In other words, the most common reason for medical volunteering is expressing or acting on important values, such as humanitarianism and helping those less fortunate and seeking to learn more about the world and/or exercise skills that are often unused.
[26] Local communities often voice concerns regarding the transient nature of international medical groups, whose presence is often perceived as convenient but fleeting.
[28] Considering long-term consequences, the provision of free services by international groups may foster dependency on foreign aid and alleviate pressure on local authorities to address systemic gaps in healthcare access.
Volunteers' have expressed reasons for giving their time and energy range from altruism and the desire to 'help others' to spiritual and career advancement.
They enable participants to respect various cultures and ways of life while making a constructive contribution to the target community, whether that group is domestic or international.
Considering that paid medical staff availability and willingness to serve cannot be assured, sustained reliance on volunteers presents significant difficulties.
Volunteer non-profit organizations (NGO) in the dental field have made significant strides toward eliminating worldwide disparities in oral health.
[37] Most of the dental NGOs are small in size, run on a shoestring budget, employ only a handful of people (most of whom are volunteers), lack professional management, provide inconsistent quality assurance, are unaware of relevant research, and have poor lines of communication and collaboration with one another.
[38] In the 1800s and early 1900s, during the period of European colonialism, international medical volunteering were considered "heroic missions" and a "Christian duty".
[39] Starting in the 1960s, secular medical volunteering abroad emerged as a response to the lack of qualified healthcare personnel in developing countries and to the advent of nongovernmental and governmental organizations.
Starting in the 19th century, the WHO (World Health Organization) sought to encourage a change in policies to effectively bolster internal healthcare system.
[41] During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, many of the city's black citizens offered voluntary nursing and logistical services in an attempt to mitigate the spread of infection.
Though the services provided by local Red Cross chapters varied depending on the needs of the communities to which they were attached, the organization devoted significant effort and resources to combatting the outbreak.