One World Surgery organizes surgical and primary care missions to its facility in Honduras, the Holy Family Surgery Center.
One World Surgery also leads primary care missions in the communities surrounding the site of its future surgery center and primary care clinic in the Dominican Republic.
Medical missions take place during the dates scheduled on our calendar, and specialties are pre-assigned. Most are weeklong missions (Saturday to Saturday). Some trips have roles completely reserved for volunteers associated with specific groups, while other trips have openings for the general public.
VOLUNTEER FOR A MEDICAL MISSION
COST & REQUIREMENTS
Volunteers’ program fees make it possible for us to provide patients with high-quality care for free. A portion of every volunteer’s program fee is applied towards supply costs for patient surgeries and is tax-deductible. Program fees follow a family-based structure.
Cost
Program Fees
- $1000 for first participant (regardless of age)
- $500 for additional family member (includes spouses, adult children, and parents only)
- $250 for additional family member under 18 years
Program fees include food and housing for a one week mission, ground transportation in the mission country, and emergency medical and evacuation insurance. Fees are due 5 weeks prior to the medical mission.
Travel Costs
Volunteers are also responsible for their own flight costs. Roundtrip flights typically range $500-$1200, depending on time of year. One World Surgery has partnered with travel management company Diversity Travel for medical missions travel bookings. We encourage volunteers to make travel arrangements through Diversity Travel as they offer extra flexibility and humanitarian fees. See details on booking with Diversity Travel here.
Travel Request Form- Diversity Travel
Since program fees help in funding patient surgeries, we are unable to waive program fees or provide program fee reductions. We encourage those for whom the cost of attending a medical mission presents a financial challenge to fundraise for program fee or flight costs or to apply for a scholarship. Please see our scholarships and fundraising page for more details.
Requirements
- Medical volunteers: must be currently licensed and working in the profession.
- Volunteers must be able to withstand up to 90 degrees F without air conditioning.
- In Honduras, volunteers should be able to walk approximately 1 mile to the surgery center and back each day.
- Dominican Republic: Volunteers ages 16 and over are accepted at this time and must be accompanied by an adult.
– U.S. passport holders: Passport must be valid for the duration of your trip. A visa is not required for a stay in the Dominican Republic up to 30 days.
– Non U.S. passport holders: You are responsible for securing your own visa, if required for your country of citizenship. You are also responsible for confirming that your passport meets entry requirements and that you have proper documentation to reenter the U.S. (i.e. valid Permanent Resident Card). - Honduras: Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 13 must be supervised by a non-clinical volunteer at all times. The recommended minimum age at attend a medical mission is 5 years old.
– U.S. passport holders: Passport must be valid for 6 months past date of entry into Honduras. A visa is not required for a stay in Honduras up to 90 days.
– Non U.S. passport holders: You are responsible for securing your own visa, if required for your country of citizenship. You are also responsible for confirming that your passport meets entry requirements and that you have proper documentation to reenter the U.S. (i.e. valid Permanent Resident Card).
- Late Cancellation Policy
- Refund Policy
- Rescheduled/Cancelled Medical Mission Policy
- Travel Policy
Participants wishing to withdraw from a medical mission or reschedule their trip must notify medicalmissions@oneworldsurgery.org by email at least 45 days prior to the trip. Any other method of notification (i.e. telling a surgery center administrator or fellow participant) is not considered official notice of cancellation or rescheduling.
Participants who do not notify medicalmissions@oneworldsurgery.org at least 45 days prior to the trip will be charged as $250 late fee. Medical emergencies or other extenuating circumstances may be considered differently.
Program fee payments are considered donations to One World Surgery, a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization in the United States. In accordance with IRS regulations, donations are nonrefundable. In the event of a trip cancellation (by the volunteer or One World Surgery), the volunteer may designate his/her funds to cover the costs of another volunteer or may apply the funds towards another One World Surgery mission within 12 months. This policy also applies to any third party donations made to One World Surgery in support of a volunteer’s program fee or flight costs. One World Surgery also does not provide any refunds for flight costs.
One World Surgery reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a mission without notice. We may cancel a medical mission if conditions in the mission country are deemed unsafe. We rely on information and recommendations from the U.S. Department of State, the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, NPH, and other local sources in making these decisions. In the event that a medical mission is cancelled or rescheduled due to unsafe conditions, participants will be offered the opportunity to move their registration to a future trip with openings within 12 months of the originally scheduled trip.
Volunteers are responsible for booking their own travel according to the guidelines outlined in the Trip Informational Packet provided upon application approval. All volunteers are required to use One World Surgery’s private transportation services.
Volunteers must email medicalmissions@oneworldsurgery.org no later than 30 days prior to the first day of the mission to request approval for any travel dates or times outside of those outlined in the Trip informational Packet. We cannot guarantee transportation for alternative flight plans/travel dates that have not been first approved by the Medical Missions team.
back to top of page
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications are accepted year-round. We recommend submitting your application at least 3 months before your trip to ensure you receive all trip reminders and have adequate time to prepare. Providers are required to apply by 8 weeks prior to the trip so that their medical credentials can be verified and submitted to the local ministry of health.
1. Complete the online application, via the link below, indicating your preferred medical mission dates and role. Providers will now be required to submit a copy of their passport, medical diploma, medical licenses, and board certification at the time of application. You will immediately receive a submission acknowledgment email. You are not yet approved for a spot on the medical mission. Please do not purchase flights.
2. You will receive an email indicating whether or not your application has been approved (within 1 week for trips less than 3 months out, within 2 weeks for trips more than 3 months out). If approved, the email will contain a link to the informational packet for your trip (includes details on booking flights, immunizations, etc.).
3. Purchase flights (according to guidelines in the informational packet) and schedule immunization appointments, if necessary.
4. Any time after approval, return to return to your online application by logging back into your account via the application link below to complete follow-up forms, waivers and program fees. These items are due 5 weeks prior to the trip. The progress bar on your account will help you keep track of your progress. It is not necessary to complete all the items at once. You can return to the account at any time.
5. Volunteers will receive their first reminder email 3 months prior to the trip. Additional reminder emails will follow at the 2 month and 1 month marks. A pre-trip informational call will be scheduled a few weeks prior to your trip.