Physician Volunteers
Senior Physicians remain active well after retirement. If you're interested in sharing your time and expertise, but aren't sure where to start, the opportunities provided below are a good starting place. (Many of the links listed below will take you off the AMA website. The AMA is not responsible for content of other websites.)
General Resources on Physician Volunteerism
Report of the Board of Trustees - Licensure and Liability for Senior Physician Volunteers - A-04
Table of State Licensing and Liability Laws for Volunteer Physicians
Volunteers in Healthcare - A national resource for organizations and clinics caring for the uninsured.
Volunteering Overseas Gives Physicians a Measure of Adventure and Altruism
Ethical Conduct of Humanitarian Medical Missions
Volunteer Opportunities
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) - advancing public health infastructures and emergency response in communities through local medical volunteers.
Headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, the MRC is a clearinghouse of information and best practices to help communities establish, implement and maintain community-based volunteer units nationwide. Established after the 2001 terrorist attacks, MRC volunteers in communities nationwide donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to local emergencies and to promote healthy living.
JAMA Career Center offers resources for physicians who are mapping career strategy and navigating professional transition points. A listing of volunteer medical opportunities are offered by country and specialties needed.
Volunteer Opportunities Overseas for Physicians - independent projects worldwide.
International Organizations serving the world in Health, Relief Efforts/Donations and Human Rights.
Health Volunteers Overseas - improving global health through education.
Free Clinic Groups
National Association of Free Clinics - Serving free clinics and the people they serve.
Volunteers in Medicine Institute - the only national nonprofit committed to developing free health care clinics for the uninsured throughout the country.
Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative, Inc. - A group of local physicians who have established a Healthcare Center to provide free primary medicare care to Bergen County residents (New Jersey) who lack medical insurance or the means to pay for care.
Community Education
National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations - Opportunities are available throughout the country that allow you to apply for relief care or temporary positions.
Global Medical Staffing, Ltd. - pioneered the organization of international medical sabbaticals. GMS has placed thousands of doctors in wide range of fields in Australia and New Zealand.
Ways to Stay Active and Involved
Spending time with family, traveling or gardening are all wonderful ways to spend your well-deserved retirement or semi-retirement, but if you yearn for more, than consider the following:
Please e-mail the SPS with additional suggestions, resources, or activities. It's our hope that this list will continue to grow and become an invaluable resource.
Volunteer at a local clinic, through Senior Corp, or any number of national or international volunteer organizations. Call Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) at (843) 342-5700 for a start up guide on volunteerism.
Get Trained in Disaster Preparedness - As you well know, physicians are an invaluable resource during emergencies. The National Disaster Life Support of the AMA is in partnership with four major medical institutions to standardize emergency response training nationwide and strengthen our nation's public health system.
WorldScopes, a project of the AMA and AMA Foundation, helped organize collections at local hospitals and medical societies of new and gently used stethoscopes for distribution around the world. In 2011, the project provided stethoscopes to the first generation of South Sudan doctors.
