The Volunteer Physician Programme  provides specialised and experienced physicians with the unique opportunity to join AMREF Flying Doctors for a month or more.

The Programme has significant benefits for AMREF’s aeromedical staff too, enabling them to receive training and updates relating to emergency care practices from experienced emergency and intensive care physicians from across the globe.

Volunteer Physicians are required to provide at least one teaching lesson to AMREF staff during their placement. Upon returning to their home countries, AMREF Flying Doctors maintains contact with the Volunteer Physicians and AMREF National Offices make use of these contacts for awareness and fundraising purposes.

Objectives:

• To encourage physicians to fly on aeromedical emergency missions with us.

• To provide experienced physicians from around the world the opportunity to work with AMREF Flying Doctors, providing Air Ambulance services locally and internationally.

• To make experienced physicians available to exchange knowledge and skills in emergency care practices with AMREF medical staff.

Essential Criteria:

• Must be a qualified physician in either Emergency Medicine, Anaesthesia or Intensive Care Medicine, with a minimum of five years working experience post-graduation. Regardless of specialty, volunteers will be expected to have at least 12 months experience in Intensive Care Medicine or Pre-hospital Care with proven competencies in the skills of advanced airway management (including intubation and ventilation), resuscitation and management of major trauma and serious medical illness.

• Demonstrated excellence in the English language.

• Proven ability to work well in teams and to demonstrate leadership skills.

• Must hold a current Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.

Desirable Criteria:

• Ideally, Volunteer Physicians should hold current certificates in Advanced Cardiac, Trauma, and Paediatric Life Support.

• Experience in Aeromedical Transport, preferably HEMS and either international repatriation or inter-facility fixed wing operation.

• Other linguistic skills would be welcome.

• Proven talent for teaching.

• Interest in audit and/or research.

Additional Information

Registration and Licence to Practice in Kenya

You will be asked for a CV and copies of your qualification certificates and will be required to complete an application form and send head/shoulder photos. With this information, AMREF Flying Doctors will organise temporary registration with the Kenyan Medical Board.  It is not possible to issue registration or licences to practice in any other country whilst at AMREF Flying Doctors.

Finances and Insurance

Each Volunteer Physician must be financially independent and able to cover their own costs including accommodation, meals and transport. As a guide, average cost per month is a minimum of US$1000.

The Kenyan currency is the Shilling and the approximate exchange rate in May 2012 is:
1  GBP = 134 KES
1  USD = 83 KES
1  Euro = 109 KES

Accident insurance cover is provided while the physician is involved with aeromedical evacuations. 

Accommodation in Kenya

AMREF Flying Doctors will arrange collection from, and drop-off to, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon arrival / departure in Kenya.

Free accommodation is provided at an AMREF owned house 15 minutes walk or 5 minutes taxi from Wilson Airport. During daylight it is safe to walk between the house and AMREF, but after dark it is advisable to take a taxi, which AMREF will provide.

This accommodation includes a secure, clean room with breakfast and dinner provided. The accommodation is not hotel standard therefore you will need to bring or buy commodities such as soap, shampoo and other toiletries, insect repellents and other comforts of home life.  There is no radio or television, and no air conditioning or ceiling fans. Electrical items brought or purchased in Kenya operate from a 230v AC system, identical to the one used in the UK. Volunteers from other areas of the world should consider bringing electric plug adapters. The electric supply in Nairobi is temperamental and black-outs occur almost daily—sometimes several times a day.

Internet access

Like the electricity supply, internet access is often unreliable. There is no wifi in the accommodation, but you will easily be able to purchase a ‘pay as you go’ dongle. Internet access is also available in the AMREF Flying Doctors office.

Laundry can be done for you for a small fee.

If you are away overnight on an aeromedical mission, accommodation will be provided.

Food

Breakfast and dinner is provided at the AMREF house consisting of traditional African dishes. Requests are accommodated and there are various cafes at Wilson Airport that can supply lunch. Snacks and drinks are provided on long flights.

What to bring

A list of equipment AMREF uses is on this website under ‘medical equipment’. If you have particular medical implements that you like to use, for instance airway rescue devices, then please bring some with you.

You will need sturdy shoes and navy blue trousers to wear at work. You will be given AMREF shirts to wear.

Bring some good books to read, your I-pod, or other access to music, and your laptop as you will often be in transit or waiting to transport a patient. A good camera is an absolute must as you’ll want to relive the memories of East Africa for evermore.

A head torch is a useful addition to your equipment.

Other tips

Learning basic phrases in Swahili will assist you when dealing with patients and families. The internet is a great source for language translations, but do check with the nurses who will verify that you are saying what you intend to say!

Flying Doctors office hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm unless an evacuation requires an early departure or late return. The Volunteer Physician will also participate in weekend coverage but this is on an on-call basis. A mobile phone will be provided. Scheduling is flexible so each Volunteer Physician will have some free time for travelling.

At the end the Volunteer Physician will be issued with an AMREF Flying Doctors ‘Frequent Flyer Certificate’ of appreciation and a letter confirming his/her participation in the programme.

Applying

If you would like to apply, please send a letter of application with documents detailed above to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it