Frequently Asked Questions

If you are researching potential volunteer opportunities:

First, specify up to three search parameters (your specialty, practice status and region of interest) from the intersecting circles on the homepage.

Click the yellow shield shaped "Search" button.

You will be brought to a page entitled "Search Results" with all matches (alphabetically by country), summarized in a few sentences.

You can sort through the search results further using the various filters located to the right side of the page.  Through these filters, you can look for all matches with a particular organization, or for a specified amount of time, or other parameters.

When you have identified a posting of interest, click on the title of the opportunity.

This will bring you to full description of the volunteer opportunity.

You will find a link to the volunteer agency offering this opportunity, as well as information on their contact person's email and phone number.

To learn more about the country where the opportunity is located, click on the "Tool Kit" that will bring you to a full array of country-specific resources (embassy info, cultural info, etc).

If you have medical equipment, supplies or texts that you are considering for donation,  please take a look at the "Resource Center" for Medical Donations.  In addition to links to many organizations that accept and distribute such donations, you will find guidelines on donating such materials.

For supplemental information on a variety of topics that relate to surgical volunteerism, please check the various "Resource Centers" which provide up-to-date information on such topics as Charitable Immunity for volunteers in each US state, and information relevant to medical students, residents, military or retired surgeons.

Operation Giving Back has created the tools found on this Web resource as means of facilitating volunteerism among surgeons. We do not provide recommendations for individuals, nor do we endorse any specific opportunities. Rather, we strive to provide you an accurate sense of the varied opportunities that exist so that you may identify those that best meet your training, beliefs and lifestyle.

While Operation Giving Back strives to provide all of the resources that a surgeon would need to identify and investigate appropriate volunteer activities, we do not become actively involved in making individual arrangements. Please contact the sponsoring volunteer agency for each opportunity. Oftentimes, these agencies provide tremendous assistance and/or guidance in making such arrangements.

Please utilize the feedback form found in the section "Contact Us". Please include your contact information (include a phone number or email) as well as any information that you have for the agency you have in mind. In addition, please indicate whether you have participated as a volunteer with the agency you are recommending.

To be considered for inclusion in the database for Operation Giving Back, you must be a charitable organization that utilizes surgeons in medical outreach.   The mission of your organization can include a wide range of surgical activities such as clinical surgical care, education, training of medical personnel, etc.

If you feel that your organization has appropriate volunteer opportunities for surgeons, please contact the Director of OGB Kathleen Casey, MD, FACS at kcasey@facs.org , 401-841-5351 or 312-485-9534, or Uriah Melchizedek at umelchizedek@facs.org or 312-202-5458.

Thank you for your interest.

There are a number of resources that exist by which one can evaluate various non-profit agencies. Two organizations that provide independent assessments of non-profits are GuideStar and Charity Navigator.

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If you prefer not to scroll down and click onto menu sub-topics, may we suggest that you click on a main heading.  The sub-topics will then appear in static format on the left of your computer screen, allowing you to click directly on them.

By activating any of the links provided on this site, you will be leaving the American College of Surgeons' Operation Giving Back Web resource. Although the College has provided a link to these sites because we believe they contain information that may be of interest to the surgical community, the College is not responsible for the content or timeliness of these sites. Furthermore, the ACS does not necessarily endorse all statements, opinions or information contained on these sites.