General Requirements
MSF provides efficient emergency medical aid. In order for this to work well our exapts need to meet certain requirments.
To deal with certain challenges whilst on mission, a mixture of dedication, idealism and professionalism is essential.
The following requirements must be met:
- readiness to work in the spirit of the humanitarian principles of MSF
- completed vocational training
- minimum of two years work experience (for medical doctors: completed residency or completed medical specialisation)
- experience working or travelling abroad, preferably in Africa, Asia, Central or South America
- fluency in English; knowledge of French, Arabic, Russian, Portugese or Spanish is an asset; for general nurses, specialists in technics and logistics, finance and human resources, good French skills are requested in the majority of cases.
- at least six to twelve months availability for the first assignment
(4 weeks for anaesthists and trauma surgeons/ 8 weeks for gynaecologists/ 3 months for general surgeons and OT nurses) - twelve months commitment to work in the field
(2 missions for surgeons, anesthesiologists, gynecologists/obstetricians, OT nurses, electricians and motor vehicle experts) - flexibility, organisational and improvisational skills
- ability to supervise and train others
- ability to work well in a team
- strong resilience to physical and psychological stress and strains
For general practitioners, midwives and general nureses: Knowledge of tropical medicine, public health, and TB/HIV are required for some regions. Therefore, we highly recommend taking a tropical medicine course (see the attached info sheet). Relevant work experience in one of these fields can be accepted instead of the course.
Self Assessment: Test yourself
This exercise is designed to help you assess your motivation, professional aspirations and emotional well-being. Take some time to reflect on the reasons for making an important decision. (Download Presentation (PDF/96,3KB))
