wanting to be a medic in africa

[emtsking]

hello everyone. i am alomst done with my medic program... and i am wanting to go and experience ems in africa after i get a couple years of medic exp in the us under my belt. has anyone done this? is there any type of program or organization that works with cities in furthering thier ems programs or starting them (ems is a new concept in many parts of africa). i would really like to do something like that and think it woudl be a very reawrding and great experience. I just cant find any info on it anywhere... lol. Thanks!

 

[akflightmedic]

Good Luck!!

My best advice is to get your medic and then check back in a few years. EMS in most parts is non existent or no where near the level we know it as and you will be hard pressed to find equipment/supplies and properly trained personnel.

There are remote jobs here and there, but as stated, they will not even look at you until a few years as a medic and when that time comes you could be in a totally different world personally. Not discouraging you, just saying stay focused on the here and now and become the best you can be first, then look to expand and share.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

My basic instructor runs a company/program that exports old ambulances to Africa and his goal is to train EMS systems on the continent. Hopefully it will keep getting better and better there every year.

 

[Sandog]

hello everyone. i am alomst done with my medic program... and i am wanting to go and experience ems in africa after i get a couple years of medic exp in the us under my belt. has anyone done this? is there any type of program or organization that works with cities in furthering thier ems programs or starting them (ems is a new concept in many parts of africa). i would really like to do something like that and think it woudl be a very reawrding and great experience. I just cant find any info on it anywhere... lol. Thanks!

This is a noble endeavor to be sure, but there are many things that you should consider prior to making such a journey.

I have been to Kenya Africa so indulge me while I share my experience with you.

Upon arrival, my first sight was hundreds of frail looking children and adults with descended stomachs reaching their hands out as we traversed the pier. It was almost surreal as time stopped and I saw the pain and agony in their eyes. I will never forget that sight.

As I made my way through the city a stench of sickness permeated the air, and the poverty was never more apparent as the shanties were barely adequate to house a goat. Now I have been to many third world countries and thought I had seen the worse but none of my prior experience prepared me for what I would see.

Even though I was with a large group of people I felt fear as I watched scantily clothed men walking around with AK-47's and machetes.

Here are some things you ought to know:

Life is cheap in Africa and you will look like a meal ticket. Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, and you will be a prime target.

Malaria and HIV are rampant and your chance of exposure are great.

The water and food supply is full of parasites and you would have to ensure your agency provides you with these essential items.

The hospitals are overburdened, understaffed, and under equipped so if you become ill this could be a problem.

I know I painted a grim picture, but I think this is something one should consider and it is not my intention to dissuade you from this potential adventure. I only wish to impart some experience into what you might expect. If your still wanting to make this travel, then I wish you the best and hope all goes well.

As you have said, this could be a very rewarding experience for you but go with eyes wide open and do a lot of reading on the land you visit.

Here are a few starting points you might try.

http://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad

http://www.africaaid.org/?gclid=CKWnn7SHuqICFQykiQodMkcb7Q

http://www.crossculturalsolutions.o..._work_africa&gclid=CKGZ7ciHuqICFQz_iAodSEEO8g

 

[mycrofft]

Check your church or others.

Some religious organizations have been operating in parts of the continent of Africa for decades.

Don't expect to be paramedicking around, the biggest needs are public health, civil engineering and nutrition.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

From my understanding the highest level Paramedics in South Africa have more training than almost any other country in the world I am aware of. My buddy works with a couple in the middle east and there Paramedic licence transfered over to "Emergency physician" in Saudi Arabia lol. Most of them have between 4-6 years of school from my understanding, sort of like the Australia ICP guys.

 

[mycrofft]

As I tried to post earlier...

Don't expect to go there and be a paramedic. Their needs are nutrition, civil engineering, public health and social stability.
Try your church or other church groups, some have been running medical missions for a long time.

 

[Kthanid]

Have worked in Africa. Most of the comments correct but to say too generally Africa is precisely "this or that" is not correct.

Africa is not a country, it is many individual countries, even more than the US has states(53 in fact) with a population of a billion people total and probably the most diverse place on the planet.

Overall its rougher and poorer than our countries for sure, but there are great variances between regions.

There is South Africa, a country with what we consider very high crime yet with modern infrastructure and well structured paramedic services.

There are of course countries at war, countries pretending not to be at war, though fighting rebels all the time, and also some really peaceful places over there as well, where you will never hear a shot fired.



There is everything from free volunteer work with the aid agencies, minding orphanages(with nothign more than BLS), to high pay medic role contracts, to very high pay hostile/tactical medic roles, to regular 'jobs ' as clinical assistants, hospital workers, up to and including real ambulance jobs as mentioned.


Remember a lot of the big countries like Kenya and Nigeria will have rich districts- almost cities within cities, usually surrounded by the poor. In these districts the residents demand good(for africa) services.

Also keep in mind in the contract side of things a lot of arguments relating to exact qualifications and job titles go out the window. If you are the guy or girl on the ground, and you prove you can do something, you can end up doing anything.

I know ex-army medics who got gigs as paramedics for the UN(which they were a bit worried about as they were not that highly qualified) expecting to be dealing with war like trauma. However it was a peaceful jungle job watching contractors build bridges and one of the boys ended up spending more time helping with the bridge(as he was a builder at one time). Another guy got into logistics arranging cheap rice etc from a local plantations and became a sort of camp cook for everyone as well, and worked his way into being a project manager for the company the UN was subcontracting. This is normal stuff in the contracting world btw.


Its way too much to put it all down here, but for sure if you get a foot in you can do like the rest of professional contractors and stay abroad for ever leapfrogging contract to contract.

I think your best bet is to actually read up a lot on Africa, learn the countries and regions. Join a south african medic forum for example where they use English. And start surfing the job sites like seek.com. Also try the big AID groups webpages, MSF etc, even the free volunteer ones as its a foot in the door.

Also google South African private ambulance services such as http://www.netcare911.co.za/ and enquire about working there, or taking one of their training courses if you have the money to go.

 

[Kthanid]

Sorry double up

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Great post!

Have worked in Africa. Most of the comments correct but to say too generally Africa is precisely "this or that" is not correct.

Africa is not a country, it is many individual countries, even more than the US has states(53 in fact) with a population of a billion people total and probably the most diverse place on the planet.

Overall its rougher and poorer than our countries for sure, but there are great variances between regions.

There is South Africa, a country with what we consider very high crime yet with modern infrastructure and well structured paramedic services.

There are of course countries at war, countries pretending not to be at war, though fighting rebels all the time, and also some really peaceful places over there as well, where you will never hear a shot fired.



There is everything from free volunteer work with the aid agencies, minding orphanages(with nothign more than BLS), to high pay medic role contracts, to very high pay hostile/tactical medic roles, to regular 'jobs ' as clinical assistants, hospital workers, up to and including real ambulance jobs as mentioned.


Remember a lot of the big countries like Kenya and Nigeria will have rich districts- almost cities within cities, usually surrounded by the poor. In these districts the residents demand good(for africa) services.

Also keep in mind in the contract side of things a lot of arguments relating to exact qualifications and job titles go out the window. If you are the guy or girl on the ground, and you prove you can do something, you can end up doing anything.

I know ex-army medics who got gigs as paramedics for the UN(which they were a bit worried about as they were not that highly qualified) expecting to be dealing with war like trauma. However it was a peaceful jungle job watching contractors build bridges and one of the boys ended up spending more time helping with the bridge(as he was a builder at one time). Another guy got into logistics arranging cheap rice etc from a local plantations and became a sort of camp cook for everyone as well, and worked his way into being a project manager for the company the UN was subcontracting. This is normal stuff in the contracting world btw.


Its way too much to put it all down here, but for sure if you get a foot in you can do like the rest of professional contractors and stay abroad for ever leapfrogging contract to contract.

I think your best bet is to actually read up a lot on Africa, learn the countries and regions. Join a south african medic forum for example where they use English. And start surfing the job sites like seek.com. Also try the big AID groups webpages, MSF etc, even the free volunteer ones as its a foot in the door.

Also google South African private ambulance services such as http://www.netcare911.co.za/ and enquire about working there, or taking one of their training courses if you have the money to go.