FAQ
What makes MEDLIFE unique?
Many organizations work to improve the health of the poor. Most of these groups focus on a single health issue, such as vaccinations, AIDS, or clean water projects. The goals of MEDLIFE is to create greater understanding that disparities in healthcare, education and development stem from the incapacitating nature of poverty which requires a multi-disciplinary approach. We work with our patients to achieve the successful outcomes to their illness regardless or the level of difficulty. This has ranged from providing medications on our missions to helping patients receive live-saving surgeries to providing long-term follow up care for patients suffering from tuberculosis.
Does MEDLIFE have a religious affiliation?
Ours is a mission of hope, of social justice, of caring and compassion for humankind regardless of where one happens to be born. These are ideals which will ring true with people of all religious persuasions. While MEDLIFE does not hold any religious affiliation, we encourage volunteers of all belief systems to join in our mission of helping the world’s poor.
Are donations tax-deductible?
Yes. All checks through MEDLIFE are receipted for tax purposes. MEDLIFE is currently in the process of becoming an approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Until that process is complete, all checks processed through our account at the University of Maine foundation are tax-deductible.
How is MEDLIFE funded?
MEDLIFE is currently working toward improving the lives of the underserved through two distinct endeavors: one is through short-term medical missions consisting of volunteer providers and undergraduate support staff , and the second is fundraising toward the cost of building a community health center in the village of Cebadas, Ecuador. While these projects are united in their objective of serving the world’s poor, participation fees are utilized exclusively for costs associated with our medical missions, while independent fundraising is conducted for building the permanent facility.
Who may participate in a MEDLIFE mission?
MEDLIFE is pleased to invite a wide range of compassionate, hard working, flexible students and health care professionals who possess a desire to help the poor and are excited to deliver medical care in a new and different setting. We can most easily accept those professionals who are comfortable providing dental or primary medical care, especially dentists, family practitioners, emergency or internal medicine physicians, pediatricians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. IN SITUATIONS DISTINCT FROM PROVIDING HEALTHCARE IN THE USA. Accommodations and medical facilities will determine the number of participants we can bring. Speaking Spanish is a great asset, but is not required for participation – MEDLIFE will ensure a sufficient number of translators take part in each mission. The selection process for undergraduates is distinct from that of health care providers, and tends to be a somewhat more competitive process.
How much does a medical mission cost?
Participants pay for personal airfare plus a participation fee: 2 weeks: $950 USD 1 week: $650 USD A nonrefundable registration portion of $100 USD may be transferred to another mission, but cannot be returned to participants unless the mission is cancelled. This registration fee is due at the latest three months prior to the mission in which you wish to participate. Please view the enclosed pre-mission timeline for all deadlines. Until this fee is paid (in addition to other requirements), your spot is not confirmed, and as such may be granted to another person who meets the admission requirements and provides the participation fee before you. To emphasize this point: you will not have a reserved spot on a MEDLIFE mission until you pay the participation fee, even if you have already purchased individual airfare! This is a policy we have been forced to implement after having volunteers repeatedly rescind on their commitment at the last moment, placing the success of our missions in jeopardy.
This fee covers all participant costs in-country, including food, lodging, and transportation. In addition, a portion of this fee covers the hiring of local health-care workers, all pre-mission preparations, and post-mission follow up with special patient cases. It is MEDLIFE policy that we will do everything in our power to assist those who come to us for aid, regardless of whether or not this assistance can be given on the specific clinic day. On occasion, this has entailed paying for surgery or long-term medical treatment for specific clinic patients. While we consider this an ethically mandated policy, it is understandably costly.
For those participants who express concern regarding the MEDLIFE participation fee, we would like to highlight two important points. First, this cost is significantly less than that levied by most organizations engaging in similar missions. This is a direct result of the second point - MEDLIFE is an entirely volunteer-run organization in the United States, and as such we incur none of the overhead costs (salaries, building payments etc) experienced by other organizations. This allows us to keep our participation fee at a level we hope will not prevent anyone with a desire to help the poor from participating in a mission, while at the same time doing everything we can to help our patients.
