6 ways to volunteer as a doctor - without going abroad

A doctor volunteers at a refugee clinic. Credit: Doctors of the World

By Beth Roberts

When doctors talk about volunteering, it’s easy to imagine getting on a plane and flying off to a remote location, or even a disaster zone. But there are many options to help out without leaving the UK.

Looking for volunteer opportunities as a doctor often leads to seeing roles which take you to different continents and require you to stop working for the duration - but that’s not always an option for every doctor.

Volunteering can be a good way to not only give back and get the satisfaction of supporting issues that you care about, but to flesh out your CV and develop new skills and experiences.

If you have a little time to spare and want to help out others, without leaving the country, here are five ways you could do just that.

1. Help out at festivals and events

It may be hard to find time to volunteer regularly, but a good way to get started is to offer to provide support at one-off events like festivals or sports games.