BSN student looking for suggestions for future global health volunteer opportunities

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Hello all,

I'm currently a BSN student. I am looking for advice from nurses who are involved with MSF or organizations like it. It has been a dream of mine for years to travel to areas of the developing world and help provide healthcare where it is so desperately needed. Based on the research I've done, MSF requires at least 3 years of nursing experience, management experience, along with other things that are clearly QUITE far in the future for me. I would like to start taking baby steps, and gain volunteer experience as a student, and eventually a young nurse. I am interesting in hearing about any suggested steps that I can take at this point in my life and education that coincide with this passion, and may help me get there one day. I am interesting in hearing about peoples experience with other organizations or missions that require less experience but need nurses to travel to developing areas of the world. In other words, organizations that may be a good option for me once a have a few years of nursing experience.

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Specializes in Pedi.

MSF placements also require a 9-12 month commitment.

There are short-term international volunteer opportunities you could do. My college offered many opportunities for international service trips and I was able to complete 1/2 of my community health clinical in Nicaragua.

I traveled to Belize with International Service Learning post-graduation. Its programs are meant for students: International Service Learning I had a great experience with them 11 years and it looks like they have more opportunities for placements now.

I also crossed paths with several people volunteering through Cross Cultural Solutions when I was in Tanzania: Volunteer Abroad with Cross-Cultural Solutions

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Many churches offer short term mission trips as well. My local church goes annually to Haiti, Cote d'Ivoire, and (not foreign) Appalachia.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

You might want to consider language lessons.

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Thanks so much for your reply. These are great resources that I'm definitely going to look into!

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