation deck, Saigon Skydeck, open to the public daily and offering 360˚ panoramic views of Ho Chi Minh City. From floors 50 to 52, there are further F&B and entertainment offerings, including a fine dining restaurant and bar/nightclub.

Suoi Tien Amusement Park

Suối Tiên Amusement Park is a great place to visit in Hồ Chí Minh City. The park includes several entertainment areas – something to suit everyone!

Outside of HCMC

Mekong

The Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam is a vast maze of rivers, swamps and islands, home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by rice paddies It takes 2-4 hours by bus from your accommodation.

Vung Tau beach

Once a French colonial town, it’s now a popular seaside resort that draws many visitors from Ho Chi Minh City. Its long, busy stretch of sandy coast, including Front Beach and Pineapple Beach, has the verdant Small Mountain and Big Mountain as its backdrop. It takes 2 hours by bus.

Mui Ne beach

With a long, palm-lined stretch of sand, it has steady wind conditions (in the dry season) that make it a top destination for windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing and other water sports. It’s also a popular weekend getaway from Ho Chi Minh City, with a busy strip of hotels, restaurants and shops. It takes 5 hours by bus or 4 hours by train.

Hoi An: Ancient town

Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda. It takes 22 hours by bus or 1 hour 15 minutes by plane from Da Nang and transfers 45 minutes by bus.

Hue Ancient city

Huế is a city in central Vietnam that was the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors and the national capital from 1802 to 1945. A major attraction is its vast, 19th-century Đại Nội Citadel, surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It encompasses the Imperial City, with palaces and shrines; the Forbidden Purple City. it takes 22 hours by bus from Hoi An or 1 hour 20 minutes by plane.

Ninh Binh

The province is famous for a high density of natural and cultural attractions, including reserved parks in Cúc Phương National Park and Van Long, grotto caves and rivers in Tràng An, Tam Cốc-Bích Động and Mua Caves, historic monuments in the Hoa Lư ancient capital, Vietnam’s largest Buddhist worshipping complex (Bái Đính Temple). It takes 2 hours 30 minutes by bus from Ha Noi.

Ha Long Bay

This bay is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islets. The region is popular for scuba diving, rock climbing and hiking, particularly in mountainous Cát Bà National Park. It takes 3-4 hours by bus from Ha Noi.

Trip Accommodation

During your time as a volunteer in Vietnam, you’ll be staying in Ho Chi Minh, commonly known as Saigon, which is located in the southeastern region of Vietnam and is the country’s largest city.

About the Accommodation

Experience a college setting in Vietnam! Your accommodation is located on a campus in a college dorm with each room sleeping 4-6 people, in single-gender accommodation. This is a great way to make friends and get to know fellow volunteers, but you will have to follow campus rules, such as the 11.30pm curfew!

If you need a little peace and quiet, we have a room reserved as an ‘office’ where you can spend some time, catch up with family online or read some of the books and magazines we have available. The following are available at our accommodation:

  • Wifi in public areas
  • Safety box
  • Lockable rooms
  • Hot showers
  • Private bathroom
  • Air conditioning

Nearby, there is also a great local cafe, with fresh juices, snacks and other treats!

Food Arrangements

Basic Vietnamese meals are provided on campus and generally include lots of noodles, soups, rice, chicken and beef. Vegetarians can be catered for, but do let us know prior to your stay. Western foods are also available, such as sandwiches, spaghetti and bread for those who might be a little picky! Lastly, please note that on weekends, we serve brunch instead of breakfast and lunch.

Facilities

You can easily catch a taxi from the main road just outside of the campus, and can get to your chosen destinations. Further, you’ll find several ATMs nearby, around 10 minutes’ walk from the campus. All other essentials can be easily found – we are, after all, in the country’s capital!

Trip Country Info

Vietnam

Population: Approx.92 million
Capital: Hanoi
Language: Vietnamese
Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND)
Time zone: UTC +7

Vietnam is currently the world’s 13th most populous country and occupies 331,211 square kilometers. Today, although scarred by its past, Vietnam is a fast-growing economy helped by tourism that its interesting history and beautiful sights draw in.

One frequent thing to hear is that it has not yet been subjected to the western influence that Thailand and, to an extent, Cambodia have been. The Vietnamese still tend to prefer their traditional cuisine to the fast food chains that seem to be taking over the world.

Aside from the beautiful countryside of the north, rice fields and beaches, Vietnam is a country that is very much on the move. Roads are being upgraded, new hotels are opening everywhere and its cities are fastly developing.

If you are planning to work & travel in Vietnam there are a number of fulfilling opportunities available from volunteering with children to Hospital Out reach projects. As an experienced gap year travel company we have helped many people enjoy the delights of Vietnam during their gap year so if you are looking for an adventure in South East Asia you should add Vietnam to your shortlist. Few countries in the world can offer such a diverse range of culture, history, natural wonders and excitement.

Vietnam offers ravishing coastlines, emerald-green mountains and dynamic cities. The breathtaking National Parks continue to yield new species and are teaming with exotic wildlife. With outstanding cultural interest and one of the world’s best cuisines, Vietnam has it all. If you are looking for a Volunteer experience in Vietnam have a look at our latest experiences below.

Participant Criteria & Requirements

Standard Requirements

Under 18, Parental Consent is Required
DBS, Police Background Check
Travel Insurance
CV/Resume
Studying or Pre Medical background

Additional Requirements

Scrubs
Closed toe shoes

What's included

  • 24/7 support in case of emergencies
  • Accommodation
  • Airport Pick up
  • English speaking coordinator
  • Meals
  • Orientation

What's not included

  • Airport drop off
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Vaccination
  • Visa