Medical Professionals

Teams Abroad Program

Each year, Healing the Children chapters organize medical trips and travel to host countries to treat children and young adults free of charge.

Volunteer medical and surgical health professionals travel at their own expense.  They treat patients and share their expertise with host country health professionals during procedures and in-service sessions.  Other volunteers unpack and prepare medical equipment and medicines, provide transportation, organize patients, and document activities.

Specialties most often provided on HTC medical trips are plastic, cardiac, spinal, and maxillofacial surgery; dental services; ear, nose and throat services; and ophthalmologic, neurosurgical, urological, general surgical, and orthopedic procedures.

Medical team members often spend additional time providing surgical training and seminars to local doctors, and leave behind medical supplies and equipment for them to use in their clinics and hospitals.

Most trips last eight to ten days, and often the doctors treat as many as 100 children, and screen scores more for possible treatment in the U.S.

The cost per trip ranges between $7,000 and $12,000 depending on the country visited and the specialty services provided.  To date, thousands of children have been helped through this program.

The work is grueling, but rewarding.  Many doctors report feeling renewed commitment to their profession and new certainty that what they do is worthwhile.  If you are a qualified medical professional or a volunteer who is interested in working on medical trips, please take a look at our calendar of upcoming medical trips or contact a Healing the Children chapter for more information.

International Inbound Program

In addition to sending teams of doctors overseas, Healing the Children works with medical professionals to bring children into the U.S. for medical treatment that otherwise would not be available to them in their home country.

HTC works with International Partners strategically placed throughout the world to help us determine the needs of a child before they come to this country for treatment.  Once in the United States, the children are placed with Host families that in turn give them a loving and caring environment while they are away from home.  The Host families, along with HTC chapter representatives, are responsible for coordinating with local medical professionals to ensure that the children are receiving the proper medical treatment.

Once completed, the children are returned to their home country to live a happy and productive life.

If you or someone you know would like more information on becoming a Host family, or you are a medical professional who would like to volunteer your time, please contact our HTC National Office.