The role of short-term volunteers in a global health capacity building effort: the Project HOPE-GEMC experience

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, medical students and practicing clinicians are showing interest in traveling to low-income settings to conduct research and engage in clinical rotations. While global health activities have the potential to benefit both the individual and the host, there can be challenges. We describe one way to harmonize the desire of volunteers to have a meaningful impact on the health care delivery system in a developing country with the needs of that country. METHODS: The Project Health Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE)-Ghana Emergency Medicine Collaborative (GEMC) Partnership has successfully integrated short-term volunteer physicians and nurses to facilitate the training of emergency medicine (EM) residents and specialist nurses in Kumasi, Ghana. RESULTS: Since the launching of this partnership in 2011, eight physicians and 10 nurses have rotated at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The impact of these volunteers goes beyond the clinical service and supervision they provide while on the ground. They act as mentors to the trainees and assist the program leadership with teaching and assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Although generally smooth, there have been challenges, all of which have been met and are being resolved. This partnership is an example of how collaborations can harness the expertise and energy of short-term volunteers to achieve the goals of capacity building and self-sustainability.