Medical Care is Not A Tourist Attraction: A Call for Global Standards and Governance

Volume 3 - Issue 2

Lisa Olson-Gugerty*, Rachel Castillo and Grace Gugerty

Received:August 24, 2019   Published: August 28, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/SCSOAJ.2019.03.000160

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Abstract

Short-term medical missions (STMMS) bring much needed medical care to some of the most underserved populations across the globe. They typically are staffed with well-meaning western medical professionals. These missions also attract students and other lay people looking for a meaningful experience to contribute to society through the delivery of healthcare. The typical volunteer experience includes a week to two- week time commitment, a modest monetary contribution, and plenty of photos to feed their social media accounts. Noelle Sullivan of Northwestern University noted “the most-cited figure estimates up to 10 million volunteers travel abroad annually, spending approximately $4 billion”

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