Service Expeditions >
Medical Expedition
Information and Sample Itinerary
Duration: Between 3 and 10 days
Highlights:
Highlights:
- Bring medical care to rural villages that have little or no access
- Work together with Peruvian doctors
- Meet immediate healthcare needs and train for prevention
- Entertainment from the Peruvian Police Force: Trained dog show, live music, and costumed characters
- All setup, community organization and preparation
- Recruitment of local doctors and borrowing of medical equipment (if available)
- Transportation to and from expedition areas
- 4 nights lodging in hotels, camping or rural home-stays (to be determined by Expedition Leader and In-country Staff)
- All project area meals
- All medical tents
- Teaching materials (Education handouts, posters, puppets, etc.)
- Medications, surgical equipment, etc. (can be fundraised and purchased in-country by Ascend Staff if necessary)
- Medical Scrubs
- Hat and/or sunscreen
- Six or seven changes of clothes
- Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
- Waterproof jacket or poncho
- Camera
- Original Passport
- Overnight toiletries
- Spending money
- Daypack or backpack and water bottle
- Warm clothes for the evening / light clothes for the day
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Medical Expeditions can be arranged between 3 and 10 days
- Group fundraising for project materials, medications, and medical equipment can bring down the per-person cost (inquire for details)
Expedition Photosclick to enlarge
Travel Resources
Ascend Medical Expeditions
Medical expeditions to Cusco are one of our specialties. We have the connections to enable quality medical expeditions that bring together local and international medical providers. Groups of doctors, physicians, dentists, etc. come together to provide portable medical clinics in rural communities, assistance and training in medical posts, and CME (Continuing Medical Education) at local hospitals and Universities. Medical expeditions are customizable based on the composure of the medical team. Also, we work together with local strategic alliances such as the OPC (Police Office of Citizen Participation) and the Regional Hospital, which provides equipment and local doctors. We merge our Medical Expeditions with year-round medical training delivered by Ascend Travel Staff and international and local interns - in this manner, giving our health efforts a sustainable edge!Ascend Medical Expedition Manual
The following manual has all the information you need to arrange an amazing medical expedition. Combined with our expedition leadership manual, plan on being fully prepared. Click below to view fullscreen.Manual Contents (Click to View):
Section I: Introduction, Purpose and Approach Section II: Field Guide for Humanitarian Health Professionals Section III: Protocol for Rural Health Clinics & Health Workers
Sample Itinerary
Day 0
Ascend Community Preparation Day
- Today, Ascend staff members will be in the community making sure that final preparations for the health clinic are underway.
Day 1
Arrival and Setup
- Meeting with Ascend Staff before departing to the community.
- Arrival and greeting with the community.
- Set up health training tent, prepare puppets and puppet scripts for children (available from Ascend).
- Doctors set up their tools in their respective tents.
- Start screening patients and assigning priorities.
Day 2
Health Worker Training and Preparation
- Prepare the pharmacy.
- Focus on working with Community Health Workers who will help educate health clinic attendees in the following 6 topics: Respiratory illness and diarrhea, STD's, hygiene, skin care, gastrointestinal, and nutrition, maternal and newborn care. Doctors start seeing individual cases.
Day 3
Health Clinic and Training Day 1
- Full day health clinic with rotating shifts.
- Full day of health training.
- Other activities: Visit from the Peruvian Police – dog show, live music and costumed entertainers.
Day 4
Health Clinic and Training Day 2
- Full day health clinic with rotating shifts.
- Full day of health training.
- Other activities: Free haircuts from local cosmetologists.
- Possible switch to next community (if more than one health clinic is being planned).
Day 5
Health Clinic and Training Day 3
- Full day health clinic with rotating shifts.
- Full day of health training.
- Other activities: Environment protection campaign, trash pickup, recycling workshop, etc.
Day 6
Pack up and Departure
- Pack up all tents, equipment and materials.
- Community farewell ceremony.
