Description:
ICEHA clinical mentors build capacity of health systems by coaching local health professionals in developing countries. Tasks include:
- Coach local physicians and nurses in AIDS care at the bedside
- Give seminars related to HIV/AIDS care
- Provide clinical assistance to local health workers during rounds
- Train local health workers on HIV/AIDS topics as needed
- Share operational expertise to improve clinic efficiencies
Highlights:
What Local Health Providers Say:
"ICEHA's training program taught us infectious diseases doctors - not to be afraid any longer of our HIV-infected patients! You have given us the tools that we can apply to our clinics tomorrow, even if we may not yet have the antiretroviral medication available."
Nguyen Van Ngoc, M.D. Vice Director, Hoa Binh Provincial Hospital, Vietnam
"On behalf of the PHD staff and the people of Banteay Meanchey province, I want to express our profound thanks for the honorable work and effort you devoted to our inpatients and the useful experience you shared with our doctors and nurses during your mission in this province. The staff and the people of Banteay Meanchey, especially the patients, would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you."
Dr. Witchook, Administrator at Monkol Borei Hospital, Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia (Letter to Dr. Richard Kauffman, an ICEHA volunteer)
"The assistance and clinical coaching by volunteer experts is exactly what Cambodia needs in its referral hospitals at the time when the Ministry of Health is trying to make antiretroviral medication available to its HIV-infected population."
Chawalit Natpratan, M.D. Director, Family Health International (FHI) Cambodia
Impact Of Clinical Mentoring
"The sensation that I have felt in providing something better for the victims of this world is so incredible and ironically I don't believe that this feeling could ever be "bought" by any amount of money anywhere. Even participating in ICEHA's program for a relatively short period (three months), my experience will have a lasting effect on my own future for decades to come. It has given me a feeling of power to make this a less unjust and unequal world. We don't have to wait for our leaders to make this planet a better place to live but are able to construct it in our daily lives, in our relationships, in our future."
Marcio Fonseca, M.D.
Life Changing Experience
"This has been the most awesome experience in my life! I will never forget this. The effect on my private practice in the US is significant. I look at HIV care so differently now."
Richard Kaufmann, M.D.
"I have been on many humanitarian missions, but this by far has been the most rewarding. I have recommended this program to my colleagues, doctors and nurses. It is a noble and worthwhile cause."
Jennett Baker, RN
Continuous Volunteer Support
"I would like to express my gratitude to ICEHA for its consistent communication and support throughout the entire volunteer application process, from the moment I first enquired about volunteering to these last hectic days before I depart for my volunteer assignment in Cambodia. I have worked as a consultant for several organizations, but working with ICEHA has been the most positive experience I have had."
Brianne Fitzgerald, RN, MPH
In The Clinics
It has been the most incredible experience of my life. The people are very friendly, the clinic staff is very dedicated and eager to learn. The patients are very sick with advanced disease - the clinic just registered their 500th patient and it has been open for only 3 months! The contribution of ICEHA volunteers here is greatly needed. Our knowledge and experience as HIV providers is invaluable and much appreciated."
Vincent Jarvis, MD
"I haven't seen patients like this since I worked at NYU Hospital back in 1989 and the early 90s. Intellectually I knew what to expect but it was something else to see people and hear their stories."
Jennifer Innis, RN, MA
"The clinic staff are bright, enthusiastic and very energetic. They soak up knowledge like sponges! It is very gratifying to give out some small piece of information and have a flurry of discussion and excitement ensue. After I explained HIV progression and the high viral load and high infectivity during seroconversion, there was much amazement. We assume that health care professionals everywhere are aware of these things, but that is not true here." Barbara Newlin, MSN, ARNP
Qualifications / Skills Needed:
Clinical mentors must have professional certification in good standing and have experience with prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS or Infectious Diseases.
Positions are open now for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician's assistants as well as non-medical HIV/AIDS specialists.
Minimum Education: Bachelors
Language:
English
Cost in US$: 0
Cost Includes:
Food,
Housing,
In-country orientation/Training,
In-country staff support,
International travel,
Pre-departure orientation/Training,
Travel while in host country,
Written materials abroad
and Written materials pre-departure
Salary / Pay: ICEHA covers all expenses including lodging, daily living expenses, international and work related local travel expenses. A stipend is available for assignments longer than 3 months.
Experience Required: no
Typical Volunteer Projects:
AIDS,
community health,
health,
health care,
hospital,
medicine
and nursing
Typical Volunteer: A typical ICEHA clinical mentor is a physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, social worker or pharmacist with expertise in treatment and/or prevention of HIV/AIDS or other infectious diseases. Mentors come from many different countries. Age is not a determinant of a successful mentor - the best determinant is compassion, commitment and willingness to make a short-term contribution to coaching counterparts in resource-limited settings.
Age Range: 25 - 70+
This Program is open to
American,
Australian,
Canadian,
European,
Kiwi,
South African
and World Wide
Participants.
This Program is also open to
Couples and Individuals.
Typical Living Arrangements:
Apartment/Flat,
Independent living
and Other
Participants Travel to Congo-Democratic Republic of
Independently
Typically Participants Work
Independently
Or
in Groups of 2
Application Process Involves:
- In-Person Interview Required
- Letters of Reference
- Phone Interview
- Resume
Typically The Application Process Time Is 4 weeks
Post Services Include:
Exit DebriefingAbroad
Re-Entry Debriefing at Home
International Center for Equal Healthcare Access's Mission Statement: ICEHA is an international not-for-profit organization that engages healthcare professionals to rapidly transfer their expertise on HIV care and infectious diseases to colleagues in developing countries, using an innovative method of clinical mentoring. Unlike other organizations, ICEHA volunteer clinical mentors do not provide patient care directly. Instead, they equip local caregivers with the skills needed to take care of their own patients. As a result, thousands of patients receive HIV care when none existed before, care delivered by their own healthcare providers, within existing resource limitations.
Year Founded: 2001