Physicians for Human Rights:
Migrant Workers Clinic
The Physicians for Human Rights Clinic is a reduced fee/free clinic located in the Tel Aviv, which is approximately 5 minutes from the Hagana train station. It is staffed by volunteer physicians as well as MSIH and Israeli medical students four days per week;
Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, from 5:00- 9:00 p.m. and Friday morning
9-12:00 p.m.
Volunteer Duties:
The duties of volunteer students vary based on level of comfort, language skills, and experience. Some students take histories, perform physical exams and/or diagnostics, and contribute to patient education or just shadow the doctors; all
students are afforded the opportunity to discuss each case with the supervising physician and ask him/her questions.
Time Commitment:
Students are scheduled weekly on a first come, first-serve basis and should plan to leave Beer Sheva by 3:45pm and return by 10:30pm on weeknights.
Language Skills Required:
No language skills are required, but Hebrew skills can be useful. The patients speak many different languanges such as French, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, and Amharic.
Contact Information:
Miriam Shapiro, miriams@bgu.ac.il
Matthew Cantor, mathew@bgu.ac.il
Additional Notes:
Transportation to Tel Aviv most commonly is via train due to the proximity of the clinic to the Hagana station, but some students have taken their own cars, the bus, or taxi.
For a full description of the Physicians for Human Rights organization and their other activities, please see their website: http://www.phr.org.il
Physicians for Human Rights:
Mobile Clinic
In 1989 Physicians for Human Rights-Israel established a mobile clinic. Through medicine, Israeli volunteers, both Jewish and Arab, are able to advocate solidarity with their Palestinian colleagues and insist on the freedom of movement necessary to fulfill their professional duties. Furthermore, through such work, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel learns about the current shortages in the Palestinian medical system. The mobile clinic has become a model for professional cooperation and solidarity, and serves as a source of strength to protest the harmful impact the occupation has had on the health of the residents of the occupied territories.
Volunteer Duties:
Varies, similar to PHR Migrant Workers Clinic in Tel Aviv; primarily shadowing physicians.
Time Commitment:
Generally done on a one-time basis, on Saturdays during the day (often all day long, with transportation). Scheduling must be done in advance through Tal Engel.
Language Skills Required:
None required, Arabic very useful.
Hebrew helpful as well.
Contact Information:
Tal Engel, talen@bgu.ac.il
Additional Notes:
Transportation is arranged differently each week; occasionally there is transportation from Beer Sheva.
For a full description of the Physicians for Human Rights organization and their other activities, please see their website: http://www.phr.org.il
The MSIH school policy states that although each student must make her or his own decision, MSIH and its two sponsoring universities strongly discourage all travel to Palestinian territories. Insurance does not cover students there and there is a strongly worded warning from the Israeli Ministry of Internal Affairs that you might not be able to return to Israel.
Cancer Patients in the Community
Working directly with cancer patients in the Beer Sheva Community
Volunteer Duties:
Cancer patients and their families: This is a unique opportunity to be matched with a terminal cancer patient and their family and offer support and friendship
Time Commitment:
Requiring a year commitment of about 2 hours/week (you can request a family living near the hospital, some students have done this during 2 lunches/week, for example) You are required to attend a course of 6 evening sessions before volunteering; Last year, the course was during our winter break.
Language Skills:
For Hebrew speakers mainly, maybe also for some speakers of other languages (Spanish, Russian, Arabic) but the training is in Hebrew:
Contact Information:
Lior: yonayl@bgu.ac.il
Description of Site:
Ramot Support Center
Volunteer Duties:
Same as above, including teaching classes and workshops
Time Commitment:
Not strict with no requirement to attend training sessions
Contact Information:
Lior: yonayl@bgu.ac.il
Soroka University Medical Hospital
Description of Site:
Soroka Hospital
Volunteer Duties:
A variety of volunteer activities are possible, including:
- Volunteering in the ER: This is the main area in which students from our program have been involved. You will be trained to do EKGs.
- Pediatrics: Either transferring patients or spending time occasionally with patients who do not have families to visit them (most patients do have families so this does not happen so often).
Time Commitment:
Minimum of 4 hours per week, in 1 shift, for ER. Usually at night after school, but could possibly be on weekends.
May vary for other volunteer activities (but probably a minimum of about 4 hours).
Language Skills Required:
Basic Hebrew. It IS possible to volunteer in the ER first year with no Hebrew background prior to first year (and it is a good way to improve Hebrew skills!)
Contact Information:
Gloria Chu,
glochu@gmail.com
Ms. Lunnenfeld
Soroka Volunteer Coordinator
Contact # 08-640-3030
8:00-16:00. (Pediatrics)
If you have clinical experience (as a nurse, physical therapist, etc.), it is NOT currently possible to volunteer in the hospital or other clinical setting in your professional field without an Israeli license.
Magen David Adom Ambulances
Description: Volunteer on the Beer Sheva ambulances! To sign up
and for more information, visit the Emergency Medicine Interest Group
website: http://fohs.bgu.ac.il/emig
Requirements: To volunteer on the non-ICU ambulances, successful
completion of the PHTLS course or an equivalent valid EMT
certification is required. To volunteer on the Moblie ICU, successful
completion of the third-year ACTLS course is necessary. All volunteers
must purchase uniforms and malpractice insurance from Magen David
Adom. Fluency in Hebrew not required, but knowing the Hebrew words for
ambulance terms (oxygen, stretcher, etc.) is desirable.
Contact Person:
Terez Karp - 052-6000426
sarahterez@gmail.com |
