Medical
Min 10 Months
As a medical professional on board, you bring your expertise to a dynamic clinical setting where every skill contributes to patient wellbeing and mission success.
Please carefully read the role description below to verify that you meet the requirements. The apply button can be found at the bottom of this page.
Driven to provide hope & healing.
Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.
About This Role
The Ophthalmic Clinical Team Coordinator coordinates the day-to-day activities of the Ophthalmic Clinical Team and support clinicians and local Day Crew. The role involves organizing primary and secondary screenings, coordinating patient flow and follow-up schedules, and liaising with the Day Surgery Team for day-of-surgery patient issues.
Requirements
Each role with Mercy Ships calls for a unique blend of experience, skills, and qualifications. The info below outlines what’s needed to serve effectively in this position—to meet operational standards and to help you thrive as part of the team.
Commitment Min 10 Months
What you will contribute
Coordinate daily schedules, routines and activities of the Clinical Care Team
Coordinate orientation and training of our local Day Crew in conjunction with Ophthalmic clinicians
Maintain universal precautions at all times; maintain well-stocked and clean clinical care units
Perform administrative duties required for smooth operation of clinical care units
Coordinate patient flow, patient surgery, follow-up scheduling and medical clinic consultation scheduling
Update and maintain hospital database, patient records and statistics
For This Role, You Will Need
Successful completion of
Mercy Ships On Boarding program will be required for commitments longer than 12 months
Preferred candidates would have qualifications, such as Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA), Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT), Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (COMT), Licensed Optometrist (non-therapeutic), Optician, Therapeutic Optometrist or Eye Nurse.
Recent medical clinic or one year Ophthalmic clinic experience preferred
Significant management experience low or high level
Strong clinic administration and interpersonal skills with good computer skills
Flexibility and sensitivity to language and cultural diversity; adaptable and comfortable with patient contact
Fluency in English
About The Team
You’ll be part of the Medical Team, a close-knit group of dedicated medical professionals working together to bring hope and healing through surgical and medical care.
Apply Now
Full Job Description Available Upon Request.
Proceed to Application
Frequently asked questions.
We are so excited that you are interested in learning more about serving with us. These are the most common questions we receive for this department. Please contact us if you have additional questions.
SCAM ALERT: Please be aware of recruitment scams. Mercy Ships will never charge any fees as a part of the recruitment process. For more info click here.
What are the medical requirements to serve with Mercy Ships?
Click here for a list of medical requirements to serve, including required immunizations.
How long can I serve?
Mercy Ships provides opportunities to serve for various lengths of time, both in shorter-term or longer-term capacities. Those wishing to serve for more than twelve (12) months must first successfully complete our
On Boarding Program (including Foundations of Mercy Ships). All positions have both minimum and maximum lengths of commitment.
Please note: In principle, we believe that families are important, and encourage our staff and crew to maintain a healthy life/work balance, which includes not being separated for
more than a six-month period.
What surgical procedures do you perform on board?
Mercy Ships Provides Many Types Of Surgeries:
- General (Adults)
- Pediatric
- Ophthalmic
- Oral Maxillofacial & ENT Head & Neck
- Orthopedics (Pediatric)
- Reconstructive Plastics
- Gynecologic and Urogynecologic
CLICK HERE to view our detailed list of provided surgeries.
Do I need to be a registered nurse?
Yes, Registered Nurses are preferred for most nursing positions, but we do have opportunities for other licensed personnel.
What opportunities does Mercy Ships offer for allied health professionals?
We need an array of qualified medical professionals to bring hope and healing. View the table below to learn what opportunities Mercy Ships offers for Allied Health Professionals!
Can a Nurse Anesthetist join as an Anesthesia Provider?
Yes, we do accept Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists or the national equivalent as Anesthesia Providers. However, they must first join as an Anesthetic Assistant.
Mercy Ships is a remote environment where supervision by a physician anesthesiologist cannot be guaranteed at all times. CRNAs wishing to work as an Anesthesia Provider must understand and agree to work in this situation and be able to take full responsibility for their actions. Therefore, CRNAs need to apply for an Anesthesia Assistant position in order for Mercy Ships to assess their comfort and skill level prior to joining as a Provider.
As a surgeon, what can I expect during my first time on board?
Due to the complexities of our surgical cases, surgeons who have not previously served with Mercy Ships will be paired with an alumni as the primary surgeon for each case.
Do you use general surgeons?
Yes. The surgical procedures performed most frequently are inguinal herniorrhaphies for large hernias and thyroidectomies.
Do you use gynecologists?
Our women’s health program uses OBF surgeons who are trained in fistula cases. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer training in this area apart from our Education, Training, and Advocacy program that trains local surgeons.
Do you use medical or nursing students?
Medical and nursing students often ask to join Mercy Ships as an elective session or to get exposure/experience in a developing country, however, we are unable to accommodate these requests. The majority of the positions in the hospital require a current license and we do not have personnel or bed space on board currently to facilitate these opportunities.
Do I need experience before volunteering?
Mercy Ships requires at least 2 years of post-licensed experience before volunteering for most medical positions in the hospital.
Does my license need to be current?
You must hold an active license in good standing in your home nation. You will be asked to submit copies of your license, diploma, and relevant certificates. It will expedite the application process if you send these with your application. Upon acceptance, you may also be asked to submit a registration document in our host nation.
Do I need malpractice insurance?
Mercy Ships operates in a host country with a signed protocol in which the host government agrees to hold harmless all Mercy Ships staff and volunteer medical providers based on due diligence by Mercy Ships to provide qualified providers who work within their scope of practice. As such, Mercy Ships does not provide or require malpractice insurance for volunteer medical workers except those who will be providing medical care to our crew (i.e., Crew Physician, Crew Nurse, Crew Dentist, etc.). We will enroll the relevant volunteers and cover the expense.
What is the minimum commitment?
Based on the orientation required and need for consistency, a minimum commitment is specified for each position. While it is easier for a member of the surgical team to come for only two weeks, ward nurses require a more extensive orientation and therefore come for a minimum of two months, as an example. You can review the minimum commitments at
opportunities.mercyships.org .
What will my schedule be (night/weekends/etc.)?
Schedules vary depending on where you work. Ward and ICU nurses work rotating shifts, which will include nights and weekends. Operating Room staff and other ship-based teams tend to work weekdays, day shifts. Some days may be long.
Teams that work primarily off-ship, including, Eye, and Palliative Care team members work Monday through Friday. These teams are usually in a hot environment and travel to and from their locations each day.
Nurses Can Expect To Work Approximately 10 Shifts In Every 2-week Period And Receive One Weekend Off Every Two Weeks. All Shifts Are 8 Hours, Including Weekend Shifts. Nurses Will Work a Mixture Of Day And Evening Shifts, With 4-5 Night Shifts In a 4-week Period And Night Duty Is Expected Of All Ward Nurses. Shift Times Are As Follows:
Day: 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
Evening: 2:00 pm – 9.30 pm
Night: 9:00 pm – 7:30 am
These shift patterns subject to change
What are the nursing responsibilities in the ward?
Ward Nurses care for 5-7 patients of varying acuity on a day or evening shift and on a night shift, nurses care for approximately 10 patients. Our Ward Nurses are vital in caring for the patients of our busy surgical ward – dealing with simple incision lines and more complicated skin graft dressings, surgical drains, NG tubes, urinary catheters, IV fluids, IV antibiotics, nasopharyngeal airways and occasionally tracheostomies. Upon arrival, nurses are given the opportunity to tell us how comfortable they are with certain skills, which is taken into consideration when we assign patients.
Our ICU Nurses care for ventilated and critically ill patients.
Do I need to bring my own scrubs?
You may choose to bring your own scrubs if you like a bit of personal style, but Mercy Ships provides scrubs for those who are involved in direct patient care. We also launder the scrubs we provide for our volunteers.
What are the medicines we use on board?
Mercy Ships International follows the World Health Organization recommendations for essential medicines and has had its own essential medicines formulary book with dosage guidelines since 2003.
Looking for more information? View our general FAQs to learn about life on board, volunteering, and more.
General FAQs
The experience of a lifetime is calling.
More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.
At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.
Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve—and your own.
Captain Perez, Africa Mercy & Global Mercy
Rachel Lubitz, Project Assistant, Global Mercy
Find Your Place On Board
Faith-Led Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Mercy Ships is a faith-based organization welcoming volunteers from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are committed to our mission and values. All qualified applicants will receive consideration.
Beware of Imposters: Confirm All Volunteer Communications
Volunteer opportunities and invitations to serve will always come directly from Mercy Ships’ official volunteer engagement teams. Never provide personal information to anyone without confirming their connection to Mercy Ships.
Apply Now
Full Job Description Available Upon Request.
Proceed to Application
“I think you get lifelong friends in a different way than I’ve done back home. I like the variety of people, cultures, and views.”
Maria Ekstrand — Dining Room Team Leader
“The more I'm seeing peoples' lives being transformed, the more I realize this isn't me giving away two years, it's me gaining two years. For me, it's more like a gift.”
Eugene Ampadu (Videographer,
Africa Mercy, Senegal.)
