The 6 [Best Cheap] India Medical Volunteer Providers 2024

Are you dreaming of kick-starting your medical career with a meaningful volunteer experience in India? There are countless volunteer program providers out there, but it can be difficult to know which is best for you. With so many variables like cost, reliability, and past volunteer experience, you might be overwhelmed by all the options out there.

Traveler’s Quest wants to help you find the Medical volunteer India program that’s just right for you. We carefully reviewed all the providers offering medical volunteer programs in India, and we’ve compiled our top 10 choices here with all the info you need to know. Save yourself time, effort, and money! Keep reading to learn all about:

Plan My Gap Year

This UK based organization offers very low rates, and specializes in GAP year programs, student travel, and even offers opportunities for volunteers under the age of 18. Founded in 2011, PMGY sends over 4,000 volunteers abroad each year. If you’re a young student seeking an opportunity, this is a perfect fit for you!

PMGY’s India Medical Program

This medical volunteer work in India places volunteers in free slum health camps providing care to poor Indians who cannot afford it. You may also spend time in clinics in rural communities set up to provide low-cost, subsidized care to people in need. This project is open to volunteers of all backgrounds, unusual in medical placements.

Fees:

Since PMGY specializes in young student travel, they work hard to keep their costs as low as possible and offer some of the lowest rates on this list. You’ll pay a $249 registration fee, and a 2-week program will cost you $375. This includes your housing, meals, airport pickup and local transport, and 24/7 support.

Reviews:

If you’re considering PGMY for your India medical volunteering program, you’ll be happy to hear their past volunteers had a great experience. One reported, “I stayed in the main hospital and certainly saw and learned some amazing things. It’s not easy to see these things in western hospitals due to many regulations.” Read reviews on Go Overseas.

International Volunteer HQ

IVHQ is the largest volunteer organization in the world, having helped over 100,000 volunteers make a difference since they were founded in 2007. They have two project locations in India, with 20-40 IVHQ volunteers headed to Dehli each month, and 10-15 in Kerala. Low rates and a great choice for bonding with other volunteers!

IVHQ’s medical volunteer program in India

You will shadow and observe medical professionals in public hospitals and slum clinics during the India medical program. You may assist the doctors and nurses in tasks like taking blood pressure, recording height and weight, etc. Volunteers in slum clinics get more hands-on experience treating minor wounds. A dental project is also offered in Kerala.

Fees:

IVHQ has very affordable rates. You’ll pay a registration fee of $329, and a two-week program costs $330. This will cover your housing, meals (breakfast and dinner), airport pickup, and the full support of the IVHQ team before and during your travels. You’ll also get special deals on insurance and flights, and online training.

Reviews:

IVHQ has great ratings, an important consideration when selecting a medical camp in India provider. A former Medical Volunteer said, “Working in a slum clinic was an amazing experience and one that will stick with me for the rest of my life.” Read reviews on Go overseas. 

Love Volunteers

Shocked by the high fees being charged to volunteer abroad, a brother and sister team from New Zealand traveled the world finding worthy projects, and founded Love Volunteers in 2009. This award-winning organization is great for first-timers, as their online dashboard walks you through the process step by step.

Love Volunteer’s Medical volunteer/Internship program in India

This India medical program was designed to provide free healthcare to the neediest citizens in India. You’ll be mentored by a medical professional in a busy public hospital in Dehli, and your time will be spent primarily shadowing and observing. A bonus for this program is you can select a few departments you would like to specialize in.

Fees:

You’ll pay a standard $299 registration fee, and a two-week program will cost you $769. That’s just $55 a day for accommodations in a volunteer house you’ll share with fellow like-minded volunteers from around the world, airport pickup, meals, and 24/7 support from the Love Volunteers team.

Reviews:

When perusing reviews to help you select your medical volunteering trip in India, look for signs that past volunteers would recommend a provider or travel with them again. One past volunteer said, “Overall my experience with Love Volunteers was fantastic and I can’t wait to do more volunteering through them.” Read reviews on Go overseas.

Volunteering Solutions

Nicknamed VolSol, this organization has sent over 14,000 volunteers abroad to 26 countries since being founded in 2006. With great reviews and dedication to making a difference abroad, this organization deserves a closer look. As a bonus, students studying dental healthcare can find a place with VolSol, as well!

VolSol’s India medical program

When you join this medical program in India, you will be shadowing a doctor or nurse in a large hospital in South Dehli during the program. Depending on your interest, you can be placed in a variety of departments such as

ER, lab, pharmacy, radiology/imaging, OT, dialysis unit, critical care, orthopedics, nursing, obstetrics and gynecology, and more! (Dental program also available.)

Fees:

You’ll pay a $229 registration fee, and $690 for two weeks. This includes your accommodations, meals, airport pickup, and full training and support by the VolSol team. Travel insurance is available through the organization for an additional fee.

Reviews:

When selecting a provider for the medical volunteer opportunities in India, you want to be sure to select one that is going to really benefit your future career. A great place to find out if a program delivers on this front, is past volunteer reviews.

A former VolSol medical volunteer said, “My trip to India was amazing in so many different aspects… I found that the work I completed while in India to be beneficial to my career and also beneficial to my personal growth as an individual.” Read all reviews on Go Overseas.

A Broader View

This organization focuses primarily on helping low-income communities and orphans, so if that’s what you’re looking for this is a good choice. Founded in 2007, this US-based non-profit has raised over $3 million for their partner organizations, proving your money is going right back into the communities that need it.

About the Healthcare Volunteer Program in India

You will be placed in Jaipur, India in community clinics, as well as participating in slum outreach programs. Sadly, many poor people of India die of what should be treatable diseases, and this outreach can help educate locals and prevent this unnecessary tragedy. You will learn a lot, primarily through observation.

Medical Volunteer India Fees:

Two weeks will cost you $990. A bit pricier than some other organizations on this list, A Broader View does not charge a registration fee, so be sure to factor that in when comparing prices. Your fee covers accommodations, 3 meals a day, airport pickup, full support from A Broader View, and a donation to your project.

Reviews:

A Broader View has excellent reviews, and you’ll want to look specifically at medical volunteers and what they have to say when selecting a provider for your India medical opportunity. One pre-med student said she was most surprised by, “the number of things I was able to see and sometimes do because back home in the US it is very difficult to get opportunities like this.” Read all reviews on Go overseas.

Foundation of International Medical Relief of Children

Foundation of International Medical Relief of Children was founded to provide medical care to impoverished and underserved people living in developing countries, particularly children. They establish clinics of their own and are able to run them with the help of around 900 volunteers that travel around the world each year.

The Medical Volunteer Opportunity In India

This project takes place in Kodaikanal, and you will join in a variety of initiatives. FIMRC operates a rural clinic where you will assist in, and many educational programs are carried out in the local creches, or daycare centers. In this India medical program, you’ll also teach nutrition and health to local women’s groups, help burn victims and join in dental care clinics.

Fees:

The cost is based on donation. There is no registration fee, so be sure to factor that in when looking at prices. Your fee covers your housing, meals, airport pickup and drop-off, the support of the FIMRC, and a generous donation to keep this project running.

Reviews:

If FIMRC sounds like your ideal provider for public health volunteer opportunities in India, you’ll be happy to know they have rave reviews. One past volunteer said, “Not only did I have the ability to make a real impact on the lives of others, but I also had an opportunity to find myself. This program can truly change your outlook on your world!”  Read reviews on Go overseas.

Conclusion

We’ve given you the lowdown on the top 10 providers for Medical Volunteer India programs, compared what they have to offer, and offered you advice on selecting the best option for your particular situation. We hope you now have a better idea of which the provider to select, and how to move forward with your volunteer adventure abroad.

If you need more help planning for your medical work in India trip, download our Volunteer Abroad Guide below, and keep checking back in at Traveller’s Quest. We add new and helpful content all the time, so check back in to see what new things you can learn with us. Happy volunteering!