Volunteer with Partners In Health

Serving Where You Are

Becoming an advocate and/or fundraiser for social justice and health care equity is one of the most powerful ways to help PIH. One person at a time, one community at a time, we can build a movement together. We have always benefited from an extended network of volunteer advocates and supporters who not only spread the word about our work, but also take initiative to host events, raise money, launch awareness campaigns, start groups or clubs dedicated to the issues of social justice, and much more.

If you have read about our work and the issues we face and think that there is a way to engage people you know in the global efforts to achieve equity and justice in health care, please help us do so. Sign up at http://act.pih.org/ to connect with people in your area, to host an event or to join an online community where you can discuss the issues most important to you.

Boston Opportunities

IT Volunteer – Boston: Partners In Health is seeking a volunteer in the Boston office to help with our never-ending computer support. Volunteers need to be able to commit a minimum of 8 hours per week during regular business hours, 9-5, Monday-Friday. Experience working with computer hardware and software is a must! Tasks will vary from cleaning off old computers, to installing programs, to installing hard drives. We will need particular help preparing computers and other electronics for our office move in August.  Interested applicants should complete the volunteer application form and send it to volunteer@pih.org. Thank you in advance for your interest.

Volunteer Java Programmer – Various locations: Partners In Health’s supported projects in Mexico and Guatemala are piloting phone-based technology that allows health workers in remote areas to use clinical protocols on cell phones.  Partners In Health seeks a programmer proficient in Java to help translate clinical protocols that are currently in the form of paper flowcharts into the open source software program called CommCare. This position is an excellent opportunity to connect programming skills with social entrepreneurship and global health, working with an organization dedicated to delivering high quality care to the poorest people of the world. The project will directly benefit rural, underserved areas of Chiapas, Mexico and Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Time commitment is 12+ hours per week for at least 10 weeks. The work can be done remotely with communication with people based in the PIH Boston office. The Volunteer will be supervised and mentored by programmers at Dimagi, Inc. and by the PIH Project Coordinator and Clinical Director for Chiapas and Mexico.  To apply, please send a resume and statement of interest to lpalazuelos@pih.org.

CommCare is a program based on JavaRosa, an open source platform for mobile data collection. CommCare is a collaborative project among many partners including Dimagi, Inc, D-tree International and the computer science department of the University of Washington

Volunteer Curriculum Writer – Boston: PIH is seeking a Volunteer Curriculum Writer to assist the training team in developing and coordinating training curricula on a wide variety of HIV and primary health care related topics. This includes the support of colleagues in PIH project sites worldwide who are developing curricula and training materials. Specifically, the training team has a list of training materials it would like to develop in response to program needs identified within our accompagnateur (community health worker) program, and would appreciate the help of a volunteer in creating these resources. This is a volunteer position and preferably the candidate would be available a minimum of 10-15 hours/week starting as soon as possible. More information about this position.

Volunteer Medical Writer – Boston: Partners In Health is seeking a medical writer to assist with the overall development and completion of a curriculum for nurses and doctors providing HIV care in resource-poor settings. The main task of the medical writer will be helping to develop, review and strengthen the medical content of the curriculum (read more information about this position). This is a volunteer position for a period of 12 weeks. Preferably, the candidate would be available a minimum of 10 - 15 hours/week during this 12-week period. To apply, please complete the volunteer application form and send it to volunteer@pih.org.

Office Volunteers – Boston: Partners In Health is seeking detail-oriented volunteers to help in the Boston offices with regular administrative responsibilities. Volunteers need to be available during regular business hours for a minimum of 15 hours per week and should be able to commit for three months. Patience, flexibility, and attention to detail are mandatory for this position.  Interested applicants should complete the volunteer application form and send it to volunteer@pih.org. Thank you in advance for your interest.

Translators – Boston: Partners In Health is seeking volunteers with translation experience to support our office in Boston, MA.  Candidates must be fluent in English and be proficient in speaking and writing at least one of the following languages: Spanish, French, Russian, or Haitian Creole. Volunteers must be able to commit to either: 1) ongoing volunteer work for at least 10 hours a week, or 2) a short-term intensive project during specified dates. Interested applicants should complete the volunteer application form and submit it along with a sample of previous translation work to volunteer@pih.org.  In the application question about specific skills and talents, please list each language for which you are applying and evaluate your proficiency in speaking and writing using the following terms: beginner, intermediate, advanced, fluent.

PIH International Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Agronomist, Village Health Works – Burundi: Village Health Works (VHW), a nonprofit with close ties to PIH, is looking for an experienced agronomist to help develop its agriculture program on site in Kigutu, Burundi. The agriculture program is the core component of VHW's Food Security Program. The ideal candidate for the VHW agronomist position will be able to make use of and grow the infrastructure already in place, help train program staff in agriculture care and techniques, and work closely with the team members to create efficient food production systems on site and to educate people in the local community about how to do so themselves. The ideal person will be interested in passing on their own knowledge of sustainable agriculture practices and won’t be afraid to get their hands dirty working alongside the team. Also will have some knowledge of global health issues and is eager about being part of VHW’s growth. More information and information on how to apply.

Surgeon – Zanmi Lasante, Haiti: Partners In Health/Zanmi Lasante is looking for a volunteer general surgeon to work with the Zanmi Lasante surgical team in Haiti. This volunteer will report to PIH's Boston-based Medical Director and Zanmi Lasante's Director of Surgical Services, based in Haiti. The volunteer will be posted initially in Cange, Haiti and then possibly at one of our two other surgical sites in the Central Plateau. The caseload would include routine general surgery as well as management of surgical emergencies, trauma, and emergency caesarian sections. The individual must have completed residency training and be proficient in general surgery and caesarian sections. Experience working in a developing country is helpful, and a strong commitment to social justice is essential. Fluency in either French or Haitian Creole is preferred. A minimum commitment of 6-12 months is necessary. Interested candidates should send resume and letter to volunteer@pih.org.

Socios En Salud Volunteers

Each year, PIH’s sister-organization in Peru hosts a number of volunteers to work on specific projects, ranging from research to graphic design and assisting with program design and management. There is a rolling application process, and prospective volunteers are encouraged to apply throughout the year. Review the current opportunities on Peru Posiciones. To apply, please send a cover letter specifying the position in which you are interested and when you are available to start as well as a resume to Elaine Weisman, Peru project assistant at eweisman@pih.org.

Chiapas Medical Student Volunteers

PIH's supported project in Chiapas, Mexico focuses on training a network of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to provide continuous care and follow-up for common diseases in poor, rural communities. There are often opportunities for Medical Residents to take part in this process, serving as hands-on teachers while themselves learning how to teach CHPs effectively. Along with the Medical Director, Residents travel from community to community to accompany CHPs as they see patients and teach structured and unstructured lessons. Residents are also invited to take part in a curriculum on Chiapas history, CHP models and social medicine consisting of readings and discussion prior to and/or during their visit. 

The project seeks volunteers with proficiency/comfort with Spanish, an interest in teaching and community health, and the ability to contribute 14+ days, not including travel time. Interested volunteers should send a note and CV to chiapas@pih.org.

Special International Volunteer Projects

Apart from the programs listed above, we generally do not recruit volunteers for overseas work. On occasion, however, we post specific tasks well suited for volunteers. These opportunities are not common because the bulk of our work is carried out by local employees—medical professionals, administrative staff, community health workers, and support staff—and language barriers and limited resources for supervision and training also prevent us from accommodating volunteers regularly. Any open positions will be posted here when available.

If you would like to volunteer with us and are not interested or qualified for any of the opportunities you see here, we do keep applications on file in case an opportunity arises. Feel free to submit a cover letter and resume to us at clinicalvolunteer@pih.org (for clinical volunteer opportunities) or internationalvolunteer@pih.org (for non-clinical international volunteer opportunities).

Other Opportunities

Partners In Health works in partnership with a variety of other organizations, both in the United States and in the countries where we work.  Below is a list of volunteer opportunities at these affiliate organizations.

How to find other volunteer opportunities:

Listings

Publications

  • Volunteer: A Traveller's Guide by Lonely Planet
  • How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas by Joseph Collins, Zahara Heckscher, and Stefano DeZerega (Penguin Books)

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