General Surgeon

Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.

About this role

Our General surgical team is committed to bringing hope and healing through the removal of goiters, hernias, and other corrective surgeries.

Our General Surgeons provide general surgical intervention to treat congenital, developmental, or degenerative conditions as well as reconstruction of damage due to injury or infection. The general surgical procedures performed most frequently are inguinal herniorrhaphies for large hernias and thyroidectomies.

You will also manage post-operative care of surgical complications and prioritize patient selection.

What you will contribute

• Assessment of potential surgical candidates

• Communicate planned procedures, expected outcomes and potential complications clearly with patients and caregivers, using diagrams & translators when necessary

• Preoperative assessment of surgical candidates

• Work with anesthetic providers and hospital physicians

• Operate on selected candidates as scheduled

• Ongoing consultation for surgical patients

• Potential to train and mentor other Surgeons

For This Role, You Will Need

• Active licensure/ registration within home nation

• Minimum 2 years’ surgical practice following completion of specialty training program

• Active in practice (within the previous six months preferred)

• Fluent in English

• Flexibility and sensitivity to language and cultural diversity

The experience of a lifetime is calling.

More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.

At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.

Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve — and your own.