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Discover how AI is shaping the future of cleft care. Watch the Film by BBC StoryWorks

Medical Volunteers

Meet our global community of volunteers who strive for excellence for all patients – for every child and every family.

Operation Smile medical programs are almost entirely volunteer-based, so we rely on medical professionals who can take charge of their roles with confidence, conviction and world-class skill. These traits have made Operation Smile a global leader in performing safe cleft surgery in resource-limited environments for more than four decades. Guided by our Global Medical Standards, medical volunteers must be able to work as a team to balance the highest possible quality of care with efficiency to serve as many patients as our time and resources will allow. This demands stamina – physically, mentally and emotionally – as long hours and a fast pace are expected of our volunteers. Our work also requires travel to locations across the globe, which presents its own set of demands and challenges.

Medical Programs

Operation Smile’s medical programs deliver comprehensive care services to patients with cleft conditions, including both surgical and non-surgical interventions offered at hospitals, clinics, cleft care centers or in community settings.

Length of Time

Medical volunteering work can be short-term (ranging from one day to two weeks) or involve long-term placement of medical professionals to support service delivery, educational and technical exchanges and capacity building activities.

Areas of Expertise

In addition to surgical work, additional opportunities for involvement in medical programs include areas that support the building components of health systems involved in the delivery of safe surgical and anesthesia care.

Support and Training

Operation Smile is dedicated to providing education and training initiatives throughout all of our clinical programs in partnership with local volunteers and health care professionals to support building local capacity.

Location

Our programs are locally led and internationally supported. Volunteers are recruited to participate internationally and in their home-country, local program sites. The criteria and specific skills needed by volunteers will vary by program and country.


Specialties

Volunteers from these medical specialties make up our medical program teams. We recognize that countries have varying job titles and educational requirements.

We’re working hard, planning exciting new programs! Please check back in January for more information on volunteer opportunities.

Get Involved

You can give children a chance to grow up without life-threatening health problems, social stigma, isolation and feelings of hopelessness.

More Ways to Get Involved

Make Your Gift

Your gift today will help transform lives and increase access to essential surgical care.

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