Ajira Tanzania Leo: Paediatrician Job Opportunity At VSO | Application Deadline 31 Mar 2020

Talented health professionals doing extraordinary things are at the heart of what we do at VSO. We enable you to share your passion for improving the lives of millions. Together we can strengthen the delivery of health services and healthcare systems in some of the world’s poorest communities.

As a VSO volunteer, you’ll find yourself working alongside local partners and health professionals. Together, you will develop sustainable solutions that last beyond the experience of a lifetime.

Volunteering with VSO is your opportunity to give something back while gaining unforgettable experiences. You will immerse yourself in a new culture, face fresh challenges and develop your medical expertise while doing something truly fulfilling.

Role overview
You'll be based in general hospitals or local health clinics where you’ll share your skills and knowledge particularly with paediatric department colleagues, but also other medical staff.

You'll play an important role in improving the quality of healthcare services and the competence of the medical professionals working with children and newborns. You’ll gain experience of how systems function in low resource settings and of treating different diseases.

The specific emphasis of your position will depend on the objectives of the local partner. However, your main responsibilities are likely to include: performing medical examinations, prescribing medicine, treatment procedures and techniques, performing neonatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality audits, making referrals to specialist paediatric units, mentoring and training medical professionals working with children and newborns, supporting patient management and sharing good practice.

Skills, qualifications and experience
You have a medical degree (MBBS or equivalent) and a minimum of three year’s specialist experience and training in paediatrics within a hospital setting. In the UK you need to have completed ST5 prior to departure for most roles, however doctors at ST3 and ST4 level might be accepted for some placements. Prior experience in clinical teaching and mentoring in the area of paediatric care is desirable.

As well as having a relevant professional background, you need some key personal attributes to be able to cope with the unique challenges of volunteering overseas. For example, we’ll assess your flexibility and adaptability because you’ll need to mould how you approach things to the context in which you’re working You’ll need a positive commitment to get you through the challenging times as well as high levels of sensitivity and patience to learn about the culture you’re living in.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation. In 2016/2017 alone, we worked with over 7,000 volunteers from all over the world and from all backgrounds to deliver services that had an impact on the lives of almost 2.6 million people in the 24 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on the areas of health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change. That’s why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments, to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 30% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.

To submit your application, click here ‘Make an application’.and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.
Application Deadline 31 March 2020