Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Siem Reap, Cambodia

volunteer > medical

Information for Medical Volunteers. Thank you for offering to share your expertise with Angkor Hospital for Children. As an officially recognized teaching hospital, AHC works in conjunction with the Cambodian Ministry of Health to train government doctors, nurses and health workers in addition to its own staff. Volunteer doctors, surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists, laboratory scientists, laboratory technicians and specialists are often needed.

All medical volunteers should be familiar with AHC Medical Policies, available here:

Information for Pediatricians
Pediatricians are encouraged to apply for a volunteer position at AHC. AHC seeks pediatric physicians who have more than two years of hospital experience and who have not been away from active medical practice for more than five years. The hospital welcomes young pediatricians who have recently completed their training, experienced pediatricians in active clinical practice and those who have recently retired. Both pediatric generalists and pediatric sub-specialists can have an interesting and rewarding experience at AHC. Specialists in pediatric radiology, endocrinology, neurology, dermatology, orthopedics, surgery, anesthesia, cardiology, hematology and rheumatology have been recent volunteers.

All pediatric volunteers work alongside the English speaking Cambodian medical doctors serving as teachers and mentors to the staff. Based on the volunteer's interests and skills they may spend time in the OPD, in-patient ward, emergency room, Operating theatre, or intensive care unit. For the daily one hour teaching sessions for the junior medical staff, volunteers may be asked to prepare a few lectures. Lecture topics are determined by the medical curriculum module being covered when the volunteer is at AHC. Most generalist pediatric volunteers spend about one month at AHC – sub-specialists may come for 1 – 2 week periods.

Pediatric Job Description
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Information for Nurses
Qualified pediatric nurses (MSN or PhD) are encouraged to apply for a volunteer position at AHC. AHC seeks pediatric nurses who have more than two years of hospital experience and who have not been away from active medical practice for more than five years.

All pediatric volunteers work alongside the English speaking Cambodian medical doctors and nurses serving as teachers and mentors to the staff. Based on the volunteer's interests and skills they may spend time in the OPD, in-patient ward, emergency room, Operating theatre, or intensive care unit. The AHC is particularly looking for nurses with experience to be able to help the teaching program at the hospital especially. In particular, any nurse with a MPH in medical economics or PhD in education would be welcome. We are looking for nurses who can not only provide lectures to our current nurses and nursing students, but also volunteers who would be able to develop the skills of the senior staff to give lectures themselves. We would require nurses to stay for a minimum of four weeks.

Nurses are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health insurance, which should include emergency evacuation, and that their vaccinations are up-to-date. These should include hepatitis A and B, typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, and tetanus.

Dress is business casual. Surgical scrubs are an option in the hospital. Shorts are not permitted. Siem Reap is a center for tourists coming to see Angkor Wat, and there are plenty of guesthouse and hotels available at varying prices. To profit from this experience, nurses must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to use their own experience to help improve the learning and education at the AHC. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their CV, two (2) letters of recommendation by email. When applying it is important to state a provisional timeframe for when you would like to come to the AHC.

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Information for Pediatric Residents
The hospital can accommodate self-funded pediatric residents, who have completed one year, for electives. Residents divide their time between precepting the junior doctors and assisting in the emergency and outpatient departments as needed. This includes covering the floor during junior doctors’ classes (one hour per day, Monday-Friday). There are no on–calls and if needed a senior doctor is always available to call upon. The operating language of the hospital is English and staff are available to translate.

There are many opportunities to develop clinical diagnostic skills as patients present with a range and degree of pathology often far more advanced than that seen in a developed country. There are a variety of specialist clinics such as HIV, TB, and cardiology as well as a number of community health projects that one may visit. There is also journal club where a journal may be presented if desired. In addition, there are both morning and afternoon ward rounds.

An academic project is welcome part of a visit. It raises the standing of the institution as well as the individuals involved, brings awareness of the problem being studied, attracts funding, and provides the Cambodians with a skill essential to the long term development of pediatric healthcare in this country. To conduct a study, the study must involve at least one Khmer doctor to be named as co-author, and the study must be granted ethic approval in both Cambodia and the resident’s university. (See also AHC guidelines for collaborative research.)

Residents are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate health insurance, which should include emergency evacuation, and that their vaccinations are up-to-date. These should include hepatitis A and B, typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, and tetanus.

AHC has received residents from institutions all over the world. Interested applicants should send a CV and two letters of reference, at least one of which must vouch for the resident's level of competence with practical procedures such as lumbar punctures, chest drain insertion, and intubations.

Pediatric Resident Job Description

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Information for Medical Students
The hospital can accommodate a limited number of medical students at a time. Due to the large volume of students interested in volunteering, we are only able to accept final year medical students. Visiting medical students may shadow the doctors in the in-patient, out-patient and emergency departments, attend ward rounds and visit community-based projects such as home care, mobile clinics, health centers and village health volunteer projects. There are many opportunities to develop clinical diagnostic skills as patients present with a range and degree of pathology often far more advanced than that seen in a developed country. Students can also visit the laboratory to practice reading blood films (as severe anemias, due to iron deficiency, thalassaemia, HbE and G6PD deficiency, are prevalent in Cambodia) and malaria smears as well as learn how to recognize stool parasites under the microscope. Medical students may attend AHC’s specialist pediatric clinics for HIV, cardiology, ophthalmology and TB and join the daily (weekday) lectures and the weekly journal club that are part of the pediatric residency program. These are presented in English. Classes are not organized for foreign medical students and attending expatriate pediatricians are specifically employed for the education of local staff.

Hospital policy stipulates that medical students have observer status only. Medical students are not allowed under any circumstance to perform procedures on patients. Medical students may be asked to help with an ongoing study project. If a student wishes to conduct a new project, he/she should submit a proposal prior to arriving (see also AHC guidelines for collaborative research). Medical students must be self-funding and are responsible for their own accommodation and health care. As Siem Reap is a centre for tourists coming to see Angkor Wat, there are a number of other accommodation options at guesthouses and hotels of varying prices.

Medical students are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate medical insurance which must include emergency evacuation. Intending students are advised to have up-to-date vaccinations including hepatitis A and B, typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and tetanus.

An elective placement at AHC offers invaluable clinical experience and insight into pediatric practice in a tropical, resource-poor setting. To profit from this experience, medical students must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to direct their own learning. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their CV, two (2) letters of recommendation and proof of medical student status.

Medical Student Job Description

Information for Nursing Students
The hospital can accommodate a maximum of two nursing students at a time. We can only accept students who are at least in their third year of study for a period of two weeks. Nursing students are only accepted between July and October of each year.

Visiting nursing students may shadow nurses during procedures in the AHC. This may include working in different departments including OPD, ICU and ER. Visiting nursing students will join with local nursing students at the AHC and must abide by the local student roster.

Hospital policy stipulates that nursing students have observer status only. nursing students are not allowed under any circumstance to perform procedures on patients and students will be supervised at all times by a Nurse. Nursing students must be self-funding and are responsible for their own accommodation and health care. As Siem Reap is a centre for tourists coming to see Angkor Wat, there are a number of other accommodation options at guesthouses and hotels of varying prices.

Nursing students are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate medical insurance which must include emergency evacuation. Intending students are advised to have up-to-date vaccinations including hepatitis A and B, typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and tetanus.

An elective placement at AHC offers invaluable clinical experience and insight into nursing practice in a tropical, resource-poor setting. To profit from this experience, nursing students must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to direct their own learning. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their CV, two (2) letters of recommendation by email and proof of nursing student status. When applying it is important to state a provisional timeframe for when you would like to come to the AHC.

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Information for Dentists
Angkor Hospital for Children Dental Clinic treats all children on the day that they present with pain. Restorations are carried out on an appointment basis. Between 2,000 and 3,500 patients are seen per month. The primary goal of the dental clinic is relief of pain. The clinic also provides dental health education, oral hygiene instruction, and dietary advice. Clinicians visit schools and health centers where both adults and children are treated for pain, however, children are given first priority. No restorations are done at health center clinics. There are also regular visits to schools to give dental health education. In addition, there are fluoride programs at the schools and the school oversees the fluoride rinses.

The AHC Dental Clinic consists of 2 dental units. There is a dental clinic supervisor and there are 2 dental nursing assistants who perform routine extractions and restorations. The clinic operates to international standards for cross infection control. All instruments are sterilized using an autoclave, all surfaces are wiped between patients with suitable antiviral / antibacterial solutions and all the dental staff wear gloves, masks and eye protection.

AHC has had numerous qualified dental volunteers from the UK, USA, Australia, and Singapore, as well as other countries. Many of the volunteers return to AHC on a regular basis. The volunteer dentists treat patients and give instruction to the English speaking Cambodian nursing staff.
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Information for Dental Students
The hospital can accommodate a maximum of two dental students at a time. We can only accept students who are at least in their fourth year of study. Visiting dental students may shadow the dentist and dental nurses during procedures in the AHC Dental Clinic. This may include emergency procedures, extractions, fillings (etc). Additionally students may be able to help with the community-based projects such as the health education program run in local schools. There may also be opportunities for students to help with the outreach visits to schools, orphanages and the Floating Villages where dental treatment is provided. The hospital also runs a fluoride rinsing program in two local schools, which students may be involved in. Visiting students may also help to use the sterilization system at the AHC Dental Clinic.

Hospital policy stipulates that dental students have observer status only. Dental students are not allowed under any circumstance to perform procedures on patients and students will be supervised at all times by the Dentist. It is vital that visiting students must read the information on the website before they arrive regarding the Cambodian culture to enable them to be familiar with the country�s traditions. Students must also be familiar with the hospital�s policies, particularly the universal precautions policy, and these must be adhered to at all times while working in the hospital. Students would be welcome to volunteer for a period of about two weeks to a maximum of one month.

Dental students must be self-funding and are responsible for their own accommodation and health care. As Siem Reap is a centre for tourists coming to see Angkor Wat, there are a number of other accommodation options at guesthouses and hotels of varying prices.

Dental students are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate medical insurance which must include emergency evacuation. Intending students are advised to have up-to-date vaccinations including hepatitis A and B, typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and tetanus.

An elective placement at AHC offers invaluable clinical experience and insight into dental practice in a tropical, resource-poor setting. To profit from this experience, dental students must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to direct their own learning. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their CV, two (2) letters of recommendation and proof of dental student status.