SPECIAL PROJECTS

Pharmacy

Kampala, Uganda – Makerere University & Mulago Hospital

Volunteers provide training to pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and students at both the university and the hospital. Training covers a wide variety of areas including clinical training, continuing education courses, and/or collaboration with department staff to improve distribution systems, regulation, purchasing, inventory, and use of pharmaceuticals at Mulago Hospital. Volunteers also provide training for the Mulago Hospital Drug Information Center on how to obtain and evaluate medical information and how to respond to inquires from staff, patients, and family regarding the use of prescribed drugs. Volunteers must be licensed Pharmacists. Assignments are 4 weeks.

Mental Health

Thimphu, Bhutan – National Referral Hospital

This program seeks to facilitate the training of mental health students to become remote village based providers of mental health assessment, supportive and medication treatment, and triage of critical cases to the Hospital. Volunteers also work to strengthen existing Bhutanese Mental Health services through daily clinical service, staff training, consultation, and support services. Additionally, volunteers assist in developing the mental health curriculum for staff and students, as well as educational material for patients and families that integrate western mental health and indigenous Bhutanese cultural values and techniques. Volunteers must be licensed to practice psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or clinical social work in the US, Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom and have more than 5 years professional experience. Volunteers serve a minimum of 3 months.

Emergency Medicine

Thimphu, Bhutan – National Referral Hospital

This program works to advance the practice of emergency care provided through education and systems improvement. Volunteers assist in developing an emergency medicine clinical curriculum that can be used for all levels of providers. This curriculum will be used by volunteers as a guide for educational sessions including lectures, hands-on training and informal bedside teaching. Volunteers also work to develop practice guidelines and systems improvement initiatives in selected clinical focus areas. It is hoped volunteers play a vital role in establishing a culture of emergency medicine as its own specialty in Bhutan. Volunteers are required to be board certified in emergency medicine or another primary care specialty with significant experience in emergency medicine. Assignments are for 4 weeks.