Assist local medical
professionals in
Tanzania

Gain first hand experience in a busy government hospital

Apply now
  • Duration
    1-24 weeks
  • Minimum age
    18+
  • Start dates
    1st & 3rd Saturday
  • From
    £170
  • Duration
    1-24 weeks
  • Minimum age
    18+
  • Start dates
    1st & 3rd Saturday
  • From
    £170

Tanzania Medical Experience

Gain invaluable experience by assisting within a busy hospital that will expose you to a variety of tropical and uncommon diseases. You will shadow and observe local professionals as well as get hands on to help support the local team with basic tasks.

Whether you are taking your elective placement in Tanzania, looking to gain some medical experience before university or are a trained professional, this is a unique chance to experience a brand new health care system while exploring everything this amazing island has to offer.

During your time in Tanzania you will be located in the small tourist town of Moshi. You will get to immerse yourself into the local culture, as well as explore everything the amazing country has to offer. You can hop on-board a jeep in search of the famous big five, sunbathe on the golden sands in Zanzibar, trek up Mount Kilimanjaro and so much more.

This unique experience will open your eyes to the world of medicine in Tanzania and will provide you with vital international work experience that will set you apart from others. 

Suitability

Who is it for?
Medical students, qualified professionals and volunteers with no experience
Departments available
Outpatients, paediatrics, general medicine, tropical medicine, general surgery, gynaecology, maternity, pre and post-natal care, high dependence unit, physiotherapy, psychiatry, laboratory, ultra sound, x-ray and autopsy.
Elective placements
Medical, midwifery, nursing, pharmacy & physiotherapy
Background to the medical programme

Tanzania faces an acute shortage of health care workers and has some of the lowest coverage rates of health personnel in the world. Limited training, poor working conditions and low pay all contribute to this severe problem. On top of this, with widespread poverty, it is no wonder that Tanzania health standards have fallen behind almost all other developing countries. 

The provision of health care, particularly in the more rural areas, was adversely affected after the economic recession in the 1980s, which resulted in an overall deterioration of health care services.

Recent research has concluded that only 54% of the population have access to improved drinking water and only 24% have access to proper sanitation facilities. As such, many people are dying from preventable and curable diseases and illnesses such as  malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and malnutrition.

There are also many other substantial health challenges such as persistently high child and maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Shockingly high numbers of women die every year (3 times the global average) due to preventable complications during or resulting from pregnancy and birth. Further related to this, more than 7 million children die every year also due to highly preventable causes including diarrhoea, malaria, neonatal infection, pneumonia, pre-term delivery or lack of oxygen at birth.

In recent years there has been a number of important public health achievements, with the Tanzanian government introducing several provisions and the introduction of a mandatory health insurance. Although this has resulted in child mortality declining and health care services being more accessible, there is still a long way to go.

You will have the unique opportunity to experience first-hand how under-resourced staff operate within these difficult conditions. You will gain exposure to a variety of departments within a busy hospital in a developing country, where you may be able to assist with basic procedures.

Where will I be volunteering?

St Joseph’s Hospital - Founded in 2001, the hospital is partly funded by the government with the remaining majority by the Catholic church and is located in Moshi (the same town as the accommodation).

The hospital welcomes around 250 outpatients each and every day and has a total bed capacity of 150 - which is divided into male, female and paediatric wards. The busy labour ward sees around 300 babies born every month, so is an ideal placement for midwifery students or professionals. There are around 150 staff that run the hospital, with 5 general practitioners, 2 surgeons, 42 medical attendants, 38 nurses, 22 midwives, 9 laboratory technicians and 1 physiotherapist.

You will have the opportunity to be placed in many different departments so that you can gain a broad overview of the hospital. You can also request to dedicate your time and be placed in just one or two departments for a more tailored experience. We can place participants in the following areas; Outpatients, general medicine, tropical medicine, general surgery, gynaecology, maternity, pre and postnatal care, high dependence unit, physiotherapy, laboratory, ultra sound, x-ray and autopsy.

Mawenzi Regional Hospital - Mawenzi Regional Hospital is a government run hopsital located in the centre of Moshi that offers medical care to the majority of the population in the Kilimanjaro region - especially those who cannot afford private healthcare. 

There are around 410 workers in total, with over 100 doctors (15 being specialist doctors), 40+ intern doctors, over 100 nurses and then general admin staff. Although the staff do their very best, a lack of resources and outdated equipment means simple and everyday tasks makes treatment difficult.

The hospital has all of the usual medical facilities and you will have the option to be placed in one or several of the following departments; Outpatient department, Inpatient department, Radiology, Clinical Nursing, Laboratory department, Mortuary, ICU, Dental, Eye, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgical, Reproductive and Child Health, TB, Rehabilitative department (Occupational therapist and physiotherapy department), Orthopedic department, Psychiatric department, Medical department and Peadiatrics.

This large hospital has over 300 beds, with the paediatrics ward having 60+ beds (with upwards of 200 patients at any one time) and the labor ward having more than 40 beds (seeing several deliveries each and every day). In total there are an average of 350 out patients on a daily basis, with around 50 of them being admitted. 

Other Hospital Placements - During busier months, we will also work with several hospitals in and around the Kilimanjaro area. These hospitals are a mixture of busy government and church based hospitals and will offer exactly the same experience as the above placements, apart from the travel time being slightly longer.

What is my role?

You will be working alongside qualified local staff from the specific departments where  you will gain hands on training, supervised by experienced English-speaking medical experts. You will vastly increase your own knowledge while having the ability to help out in simple but practical ways, including taking blood pressure and sugar levels, administering IV injections, dressing wounds and taking temperatures. Although we cannot guarantee this and it is at the sole discretion of your local supervisor, feedback from past volunteers suggests that most students get involved with basic activities as listed above.

Volunteering in Tanzania is your chance to learn about differences in practice compared to those you would find in your home country. You will have the opportunity to learn about common health problems within a third world country and understand how these are dealt with. You will get to witness a wide range of cases that you may never come across in the UK, including typhoid, tuberculosis, yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever and more. 

Depending on your total duration on the programme and if you have any specific requirements for your time in Tanzania, you will get the opportunity to observe and help across many departments. The full list can be found further above but can include nursing, surgery, maternity, paediatrics and more.

Our Tanzania medical experience welcomes people from all backgrounds. So if you have just left school and are looking for experience to boost your university application (pre-med), currently a university student organising an elective placement overseas or are a trained professional - this is the perfect programme for you.

We are able to offer a more specific programme for medical, midwifery, nursing and pharmacy students looking to take part in an overseas elective. We are able to tailor the programme to provide you with a unique experience that will meet all of your requirements and maximise your time abroad. Our UK and local teams are able to complete any necessary paperwork for your university or other scheme.

What will a typical day look like?

Your varied role and the ever-changing scenarios of a hospital will mean every day is different. You will generally be volunteering from Monday to Friday for approximately 6 hours per day, between 8:30am and 3pm - including a one hour lunch break, which you are welcome to return to the accommodation if preferred. If you are volunteering on the Tanzania medical programme as part of your medical elective placement, then we can ensure that you work the required amount of hours per week. Night shifts are also available on request.

When you first arrive at the hospital you will spend time with the matron. After providing a full introduction and tour of the hospital, you will then discuss the departments you are interested in and a work schedule will be created for you.

Once you have finished your placement for the day, all volunteers (across all programmes) always meet back at the accommodation and spend the rest of the day together.

Transport to and from the hospital is included within the programme fee and is provided by tuk tuk or private car. The journey only takes between 10-20 minutes (depending on traffic), with the hospitals in Arusha taking up to one hour (only used during busier periods).

Where will I be staying?

You will be staying within our volunteer house just five minutes from the centre of the tourist town of Moshi. We cannot think of a better base for your stay in Tanzania, where you will have access to all of the local amenities as well as enjoy spectacular views out to the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro from your bedroom window.

During your free time, you can easily head out on safari in search of the famous Big Five, relax on the golden sandy beaches in beautiful Zanzibar, climb Mount Kilimanjaro (or just look in awe from it’s base!) or trek through the rainforest to find hidden waterfalls.

Other things to consider

Level of involvement - Although your role at the hospitals is largely observational, the majority of volunteers are assigned basic hands-on tasks such as taking blood pressure and blood sugar levels, dressing wounds, administering IV injections, recording temperatures and more. Please note we cannot guarantee your level of involvement and this will be at the sole discretion of your supervisor in-country.

Trained professionals - We welcome trained and qualified professionals to come and assist on our medical programme in Tanzania. Once you have confirmed your placement we will be in contact to confirm credentials and work out your placement schedule.

Helping on multiple projects - Whilst in Tanzania, you will also have the opportunity to assist with our teachingchildcare and dog programmes for no additional costs. All of our programmes in Tanzania are located in the same region and everyone shares the same accommodation.

TMR Tanzania was incredible…

TMR Tanzania was an incredible experience. We came as a 5 on our elective and had such a memorable time. The weekend safari trip was a massive bonus and Timothy was a fantastic guide who helped organise us transport for our travels after. The team at comfy stay are all extremely kind, German and ... Read More

Charlie PearsonMarch 2024

Nakupenda Tanzania and the team at…

Nakupenda Tanzania and the team at comfy stay❤️

I spent 4 weeks with the team and from the moment I got there, the team were so welcoming and kind. Felix cooked the best food and always made sure everyone had ate. German made sure everyone had rooms and that we were all ok! Alice, Emman... Read More

Megan LambertMarch 2024

Elective Placement with the Mighty Roar

Me and my friends used the mighty roar to complete our elective placement for our nursing studies. It was such an amazing experience and we learnt so much that we can take onboard for our future studies. The company was really helpful at organising excursions and made it cheaper for us to see mor... Read More

Alex RowlandsFebruary 2024

Amazing opportunity!

I would highly recommend The Mighty Roar for volunteering experiences. I spent 2 weeks in Tanzania for my elective placement. I felt supported throughout my whole journey and was made to feel very welcome in Tanzania. The staff at the accommodation were friendly and approachable, nothing was too ... Read More

Abbie BorthwickJanuary 2024

Medicine in Tanzania

I spent 4 weeks in Tanzania completing my medical elective. It was a fantastic experience and the opportunities in your free time are endless. The staff at The Comfy Stay Hostel are so accommodating and nothing is ever too much for them. I highly recommend travelling here!

Robbie CouparJanuary 2024

My time in Tanzania

My time in Tanzania was honestly life changing. The team were so accommodating and friendly and constantly made sure we had the best time. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, it was an experience I’ll never forget. Thank you!

Rianna EnglishDecember 2023

Friends and memories for life in Tanzania

I have just returned home after an incredible 5 weeks spent in Tanzania. I spent my time with both the childcare and medical programmes and whist I could write a book about my trip, I do have a few highlights. My time in Africa was an emotional rollercoaster, I met so many inspirational peop... Read More

Emily RutherfordDecember 2023

Amazing!

The Mighty Roar were great from the moment of booking right up til leaving our trip. It was well organised and the staff were all really helpful. We felt completely safe whilst away and had an amazing experience

Carly DavisNovember 2023

Great stay with the mighty roar

I stayed at the mighty roar for 1 month in Moshi and had the best time! The staff are amazing and will help you with anything you need. The hostel organised great weekend trips to waterfalls, safaris and they also organised me and my friend to climb Kilimanjaro last minute. Overall we had a ... Read More

Stella CooksonOctober 2023

Would recommend this company

Would recommend this company, staff were incredibly helpful and I had a great time

Hannah SankeySeptember 2023

4 weeks in tanzania and it was PERFECT

I spent 4 weeks in Tanzania with the mighty roar and it was the best 4 weeks of my life. I went with three friends but there were plenty of people who went alone and made friends within the hostel, the staff in the hostel were all so so lovely and couldn’t do enough to make sure everyone was ha... Read More

Maddy RussellSeptember 2023

Great company for voluntary work and…

Great company for voluntary work and local excursions. It is a family run business and all staff are very accommodating and helpful

Ikra AhmedSeptember 2023

Tanzania was amazing I would recommend any med student looking to go on their elective to go. Very well organised

Tanzania was amazing I would recommend any med student looking to go on their elective to go. Very well organised

Fantastic experience and met friends for life - very well organised

Lucas PidgenAugust 2023

7 weeks medical elective - Tanzania, Ghana + Sri Lanka

I spent 7 weeks total across Tanzania, Ghana + Sri Lanka on my medical elective + had the most incredible experience.

Tanzania - the staff were very helpful + friendly - arranging regular afternoon trips (waterfalls, Kilimanjaro hikes, hot springs), as well as being flexible with allowing m... Read More

Beth WilkinsonAugust 2023

Tanzania medical elective

The most amazing 4 weeks I have ever had. From day 1 of medicine I always wanted to go to Africa and help in the hospitals. This experience superseding anything I could have imagined. The price was perfect, the safety and comfort was of so much importance to the Tanzanian team. The hospital staff... Read More

Nicole GormleyAugust 2023

Life changing

I have recently returned from the volunteer programme with The Mighty Roar. Before going on the trip, I was so excited but I never dreamed of how wonderful and enriching this trip would be. I've seen things I didn't think I'd ever see and the experience really has changed my outlook on life. I we... Read More

Anna July 2023

Nursing Medical Elective

In May I completed a 4 week nursing elective placement in Tanzania. It was an immersive, life changing experience which truly opened my eyes. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about going.

The Mighty Roar team both in Tanzania and in the UK were highly supportive and responsive to... Read More

Charlotte MarconJuly 2023

Really enjoyed my time with the mighty…

Really enjoyed my time with the mighty roar. Staff were all very friendly and helpful.

Akhil SebastianJuly 2023

AMAZING experience

AMAZING experience. Everything ran smoothly. All of the staff were fantastic and it was a great way to experience the beautiful country of Tanzania!

Abigail CheungJuly 2023

Had such a good time on medical…

Had such a good time on medical elective in Moshi. What stood out the most was how friendly and kind the staff were. It made things so easy.

Lucas CablecarJuly 2023

TMR MOSHI

I stayed in moshi for two weeks and I have to say the entire time was amazing. Childcare was so fun and the medical was very insightful. The hotel we stayed at was really cozy and my room was more than I needed. The food was great and all the staff were so friendly and were always there if we eve... Read More

Amy BenfieldJune 2023

Overall I enjoyed my elective with the…

Overall I enjoyed my elective with the mighty roar at Tanzania.

The staff are all very accommodating and friendly - easy to talk to and super kind and positive

The food was also really nice and I was vegan an... Read More

Kiran NisarJune 2023

Medical Elective in Tanzania

I had a 4-week medical elective in Moshi, Tanzania and it was a very rewarding and positive experience. It was memorable to see firsthand how people work and live in a culture so different from ours. The local hospital also gave me opportunities to perform examinations and simple procedures.

<... Read More

Mary ChungMay 2023

Medical Experience with TMR

I have just finished my 4-week medical experience in Tanzania. The arrangement of TMR was great. They arranged convenient and flexible transport to and from the hospital. They also helped to organise activities such as dining out or weekend trips. The hostel was simple yet comfortable. All the st... Read More

Ivah HuiMay 2023

I did a 4-week medical elective in…

I did a 4-week medical elective in moshi, Tanzania and the experience was amazing! The local team was very nice and the food in Comfy Stay Hotel was delicious. The local tours were great, especially the hot spring and Materuni waterfall.

Grace LiMay 2023

Amazing Experience in Tanzania

I had the most intriguing and positive experience as a medical volunteer in Moshi, Tanzania. It is always inspiring to see how doctors find innovative ways to work around the lack of resources in developing countries. I had the opportunity to witness this firsthand. The hospital allowed me to per... Read More

Firmiana LeungApril 2023

Friendly and helpful staff

The hotel staff are so friendly and helpful. They helped us to plan and make the most of our short stay in Tanzania. It was a very fruitful experience.

Chi Ching YuApril 2023

Amazing time in Tanzania !

I have a wonderful and once in a lifetime of experience staying at The Comfy Stay in Moshi, Tanzania. Emmanuel and his team at went out of their way to ensure that we were having a great experience. They were so helpful and kind and were always on hand to organise anything we needed. I had an inc... Read More

Rachel April 2023

Super Helpful Team

From the start until the end, I felt supported and safe as a first time solo traveller. The team was happy to answer all my questions at any time and organise great trips! Chris was on hand all the time when I needed something. 

Petra DlugosovaMarch 2023

Truly Excellent Experience

Truly excellent experience. I needed help organising my medical elective quite last minute as plans to go elsewhere fell through . Chris was super helpful and answered all my questions prior to booking on - thanks so much ! We decided on tanzania as you can get a visa on the border but we are so ... Read More

Victoria LeighMarch 2023

Absolutely Fantastic Experience

Absolutely fantastic experience!! From Chris in the UK to Emmanuel and all the fantastic team in Tanzania! I spent 4 incredible weeks at Comfy Stay meeting new people and enjoying once in a life time experiences. Nothing was too much trouble, every query answered and help was always at hand if ne... Read More

Sarah RodgersFebruary 2023

Helpful & Caring Team

Everyone was so helpful at mighty roar from the help prior to going over to the hotel staff who were amazing. Emmanuel and his team are friendly, hospitable and caring. They care about the communities we volunteer at but also that we have a good time.

Regina Patrikiou February 2023

Tanzania Medical Experience

I volunteered in Tanzania for the medical experience,it was amazingly organised .The hosts at the accommodation were so kind made us feel at home ,they ensured transport was sorted out to and fro from the hospital to the accommodation and vice versa. We got to get involved in the hospital activit... Read More

Barakat HusseinFebruary 2023

Easy and Stress Free

Organising a medical elective through the Mighty Roar was simple and easy! I spent 3 weeks in Tanzania, and it was one of the best experiences. Both the local and UK team were extremely helpful, and it made my first experience of solo travel very easy. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting to do... Read More

Luchiana FernandoNovember 2022

Thank You TMR

Thank you to Mighty Roar Team. I had a great experience in Tanzania both at a professional and personal level. I had the much support and service which I really enjoyed and appreciated.

Again, having International placement practice in a developing country has expanded my knowledge and skil... Read More

Hector MakuyahSeptember 2022

Tanzania Medical Volunteering

I’ve just returned from a medical volunteering placement in Tanzania and had a great time. The booking process was simple and pre-departure queries were responded to promptly. Emmanuel and the in-country team were absolutely fantastic and worked to ensure that all the volunteers were well looke... Read More

Claire MorganSeptember 2022

A Really Amazing Experience

A really amazing experience! Ive just finished 3 weeks doing the medical placement in Moshi, Tanzania and I loved every minute. At first I was hesitant due to the price being so much lower than similar companies, however it turned out to be great value for money- everything ran smoothly, the room... Read More

Gavin McleodJuly 2022

An Amazing Experience

Cannot recommend the TMR medical volunteer project in Tanzania enough. It was an amazing experience with someone to help with any queries from the time of booking to the end of the trip. Chris is incredibly helpful and the trip as a whole and both weekend trips were amazing.

Emma WilsonJuly 2022

Tanzania Medical Experience

Eye opening experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Not everything ran smoothly but Emmanuel Maro and his team always did their best to welcome us and take on board our suggestions.

Rooms are basic but clean and I always felt safe at the hostel.

Anvi KantJuly 2022

Medical Placement in Tanzania

For my medical elective I travelled to Tanzania and observed and assisted within St Joseph’s Hospital. The overall experience was amazing, from the hospital and TMR staff being kind and helpful to heading off on safari with the other volunteers. An amazing experience that I'm so glad I did... Read More

Emily ReedMarch 2020

Friends and memories for life in Tanzania

  • December 2023
I have just returned home after an incredible 5 weeks spent in Tanzania. I spent my time with both the childcare and medical programmes and whist I could write a book about my trip, I do have a few highlights. Living and volunteering amongst the local people allowed me to immerse myself in the culture of Tanzania and get to know the amazing people who live there. I met so many inspirational people and I will cherish my memories from Tanzania for life.

Emily's story

Teaching in a primary school in Tanzania

  • July 2023
I recently travelled to Tanzania to volunteer on the teaching course. I had such an amazing time, I had to write all about it and share just some of my pictures from my time there. From the start to the end, I had the most incredible time volunteering within the government primary school in Moshi. I was also lucky enough to help on the childcare project as well. Having spent a week as a teaching volunteer, I was amazed by the beauty of Tanzania and I cannot wait to return to volunteer again. Wish I was there for at least another week!

Anna's story

An eventful 4 weeks in Tanzania

  • September 2022
I signed up with The Mighty Roar to volunteer in Tanzania for 4 weeks in September. I was lucky enough to do a mixture of the childcare and medical programmes, which really opened my eyes to the way of life in Tanzania.

Caitlin's story

My medical elective in Tanzania

  • June 2022
I volunteered in Tanzania on the medical programme as part of my elective placement at Edinburgh University. I will definitely be visiting Tanzania again, and can't wait to undertake my medical elective next year with the Mighty Roar.

Emma's story