The Virtual Doctors

In 1998 British safari guide Huw Jones was driving through the remote Zambian bush when he suddenly came upon a trail of sticky blood on the dusty road.  After following the trail for several miles, he caught up with a heavily pregnant woman slumped on a bicycle as her husband pedalled frantically in the relentless heat to get her to the nearest hospital, some 60km away.  Despite Huw’s efforts, after such huge loss of blood, the woman and her unborn baby died in the jeep on the way to the hospital; but the concept for the Virtual Doctor service was born.

The Virtual Doctors use mobile technology to give rural health workers in remote areas access to doctors and resources for education, mentoring and professional second opinion support.  We are now active across Zambia and Malawi, and are expanding into Kenya.  We have over 100 volunteer doctors from many specialities, and in January 2019 we answered our 2500th case.

Mission Statement

To improve the health of patients in rural clinics by supporting rural health workers through the sharing of expert advice, resources and mentoring, all through our specially developed telemedicine software.

Our ultimate aim is to embed the technology into rural clinics, with local doctors providing the support instead of international clinicians.  The nation will then become self-sufficient and The Virtual Doctors can move on to another country.

Aims

To improve the health of patients in rural clinics by supporting rural health workers through the sharing of expert advice, resources and mentoring, all through our specially developed telemedicine software.

Our ultimate aim is to embed the technology into rural clinics, with local doctors providing the support instead of international clinicians.  The nation will then become self-sufficient and The Virtual Doctors can move on to another country.

Volunteer Roles

Volunteers will answer clinical cases from the rural health workers.  The aim is to respond within 24 hours, with an average of 2 cases per week.  Workload is variable according to speciality, but volunteers control how much they do.  And, because an internet connection is all that’s required, volunteer can work from anywhere in the world.   There may be other non-medically related roles for those who want to get involved in other ways.

Volunteer Requirements

Professions

Doctors
GPs
Consultants

Other skills

Not required

Clinical experience

Must be fully licenced in volunteer’s home country and be near-to or post specialty training

Qualifications

Primary medical degree

Time commitment

Flexible – volunteers can switch availability on/off

Languages

English

Volunteering experience

None required

Driving license

Not required

Contact Details:

Web:

www.virtualdoctors.org

Email:

enquiries@virtualdoctors.org

Phone:

0044 (0) 1273 454755 (UK)

Facebook:

@TheVirtualDoctors

Twitter:

@VirtualDocProj