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Vida Volunteer

4.91 Rating
150 reviews
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Why choose Vida Volunteer?

Vida Volunteer is a nonprofit organization that strives to promote human and animal health through empowering Service-Learning trips to Central America. We currently intervene through three main fields of work: Medical, Dental, and Veterinary, which are designed to promote health, ensuring a long-lasting impact while participants develop both intercultural & leadership skills in a real-world context.

As a Vida Volunteer, you can expect an eye-opening, hands-on, ethical experience while working with local licensed providers to help unserved communities in Central America. We go above and beyond for our volunteers and for the people we serve!

Website
vidavolunteer.org
Founded
2008

Frequently asked questions

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Community Photos

Listening to Lung Sounds of Pediatric Patient
The vet team has the best patients ;)!
Playing soccer with the kids who lived at the house our clinic was at.
Lion Kinging this puppy!
Cats
I gave a soccer ball to a little boy at one of the clinic days!
Sending a patient home after treatment!

Reviews

Xander
Male
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Guatemala

Empowering: How Vida Volunteer’s Service Learning Model Empowers Volunteers and Patients

Jun 18, 2026

This trip with Vida empowered me as a pre-med student to gain clinical experience while learning skills and techniques, diagnostic weight, and interpersonal skills with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Through the service learning model, us as volunteers empowered to provide care also empowered local people in rural communities of Guatemala, many of whom don’t have adequate access to health care. This ultimately creates an empowerment feedback loop, benefiting all involved! We also got to explore various cities, towns, and archeological sites of Guatemala that slowly influenced our interpretation of the culture around us!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I was nervous about the language barrier between myself and the patients. With the help of medical interpreters, communication was not even close to a barrier, and it was fun to connect with patients of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and lifestyles.
Pros
  • Clinical Experience
  • Direct Patient Care Hours
  • Cultural Competence
What other participants should know
  • Costly
  • Language barrier
Listening to Lung Sounds of Pediatric Patient
Catherine
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Costa Rica

The best trip with the best mission!

Jun 18, 2026

I am very grateful to have learned so much under the best doctors in Costa Rica. All of the staff took very good care of their students, and they provided great hands on learning experience. The doctors were very patient with their students, and the views and foods were amazing! The mission of Vida is so inspiring, and I am very lucky to have been able to be a part of it! I’ll never forget my memories and experiences in this trip. I teared up as we were leaving, and I want to go back! Pura Vida!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I was very nervous for my first clinic day, but the doctors were very kind, patient, and didn’t mind repeating themselves so that their students could learn properly. I felt very safe and comfortable asking all sorts of questions to improve my learning. I am very grateful!
Pros
  • Very kind people
  • Amazing views
  • Amazing food
What other participants should know
  • Traveling days can be long
The vet team has the best patients ;)!
Tyler
Male
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Costa Rica

Costa Rica Vet Experience

Apr 23, 2026

This was my second time going on a VIDA trip, this time I went after just having gone through a breakup a couple days before. This experience gave me another purpose while I was dealing with the emotions, it gave me a community of friends and leaders who kept me smiling and laughing when it would be really easy to just be down. Being able to help communities that had little basic needs was super impactful to me and made the emotional stress fade as I started to realize that those people were so happy. Seeing the smiles of our patients owners as they received their pet back was so rewarding and I wish everyone could experience helping others like that. The staff is incredibly friendly, welcoming, and supportive both in the clinic as well as outside.

What was your funniest moment?
The funniest moment was when Dr. Ricardo started beatboxing as he was doing a surgery. There were plenty of other moments but that moment really captures the vibe of all of the doctors and students that was created.
Pros
  • Hands on experience was very good
  • Connections with other students and staff
  • Interacting with a different community and people who don't speak the same language as you but being able to connect through a common source
What other participants should know
  • Clinic days could be a little bit slow sometimes which is hard if you're experienced in the vet med field
  • Not a ton of time to explore the city you're in
Lion Kinging this puppy!
Playing soccer with the kids who lived at the house our clinic was at.
Allie Hakert Profile Picture
Allie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Costa Rica

Amazing!!

Apr 23, 2026

This is the best thing I have ever done, it was a 10/10 experience. I got so much hands on experience, and got to see so many cool places. Also, the staff was so nice, it felt like you were apart of a family. Also, the food was so good, and the fruit so fresh. It was my first time out of the country, and I am glad this was my first experience. They made everything so easy and care free. The staff always made sure we had everything we needed, and frequently asked if we were going okay. They honestly cared so much!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I was a solo traveler, and I was SO nervous, esspesily since it was my first time out of the country. But they did an AMAZING job at making us feel welcome. I felt like I could go to them with anything. They were so helpful always.
Pros
  • Amazing hands-on experience
  • Great food
  • Once in a life- time opportunity
What other participants should know
  • I was nervous
  • Our hotel lost power a few times
  • The cities we were in were a little sketchy
Cats
Callie
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Costa Rica

Completely Inspired

Apr 3, 2025

My specific program ended up being a smaller group than Vida Volunteer normally has but it gave us the unique opportunity to get super close to every single person. Not only did I learn so much about patient care and communication but I also learned how to do it in spanish as well! The staff were all so friendly and helpful and encouraged us to work hard and immerse ourselves. I also found the homestays to be incredibly life-changing. This trip inspired me and reminded me why I am in school and that my future career in the medical field will all be worth it. I 100% recommend this trip to someone who is looking to make an impact and have a lasting impact on themselves as well :)

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
My most nerve-racking moment throughout the whole trip was my first day of clinic. Prior to this trip I didn't have a lot of medical experience and I was very nervous about working with patients but I overcame this fear by working with my peers and the staff. I ended up growing and learning so much in four clinic days and I was extremely proud of myself.
Pros
  • Working in both spanish and english
  • Learn how to work with patients
  • Learn how to work alongside a team of medical professionals
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 2 of 2

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Jackson Stromberg

Program
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Costa Rica

Why did you choose this program?

I chose Vida because of the great reviews I heard from others about the program. All previous participants talked about how great and rewarding the program was, the great friends they made, and the memories they will cherish from this experience. I was a bit worried about the reliability of the program, but the program was more than reliable.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program provider for the University was more than helpful. She was able to give me a very informative review of the entire program, what to expect, and how to approach the trip. She told me what to get, what I should bring, and what I will be doing on the trip during clinic days and recreation days.

All I had to do was sign up and get my flights.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

To whoever is going to experience this amazing opportunity, I would recommend that they pack their suitcase and bags earlier than a few days ahead of the trip. I forgot some clothing that would have helped with my off days, and I forgot some materials that would have made homestays even easier. Stick to the list they provide.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

As a participant, the clinic days look like organized chaos. It mainly depends on the program you go into, but for medical I would say organized chaos.

You, your group, and your translator pick up a patient, then working as a team you figure out what is bothering the patient and take their vitals. Then the doctor comes and you work together to create a diagnosis.

The recreation days are groups going out to explore or eat local food.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was at the beginning of the trip was being picked up by the correct group when arriving at the airport. Or, in fact, there is not a group to pick me up at all.

One of my family’s fears was whether or not the program was reliable and there to pick you up. Which they were, so that was not a worry.

When I was first getting ready for it, I wanted to know, how are the other people on the trip?

By the end of the trip, it felt as if I had known the entire group for my entire life. They felt like very close friends at this point, and frankly, I was sad that the trip had to come to an end.

I have kept in touch with all of those who didn’t go to my university, but all those here I do keep in touch with them.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Marla Abstetar

Program
Vida Medical, Dental & Veterinary Programs in Nicaragua
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Tell us a little about VIDA and your role at the company.

VIDA is a 501c3 nonprofit from Minnesota, USA. We work with volunteers from around the world to bring medical, dental and veterinary care to low resource communities in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. At VIDA, I am the Community Manager, so I am in charge of managing our website, blog, newsletters, Facebook, Twitter and online profiles. This helps us get the word out about VIDA and find more volunteers so we can continue to spread to more communities throughout Central America and help those in need.

How did you get involved in the volunteer industry?

Volunteering has always been an important part of my life. I am originally from Wisconsin, but moved to Costa Rica 7 years ago. Here, I didn't have many opportunities to do volunteer work, as I was going to school full time. When I graduated from college and was offered a job with VIDA in 2010, I knew that I had found the perfect organization to work for. VIDA has given me the opportunity to help those in need, and also travel throughout Central America while meeting amazing volunteers from around the world.

What makes VIDA unique?

VIDA offers life changing experiences to those who are interested in studying medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine. We offer hands-on service learning opportunities in a controlled environment where students can learn from local doctors and help communities in need; but we also let the volunteers have fun outside the clinics! All VIDA Adventures include sight-seeing and cultural activities such as tours of historic cities, whitewater rafting, hospital visits, canopy tours, visits to historic buildings, etc., which let the volunteers learn and see more about the countries they visit.

In your experience, what characteristics make a good international volunteer?

A good international volunteer is someone who wants to take time out of their schedule to help those in need. A great international volunteer is someone who travels with an open mind, is prepared for anything to happen, and learns from every experience they face. International travel will open your heart and mind to many new experiences, and if you come prepared to accept and learn from these situations, you will get much more from your travels!

How do you ensure your programs are sustainable and mutually beneficial for you, the community, and the volunteers?

VIDA's main goal is to help the communities in Central America receive the medical, dental and veterinary attention they deserve. In order to obtain this goal, volunteers pay a fee to attend the trips. This fee goes towards paying for their accommodations while on the trip, but also pay for the staff, medications and equipment we need in order to run the clinics. In the future, we hope to apply for and receive grants within the US to be able to purchase more equipment in order to help more communities in need.