At a glance
- Learn directly from healthcare professionals, who’ll teach you basic medical skills and first aid.
- Help run awareness campaigns in remote communities, and share knowledge about preventing disease.
- Learn about Peruvian culture and visit Machu Picchu.
Is this project right for me?
Want to make the most of your Spring Break? Interested in adding practical healthcare experience to your resume? Do you want to support communities in need? If you answered yes to any of these questions, our Public Health Spring Break Trip in Peru is for you.
In Peru, you’ll travel around Cusco and work at medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities. You don’t need previous experience to join as we’ll teach you everything you need to know. All of your work is supervised and our staff are there to support you constantly.
You’ll learn how to measure blood pressure and temperature. These skills will add a lot of value to your resume and give you interesting points to talk about in applications and interviews. You’ll also be demonstrating your commitment to helping others.
This project runs for a week over fixed dates in March. The dates we’ve set coincide with most major North American universities’ spring breaks. Throughout it all, our staff will be with you.
What will I do during the Public Health Alternative Spring Break Trip?
During your week in Peru, you’ll take part in various public health related activities in disadvantaged communities. Your work will focus on these main tasks:
Your Public Health Internship in Peru over spring break will focus on these main activities:
Assist local doctors in a clinic and during medical outreaches
After receiving basic training, you’ll help local doctors as they treat people during medical outreaches in local communities. You will help with basic tasks like checking vitals. This involves checking blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and heart rates. Doctors and nurses will use this information to diagnose and treat patients or refer them for further treatment.
Help run health campaigns in local communities during outreach work
During your week in Peru, you’ll help run public health campaigns. You can raise awareness around important health issues. You’ll focus on dental and personal hygiene, nutrition, and how to prevent disease.
Promote nutrition among mothers and children
During outreach campaigns, you can help educate mothers with babies and young children. You’ll teach them about healthy diets and can share nutritious and affordable recipes.
Attend workshops to learn more about healthcare in Peru
Peru has a long history of using traditional medicine. You can attend workshops to learn more about these practices. This will expand your practical medical knowledge, as well as broaden your cultural understanding of life in Peru. Workshops can also focus on other aspects of healthcare in Peru, such as common local health issues and treatments, and community healthcare.
Learn about Peruvian culture and visit Machu Picchu
Peru is a fascinating country, rich in culture and heritage. We’ll make sure that you absorb a lot of it during your trip!
In the evenings, we’ll organize events like salsa dance classes and visits to local restaurants and museums. You'll get to explore markets and cafes. The cultural highlight of the trip occurs when you visit the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu!
Where will I work in Peru?
Cusco
You'll be based in the city of Cusco. This was once the capital of the ancient Incan Empire, and you'll see countless reminders of this as you walk through the city.
In and around Cusco, there are many rural communities that lack access to basic medical services. It’s in these communities where you will do the majority of your outreach work.
What is the goal of Public Health work in Peru?
One week may not seem like much time, but our staff have put together a busy schedule for you so you’ll always be learning or working on an important project.
The main aim of this project is to give you the opportunity to expand your medical knowledge and help provide basic medical care in disadvantaged communities.
Peru currently suffers from a double burden of disease. Infectious disease remains rife in disadvantaged communities, with respiratory diseases still being one of the leading causes of death in Peru. Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are also on the rise. Malnutrition amongst babies and children remains a serious issue.
Through our Public Health program, we aim to provide basic healthcare in these communities. You’ll become part of these efforts by doing health checks and raising awareness about diseases.
We have set specific goals we want to achieve through our Public Health work in Peru. We want to establish a greater understanding of medical and healthcare knowledge among local communities. We also want to improve the quality of healthcare provided to disadvantaged people and improve the level of hygiene in the communities our volunteers work in.
Join us as we strive to achieve these goals and gain valuable Public Health work experience in Peru during your spring break.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Cusco. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Peru and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your program fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
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