About Us
Homayon Ghassemi
Co-Founder
International Medical Aid
A Message From
Our Founders
A great disparity exists in access to medical care around the world, leaving the world’s most vulnerable populations with little or no healthcare. During my senior year at Johns Hopkins, I along with my classmate, Roger Voter, began investigating the root causes of this inequality and began developing a thesis focused on methods of improving access to healthcare for the world’s most underserved people. Through multidisciplinary academic and field study, we established a model for a self-sustaining medical not-for-profit organization, which would ultimately become International Medical Aid (IMA).
Upon submitting our final thesis during our inaugural health campaign in Ecuador, IMA was formally launched in the summer of 2012. From these humble roots, IMA now has operations across three continents and in several countries including Haiti, Ecuador, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. To date, the important work of each overseas hospital volunteer has effected meaningful change in the lives of thousands of individuals around the world.
Building upon International Medical Aid’s core values of integrity, mutual respect and commitment, I am excited to announce the launch of IMA Electives and IMA Safaris.
These new programs provide every overseas hospital volunteer a safe and rewarding opportunity to gain pre-health experience in a hospital or public health setting in one of our target countries around the world, while witnessing the culture and natural beauty of these destinations. Having myself volunteered with other placement groups, I found these companies to be profit-driven organizations with unethical labor practices and little concern for their volunteers or communities.
Seeking to raise this standard and introduce a not-for-profit model for the “ elective business,” I have assembled the best team in the industry with nearly 40 years of combined experience. Together, we offer innovative programs for pre-med volunteering, pre-dentistry experience, nursing, mental health and other related fields. Staying true to our alma mater’s philosophy of “business with humanity in mind,” proceeds from IMA Electives and IMA Safaris are used to sustain and further develop International Medical Aid’s humanitarian initiatives in South America, East Africa and the Caribbean. As we strive to lead the industry, we work to support the communities in which we operate by providing generous salaries to our staff, contracting local vendors, sourcing local products whenever possible and investing in targeted public health and education programs.
Whether you are a doctor, nurse or paramedic, a medical student or seeking pre-health experience, IMA has opportunities for you to advance your clinical skills and education, while exploring a new and exciting corner of the world. Along the way, you will have the guidance and experience of my stellar team behind you.