Mobile Clinic FAQ
How do I sign up?
First, create a user account by clicking ‘Sign Up Now and Get Involved’ in the upper-right hand corner of this page. Once you’ve created and logged into your website account, you can visit the ‘Upcoming Mobile Clinics’ page under the ‘Mobile Clinics’ tab and click ‘Register’ for the Clinic you’d like to attend. When you’ve submitted your application and paid a $100 deposit, you’re spot on the Mobile Clinic is fully reserved! More info.
How much does a Mobile Clinic cost?
The cost of participation in a 1-week Mobile Clinic is $679.50 USD (incl. the $100 deposit), plus airfare. Cost of a 2-week Clinic is $1259.00, plus airfare.
What does the participation fee cover?
This fee covers virtually all meals (Monday-Friday, you may be asked to pay for meals on weekend), in-country transportation (including airport pick-up and drop-off on Clinic start and end dates) and lodging (8 nights) during the Mobile Clinic. It also provides funding for all expenses associate with the Mobile Clinic itself (the hiring of doctors and nurses, purchase of medicine and equipment, etc). Finally, the participation fee funds all aspects of MEDLIFE’s operating budget covering everything from staff salaries to office equipment to medical supplies as well as conducting patient follow-up care. These donations allow us to keep our promise of our 100% MEDLIFE Fund Model. More info.
How do I purchase airfare?
There are two options.
You can purchase airfare on your own, in which case you need to contact us directly before making a purchase to discuss potential arrival and departure times.
You can book through our recommended travel agent. Full details on how to make this booking will be provided with you after we’ve confirmed our group of volunteers. Our travel agent will look to put you on the same flight as other volunteers so that you can fly down together.
* DO NOT purchase airfare on your own unless you have received explicit authorization from a MEDLIFE representative to do so.
When does MEDLIFE host Mobile Clinics?
MEDLIFE offers many weeks of Mobile Clinics during winter, spring, and summer breaks.
Who can volunteer on a Mobile Clinic?
Any current undergrad or graduate student from any university can attend a Mobile Clinic. You do not need to be a current member of a MEDLIFE Chapter to serve as a volunteer. Recent graduates and medical professionals interested in participating should contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Do I need to speak Spanish?
Mobile Clinic participants are not required to speak Spanish nor have any previous medical knowledge or experience. It will be helpful, however, for participants to familiarize themselves with basic Spanish phrases, as well as the medical and cultural landscape in the country they are to visit. Useful Spanish phrases.
Should I bring down donations?
Yes! When students bring down donations of medicine and medical supplies, our Mobile Clinics Director is able to shift resources towards hiring additional doctors and purchasing more specialized equipment and medications. Many students solicit donations at local hospitals, private clinics, and pharmacies. List of commonly needed donations.
Where do we stay?
MEDLIFE always arranges for Mobile Clinic participants to lodge in reputable, safe, and clean hotels with our Director of Mobile Clinics. All hotels at which we stay have electricity, running water and hot showers, internet access, clean linens, and safe-lock boxes for valuables. Bottled water and safe food are always available either at the hotel itself or at nearby establishments. More info.
Who leads the Mobile Clinics?
Mobile Clinics are led by our in-country full-time staff and local doctors. They have essential knowledge of the language, culture, existing health care system, and common ailments, symptoms, and treatments in the communities we work in.
What does a volunteer do?
All Mobile Clinics are supported by student volunteers. Students have the opportunity to work closely with and learn from our medical professionals as they identify individual patients who require further treatment. Students work with our staff at patient intake, triage, and the pharmacy, and help run our educational programs. The typical Mobile Clinic week includes 4 days volunteering on-site at the Clinic, one day working with local community members on a development project, and two days of cultural tourism. More info.
What happens to our patients after the Mobile Clinic?
When our Mobile Clinic doctors identify a patient who require treatment that the Clinic itself is unequipped to provide, MEDLIFE's in-country staff then follows up with that patient individually after the Clinic ends to ensure they receive whatever additional care they need.
How many students volunteer on each Mobile Clinic?
A minimum commitment of 20 volunteers is needed to fund a fully functioning MEDLIFE Mobile Clinic. Group size varies greatly from Clinic to Clinic.
How can I reduce the cost of my participation?
With our 50:50 online fundraising campaign! With the 50:50 campaign, you can reduce the cost of your personal experience on the Mobile Clinic, while also making a valuable monetary contribution to those who benefit from MEDLIFE's greater aid work. You can fundraise to completely eliminate the participation fee, and also to receive up to $1000 off of your travel costs.
When you apply to a Mobile Clinic, an online fundraising campaign page is automatically created for you. To visit your campaign, simply sign in to your myMEDLIFE account on our homepage, click on the myMEDLIFE 'Campaigns' tab, and visit your campaign, titled: "[Your username] Mobile Clinic campaign." From here, you'll be able to upload a campaign photo, edit the campaign description, create a unique URL for your page, send emails out to friends and family to solicit donation, and check to see who has donated and how many donations you've received in total. More info.
What happens if I cancel?
If a Mobile Clinic volunteer decides to cancel their participation they forfeit the non-refundable deposit of $100 USD. Although the deposit of $100 USD is non-refundable it can be used for a future Mobile Clinic that same calendar year. Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.
