When we see underserved, underdeveloped, post-disaster or post-conflict areas that need assistance in meeting basic human needs, many of us are frustrated by the knowledge that we have skills that can and should be utilized but we don't know how to help. However, sometimes in our zeal to help, we become part of the problem instead of part of the solution.
What You Need to Know Before You Volunteer
Volunteer Opportunities are Extremely Limited
-- Volunteers who do not have prior disaster relief experience are generally not selected for relief assignments. Candidates who have the greatest chance of being selected have fluency in the language of the disaster-stricken area, prior disaster relief experience and expertise in technical fields such as medicine, communications logistics or water/sanitation engineering.
Clinical Recommendations for Use by Physician Volunteers
-- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued these interim recommendations for immunizing individuals displaced by a disaster.
Licensing and Liability -- Licensing and liability laws for volunteer physicians, listed by state.
(12-page PDF file; About PDFs)
(12-page PDF file; About PDFs)
Humanitarian Opportunities
