Name:
Email address:
Partner organisation: CEMOPLAF
Start date: November 2008
End date: June 2009

1. What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?

I took patient’s blood pressure and weighed them before they saw the doctor. I was also responsible for passing their medical histories to the doctors. I had no prior experience working in a clinic, but excellent Spanish skills are required.

1. Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.

Yes, though much must be learned through experience.

1. Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.

Yes. This position does not require much beyond excellent Spanish and good, professional people skills.

1. Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment on the initial orientation session, showing you to your site and communication throughout.  If not, please specify why and how it could be improved.

This was a new partner for CEMOPLAF, so they were not able to provide much information. The communication was excellent, however, checking in just the right amount and at the right times.

1. How would rate your overall experience at this project?

Great.

1. Any other comments?

While I do not have this from the director it is my opinion and the opinion of some who work there that it would be beneficial to have a volunteer in the mornings between 8 and 10am any day of the week. This person must come consistently, however. Also, the woman who takes the vital signs in the afternoons will be on vacation for a week or so starting June 15th if there is someone interested then.

1. If you would like, please write a short paragraph summing up your project and experience volunteering, as well as if and why you might recommend this volunteer site to others in the future. We will put this information on our Volunteer Ecuador website, as a direct quote from you to help others learn about your experience.

Muchas gracias!!!

Volunteer Ecuador Evaluation

Name:             
Email address:
***(please provide email only if it is ok for other volunteers to email you about project)
Partner organisation:
Start date: sep, 09
End date: oct, 09

1. What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?

I worked mostly in the Pediatrics department. Some of my tasks included weighing/measuring children, checking tonsils for inflammation, and listening to their lungs for signs of congestion. Keeping them from crying was also a large part of the job. I did have prior experience working with children, and I received basic health care training from school.

1. Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.

Yes, everything was explained adequately.

1. Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.

Yes, I would recommend it to other volunteers who are thinking about pursuing a career in the health field. As for volunteers that are already in medical school, this placement did not allow a lot of responsibilities. So if you are looking for some great clinical experience, to really get your hands dirty, this might not be the best placement for you.

1. Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment on the initial orientation session, showing you to your site and communication throughout.  If not, please specify why and how it could be improved.

It was great! The organization really made an effort to explain the different volunteer placements, and find one that worked for me. They escorted me to the placement, and made sure I was introduced to the staff.

1. How would rate your overall experience at this project?

It was great! Would have liked some more responsibilities, but a good introduction and learning experience.

1. Any other comments?

So many premedical students really want an opportunity to experience something like this, but most programs advertised at our schools cost about $4,000, which is quite discouraging. I was fortunate to have a friend that was familiar with the organization, and made is possible for me to go. I think Yanapuma would get many more volunteers if they advertised the organization a little more.

1. If you would like, please write a short paragraph summing up your project and experience volunteering, as well as if and why you might recommend this volunteer site to others in the future. We will put this information on our Volunteer Ecuador website, as a direct quote from you to help others learn about your experience.