Ho Chi Minh - Medical Placement

The government operated hospital aims to offer effective treatment to a large number of citizens from Ho Chi Minh. At this project you will be able to share your pre-existing knowledge with the medical staff at the hospital as well as absorb new knowledge and information in return.

Introduction Day
Your project starts with an introduction day on the first Monday including a tour of the area surrounding the accommodation, available facilities, cultural "do's and don'ts", safety concerns as well as some basic local language lessons. You can also choose to start with an introduction week orientation.

Monday to Friday
After your initial orientation day or week, you will work typically 4-6 hours per day.

You will have the opportunity to shadow nurses, doctors, and therapists. Depending on your profile and availability, your daily tasks may consist of medication preparation, blood pressure measurement, basic triage and wound care.

Your Role - General Information

On the other hand, undoubtedly the best thing about working in healthcare or in the medical field is the fact that you’ll be helping the local people of this amazing city every single day while making an impact in their lives even in just a short period of time. Regardless of an exhausting the work and role you may have, working in the medical field allows you to nurture your desire to help others and give back to the community as well. In this program, you will need endless patience, energy and a sense of responsibility and accountability, as you will work with patients with health problems and concerns.

Your general duties will include the following:

Shadow observe and assist with the Hospital's daily operations.
Assist patients/residents in their health concerns with the close monitoring of the doctor/nurses in charge.
Observe local doctors/nurses on duty during operations and other medical procedures.
Observe in diagnosing and treating patient's illnesses performed by the doctors/nurse on duty.
Participate in basic triage, wound care, blood pressure measurement and medication preparation.
Join healthcare campaigns (if there is any) for children at local schools or communities to increase their health awareness.
Partake in the day-to-day activities of the hospital.
Note: Possible activities during your time in the hospital may vary depending on your background and experience.

During the Medical Placement, the following needs to be considered:
Work at the placement between 4-6 hours a day.
You will be requested to wear a scrub during working time, you must bring a scrub with you or rent one at the accommodation when you arrive, if possible wear a proper medical uniform.
Be on time and always come to the hospital prepared.
Smile and have lots of patience as you are working with patients with different medical conditions.
Always be kind and calm in different situations.
Be attentive to the care, diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Be careful when using the hospital equipment.
Show compassion towards the patients.
Be always respectful of the local staff, fellow participants, patients, and hospital staff.
Adhere to the rules and regulations of the hospital.
Beware of the medical protocols, procedures, and guidelines of the hospital.

Please note that the volunteer activities and schedule can change at any time based on the needs of the project, local conditions, the weather and unforeseen circumstances.

Please note that there will be a long break in between shifts at lunch time.

Evenings & Weekends
During the evenings and weekends the volunteers are free to relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh has an incredible number of things to see and do, from the busy morning markets where you can taste the most incredible street food to the Cu Chi tunnels, where you can experience firsthand the conditions of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam war, Ho Chi Minh is a city where modern culture meets ancient temples and you'll wish you had more time.
Long weekends can also be taken to give you time to travel further afield and explore more of the country.

The project is either closed or has alternative activities on public holidays.

2026
01-02 January
12-22 February
27 & 30 April
01 May
02 September

Week of 09 February 2026: working on MON-FRI.

Week of 16 February 2026: * Lunar New Year. Monday-Wednesday, no work. Thursday and Friday is the Special Program (see below).
During the Lunar New Year (Tet), volunteers will prepare food (lunch) for the at-risk community (mostly the young children). We also arrange some activities with the children (singing, dancing, playing, etc…) and teach them English. The local team will purchase all the necessary food, ingredients, and materials for volunteers to assist in food preparation, cooking, and serving for the elderly and others. The center is about a 15-minute walk from our accommodation and a 5-minute taxi ride. Volunteers can expect to contribute from 08:00 to 12:30. Alternatively, volunteers may use this time for travel and participation in local festivities.

Please note that there are fewer patients during the holidays, which means fewer activities at the project.

Minimum age of 18
Good level of English
Police Clearance Certificate on sign-up
Passport copy required on arrival
Participants wanting to take part in this program should have a medical background such as studying medicine, nursing, pharmacy etc. You will need to provide your CV and a copy of your passport to be submitted to the hospital. You can submit your papers to your travel advisor who can forward them onwards.

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering work and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. At times, alterations in activities are due to changes in local conditions. This can be part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that it is.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.