The Integrative Health Project

Interested in volunteering? There are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome and thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Integrative Health Project (IHP)!  The following will outline the most commonly asked for information regarding volunteering on one of out medical missions to Guatemala. Please also feel free to reach out to us for more info. 

What do you do and what would I do?

IHP's goal has been to provide access to East Asian Medicine in underserved areas. We have done this since 2012 through medical missions (known locally in Guatemala as "jornadas") and through training of local providers. We have from the start worked closely with NGO's and governmental agencies to respond to local interests and needs. We are at our core community driven.

Individual volunteer roles can be varied and may change at various times during a mission depending on need and the volunteers skills. Generally licensed professionals will be responsible for direct patient care, students in acupuncture programs will assist within the scope of their training. Other healthcare professionals (RN's MD's, DC's LMT's etc.) will participate within the scope of their practice. We also have need of logistics assistants and we translators.

Flexibility is key here, though. It may be that a busload of 30 patients arrives and we need to move people to registration and vitals. It could also be that we have trainees learning NADA or other techniques and need supervision from licensed practitioners. 

In spite of the large numbers of people attending our clinics we always work individually from a differential diagnosis. We don't endorse any particular style of treatment, though we emphasize patient education and try to facilitate follow up with existing local resources.

Volunteers must be willing to help transport supplies to the clinic location in their luggage and be able to help set up and break down the clinic at the beginning and end of the mission. Volunteers need to be team players and be available for the entire length of the mission.

Where will be staying? Do I have to bring a sleeping bag? Accommodations: 

FOR APRIL 2020:

For our next jornada we will be working in a different location near Antigua and which we will use as our base. Volunteers will be responsible for securing their own accommodations in Antigua and IHP will provide transport each day to and from the clinic site. There are an abundance of accommodations in all price ranges. We are happy to share what we know about places previous volunteers have stayed on the way in or out to other jornadas past.

Where do I fly to and how do I get to the clinic site?

The nearest airport is Aurora International airport in Guatemala City. A number of carriers fly there and generally volunteers make their own reservations there and back. Antigua is about 1 hour from the airport so incoming flights need to arrive generally before 6PM in the afternoon to catch the last shuttle of the evening. Taxi’s and Uber are also an option with fares around $40.00 USD. Departing flights should be on or after Saturday, April 25th.

What about meals?

Breakfast and dinner will be on your own in Antigua. There are many options and in some places it is possible to cook meals for oneself. Lunches will be provided at the clinic site. We generally provide vegetarian lunches on clinic days so please inform us of any dietary restrictions well in advance of the trip!

Do I need to get vaccinations? Are there any health risks?

Antigua, on the way towards the western highlands, is a major tourist area and a UNESCO world heritage site. The is a large ex-pat community and most conveniences of modern life. Still there are a few precautions to consider. We advise you consult you physician for any specific health issues. There are no required immunizations for entry into Guatemala from the US but we do recommend that you are current in the standard immunizations.  Tetanus boosters are recommended every 10 years.  We also ask you consider hepatitis A and B and typhoid. The CDC recommends hepatitis and typhoid prophylaxis for travel to Guatemala, Malaria prophylaxis is also recommended if you will be traveling to the area of Tikal before or after the trip. There is no malaria risk in Antigua or near Lake Atitlan. There is an oral vaccine for typhoid, but you have to take it in advance of the trip. Again talk to your doctor and see what is recommended.  We have never had anyone get seriously sick on a Guatemala trip, but you never know.  We know a volunteer with a different organization who died from malaria she contracted in Africa, so we are sensitive to the possibility that something can go wrong. The actual clinic site is in a high elevation, about 7,700 feet above sea level. So those sensitive to altitude might want to consider arriving to Antigua early to get used to the elevation. The temperature is moderate with clinic site daytime high temps reaching the low 70’s. Nighttimes can be cool with lows around 50 degrees. Antigua is just over 5000 feet with a temperature range of 80 to just below 60.

How much will it cost?

These costs are approximate and can change depending upon changes in charges we are assessed.  IHP runs our volunteer missions on a cost share basis. Please understand that fees are not refundable as we have to prepay expenses for the group well in advance. Each volunteer is responsible for funding their own trip. For the next Guatemala jornada in April 2020 we estimate the following:

Application Fee *(if applicable):                                              $35

Hotel:   on your own

can vary widely from $15 night on up

Airport Transfers:      on your own  $20-80                                                             

Program Fee:

Includes clinic lunches, transfers to clinic and $200

local clinic costs *                   

*An application fee is required every two years. Airfare, personal expenses, breakfasts, dinners and lunches on non clinic days are not included.