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Volunteers are integral to what Interplast does. We rely on volunteers to help developing world surgeons with their backlog of cases, as well as to help train local medical professionals.
Interplast has more than 700 medical professionals who regularly volunteer on trips. Photo by John Urban. Volunteer Surgical Teams: Volunteers staff surgical team trips around the world. These surgical teams include volunteer plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, operating room and recovery room nurses, coordinator/ translators who provide general patient, family and team support and perform clerical work. Some teams also include nurse educators, hand therapists and physical therapists. We are sorry that we cannot take volunteers who do not fit within these specialties. For applications, please see below. Interplast surgical teams generally include 10 to 15 members; our teams are small so as not to overwhelm our host country colleagues and local medical facilities. Trips generally last two weeks, and teams typically perform around 75 surgeries on each trip. Each team trip also provides hands-on training and education. Click here to review our program schedule. All medical team participants pay $325 toward travel expenses; Interplast pays all remaining transportation and accommodation costs, although team members are responsible for their own meals during the trip. Additional voluntary contributions to help defray trip expenses are certainly welcomed. Visiting Educators: Some medical volunteers with extensive teaching experience also participate in Visiting Educator Workshops. The goal of our Visiting Educator Program is to educate developing world doctors in an effort to build local capacity and create long-term, sustainable medical care. It is a critical part of our mission, and our volunteer educators teach local doctors the latest techniques for repairing hands, burns, cleft lips or palates and microtia. Anesthesiologists, pediatricians and nurse educators also conduct workshops and conferences. All of our visiting educators have comprehensive experience teaching internationally, and are selected by our chief medical officer. If you have extensive medical teaching experience and wish to learn more, please contact Dr. Scott Corlew, chief medical officer. Volunteer in Mountain View: Interplast also uses ongoing volunteers to help with generating acknowledgement letters, filing, other clerical services and computer support. Their assistance helps our staff to be as efficient and productive as possible. For more information on becoming an office volunteer, please contact info@interplast.org. Volunteer Surgical Team Applications (download here): Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view these pdf files. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here for the free download. When you are finished with the application, please send your completed packet to: We did it! We are happy to announce that the goal for the anesthesia monitors has been reached! Many thanks to everyone who donated to provide these much needed anesthesia monitors and to our generous matching donor. The gift that you have given is essential for the life-changing work that Interplast does in underdeveloped countries.
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