PMGY - Volunteer in India from $375

PMGY have been absolutely fantastic at making my first time travelling beyond safe and enjoyable. As a 17 year old, fresh out of high school, PMGY were the ideal company to go through as the support leading up to arriving in India for the medical project, as well as constantly throughout. The house in Faridabad is absolutely incredible and has the loveliest homely feel to it. Vishy takes care of you ridiculously well and him and the team never leave you feeling like you need anything - there is so much support and you are looked after so well! The medical project involved leaving the house with a local doctor and travelling to the location of that days project. This may include hospitals, old-age homes, nursing homes, slums or housing complexes. The work you would participate in on project included basic health checks (blood pressure, blood sugar, weigh-in etc.) and a brief consultation with patients to find out what problems they are having. You would complete this as part of the team, along with the oversight of the doctor, who would also decide what medications the patient needed and could be given at the time. You generally spent 3-4 hours on the project - usually seeing around 20-30 patients - before returning to the house for lunch, all of which is prepared for you by local ladies in the house. I spent 4 weeks in India, which I felt was the perfect amount of time to become acquainted with the local area, the team and go on a number of weekend trips (all of which Vishy will organise for you!) I cannot recommend PMGY enough!

The India trip with PMGY was an unforgettable experience. The people, food, and places we saw were incredible, and I gained valuable experience working in a different healthcare system which will truly serve me well as a physician in the future. It was super convenient being picked up from the aiport for free. Every day during the week we would be given a placement and spend a few hours at a different site working with the patient population alongside the doctor who would help us perform different skills and communicate. Drivers for PMGY made it super convenient getting around the city. On weekends, when we were not working, we had the opportunity to travel to and explore different parts of India. Vishy, the coordinator for the India program, was super nice and helped make planning these trips super easy. The volunteer home was next to a school, and during our free time we also had the opportunity to work with young schoolchildren in an academic setting. Sometimes in the evenings, the kids would be playing in the park next door, and we would set up football matches. Aside from the work, the other volunteers and coordinators in India were amazing and I was able to form lasting relationships with so many people. Aside from the experience I gained from working in India, I think the people I met will be what I miss the most. I will never forget this experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking to travel, explore a new culture, or gain medical experience!

This is an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience! I only signed up for 2 weeks since I was unsure of what to expect and ended up trying to extend my trip. Unfortunately, my boss at home didn’t let me stay any longer but I have plans to come back in the future. The whole PMGY India team makes you feel at home and is very helpful with any needs you may have. I did medical volunteering and was able to take vital signs, dress basic wounds, distribute medications, and give injections all under the supervision of a physician. In my two weeks, I was able to view surgeries at the local hospital and work in a rehabilitation/ physical therapy clinic, an ultrasound clinic, a laboratory, elderly facilities, and the slums. There is a school right next to the volunteer house which allows you to play with the children and help teach them English during your free time. I highly recommend this experience to everyone. You must be open-minded to new/ different cultures to get the most out of your experience!

The people I met in India made the overall experience. The other volunteers, the patients we treated, and the pmgy staff at the house in Faridabad will always remain close to my heart. The day trips and weekend trips I experienced were incredible and the medical project was such an eye opener. I really enjoyed watching surgeries and having a hands-on experience giving medical care. Many patients I treated cannot afford or access medical care and to say I have helped the lives of many of these individuals makes me very proud. Vishy and the other staff at the pmgy house were extremely welcoming and made me settle in very quickly. When you are volunteering, although we have a hands-on experience, we are always under the watchful eye of one of the two doctors that take us to the medical projects. They made me feel more confident at taking blood pressure and doing blood grouping, and they were always there if we needed any help. When I arrived at the house in India, I very much felt like I was entering a community. From the volunteers and all the staff working at the house, to the children and other people from the slums, I was made to feel at home. I have made memories that will last a lifetime and some life-long friends. From my short time in India, I have decided I will go to many other pmgy locations as it is a great way to travel and meet new people.

Trustworthy, helpful and well-organized company.

I completed the 3 week medical volunteering program in India. Over the 3 weeks I learned so much from clinical skills to Indian culture. You truly get a first hand experience of India’s healthcare system while simultaneously being immersed in their amazing culture. I always felt safe and well looked after by the pmgy team during my trip, despite being thousands of miles away from home they made me feel very welcome and at home in india. I would recommend at least 3 weeks to thoroughly get a good experience and explore the country a bit.

PMGY India Medical
I initially chose PMGY because it was cheaper than other volunteering organisations.

I found that they had good pre-departure support compared to other similar organisations, offering Zoom meetings and responding to emails in a timely manner. The volunteer handbook was also good and comprehensive.

There were pre-departure support webinars which didn't really add much to our knowledge as they had to cover many different countries and projects in the 1 hour. They did provide chance to ask any questions, although it would be easier to just ask via email.

Arriving in India was a culture shock. I'd recommend adding the local coordinator (Vishy) on WhatsApp so you can communicate with someone you can trust in case anything goes wrong (ie flight delay etc). Normally there is a guy at the airport ready to collect you and drop you straight to the accomadation.

Accomodation itself is good and basic. Nothing too fancy but it is quite homely. I had a small issue with bedbugs the first few nights but they changed the mattress immediately and everything was fine from then on. If you have any issues or problems, just ask the people there and they'll fix it.

The food and drinking water there was fine and safe, no issues.

I did medical. I travelled to several slum clinics and provided basic medical care. There were also surgeries to observe in hospitals and clinics of different specialties to go to. A lot of things are organised the morning of so don't expect a neat weekly schedule; If there's a placement you want to attend, do ask Vishy.

There are chances to practise IM / IV injections, although these aren't everyday and depend on your skill / confidence etc. Everyone (even non-medical students) will get a good chance to take blood pressure and glucose.

Personally, I thought the slum clinics were the most beneficial placements. You really felt like you were doing stuff and not just watching. I would have loved for there to be more clinics to attend, especially in the evenings.

Weekend trips are good and there are more options than just the 2 in the handbook. Also, there are lots of chances to do touristy stuff in the evenings after placement, so if there's a place you'd like to visit, then maybe research and plan it beforehand.

One of the best experience of my life! Great team that always take care of us and made us never get bored and watch as much as possible! I Will repeat for sure!
I'm a medical student 4rth year thats why I joined the med project, we went to see every day new different placements in where we gave medicine, took blood pressure and sugar rate to everyone that went there, also we get to see surgeries. In the afternoon the staff usually organiced something to do and during the weekends we did lots of trips around india!

I truly had the best time in India. The pre-departure support which PMGY offers is amazing and I felt very prepared for my trip! When I booked my trip I got added to a Facebook group to chat with my fellow volunteers which really gave me peace at heart. This was my first solo trip but the volunteer handbook helped so much for my preparation. In India Vishy and the other staff members are always there to organise everything and help you with your money exchange, sim-card etc. I did the English teaching project which was so rewarding. The kids are so sweet and it was an amazing experience to teach them and they taught me so much as well. Teaching was definitely my favorite part of the day, however even the afternoons were filled with activities to discover India and its culture. For any potential volunteers I would say just do it! Go and see what happens. It will be craziest adventure but so so worth it!