Every clinic trip is unique, but the following will give you an idea of what to expect when you participate as a clinic volunteer. The average trip departs on either Friday or Saturday. The 'Sams' fly in small, propeller aircraft from California and Arizona to their many clinics, some hundreds of miles below the border. Some drive to clinics near the border, depending on the distance flown from the Chapter's home airport to the clinic location in Baja. Check the Chapter link for specific departure and destination information. Conditions are often primitive in the clinic villages. In these clinics the Sams provide many non-emergency services such as family practice medicine, pharmacy, optometry, audio logy, dentistry and dental hygiene, chiropractic, and preventive health care. Most patients are the 60% of the Mexican population who are not eligible for Mexican Social Security medical care.

You'll need a passport, cash for tourist visa, room, food and miscellaneous items (see cost of trip below). Most of the hotels in Mexico will not accept credit cards, or if they do, they charge an additional fee. American dollars or Mexican Pesos are usually required. We recommend that you bring bills of small denomination since change is often not available. En route to Baja you will stop to clear Mexican Customs and Immigration.

Clinic is usually very busy. On an average day clinic personnel see 75 - 150 patients (medical, dental and chiropractic). Patients often travel many miles over rough roads to receive care from the U.S. doctors. We usually arange for a short break for lunch from a local village café or sometimes even a home-cooked meal prepared by the community.

On the return trip to the United States on Sunday there will be a brief stop at Customs to clear out of Mexico. There will also be a stop in Customs to clear back into the United States where they frequently inspects the aircraft, passenger's papers and baggage.

IF YOU TRAVEL BY SMALL AIRCRAFT, PACK LIGHTLY SINCE PILOTS ARE WEIGHT CONSCIOUS. Ten pounds is usually okay. Expect to be asked your weight and the weight of your luggage and equipment. Soft baggage is essential.

Without exception, you need a Current Passport to obtain a tourist permit and to re-enter the U.S. Minors under the age of 18 traveling without their parent need notarized permission from the absent parent to enter Mexico. If you have a non-U.S. Passport it is your responsibility to ask the Mexican Consulate beforehand whether or not you need a special Visa or Permit to enter Mexico, also be sure to have your I90 or green card with you so you can re enter the USA.

Volunteering medical professionals should consult with their Medical or Dental Coordinators prior to their trip regarding availability of supplies and instruments at clinic. Volunteers should not independently or directly donate money or usable items for use by patients or at the clinic. All donations must be made via the chapter or on-line via the secured payment on this site.

Sign up for a clinic either on-line or by contacting your Specialty Coordinator at least 3 weeks in advance of the clinic date. Since the Coordinators need to insure that the clinics are fully staffed for each specialty, reservations will be on a first come, first served basis. Please make a firm commitment to your scheduled trip. Sincere and dedicated workers take clinic quite seriously. A last-minute cancellation imposes a hardship on other participants and jeopardizes a clinic's success. Carefully review the details of each trip.

Each person pays for his or her own visa, tourist or departure fees (tax), hotel room and meals.

Expect hotel room to be between $20-$40 (on a shared basis). The Visa or tourist tax is $20 and usually is extended to several months so if you paid it in the last 4-6 months you may not be asked to pay again. Allow budget for food (not including alcoholic beverages) to be between $15-$25 for the trip.

Each person who flies as a passenger is expected to helps with fuel and airport cost on a cost-sharing basis. Expect average fuel cost share to be between $100-$150 from Southern California and up to $250 from Northern California or Arizona. The actual cost depends on the airplane and the flying time and will be calculated by the pilot. Please bring with you enough cash or your check book to pay the pilot for your trip cost share.

The hotel room is often pre-booked by the Trip Coordinator and usually shared with another volunteer of the same gender. If you prefer to not to share a room or roommate preferences you should specify so in the comment sections of your sign up record or notify the Trip Coordinator well in advance of the trip, so we can reserve the right number of rooms for the trip.