The program begins with a 60-hour first-aid training course; an intense eight days of learning that covers material ranging from bandaging a simple wound through CPR and mass casualty incidents. The six weeks that follow are dedicated to experiencing Israel in a very real sense. While riding the ambulances through the city where you are placed, you'll have the opportunity to meet the Israeli population with its wide diversity of people, it's many colors, religions and beliefs. You will be working with Israelis in an Israeli environment, perfecting your Hebrew and making wonderful new friends. All while saving lives.

The program is named for Yochai Porat Z”l , the program coordinator who was killed on March 3, 2002, while serving in reserve duty in the IDF. Yochai began volunteering in MDA at age 15. He served as a combat medic in the army, including running a military infirmary in Lebanon. After the army he continued to volunteer and became a senior medic and ambulance driver. In 2001 he began to coordinate the program for overseas volunteers. He was killed by a Palestinian sniper while trying to give medical care to a fellow soldier. He was 26 years old at the time of his death.

Training Course

The training course, which takes place during the first week of the program, is compulsory in order to volunteer for MDA. The course is very intense and classes will run from early in the morning until late at night. Sucessful completion of the course certifies the participant as a “Certified First Responder” through MDA Israel. In order to be exempt from the course you must provide valid certification of a parallel 60-hour ambulance course in your country of origin prior to your arrival in Israel, and pass a first aid exam. Your certification must be approved by MDA before you begin to volunteer (this is done through our office upon sucsessfully passing the first aid exam and completing all other registration procedures).
The course will take place “in house” in a youth hostel or absorption center. Housing and three meals a day are provided during the course to allow you to focus on your studies.

The course is given in English, however Hebrew vocabulary words will be given, and participants may be tested on those words. Slides and other training material may be presented in Hebrew and then explained in English, in order to enforce the Hebrew vocabulary.

According to MDA regulations, students are required to participate in all classes during the training course, unusual circumstances may be considered by the course director.

Participants may be quized daily on the material learned up until that period. On the last day of the program participants will be given a certification exam on all of the material covered in the training course. The exam consists of a written test and a practical test. Participants must pass both tests in order to be eligible to volunteer for MDA. The exam is compulsory and any student who does not pass the exam will not be allowed to volunteer for MDA.

Placements

Each MDA station can accommodate only a certain number of volunteers. The bigger stations such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa can take 10-12 overseas volunteers, while the smaller stations can accommodate only 2-5. The reason for this limitation is that only two-three volunteers and a driver can staff the ambulance. While large stations may have 8-10 ambulances per shift, smaller stations tend to have 2-3 ambulances on call per shift. The overseas volunteers join Israeli volunteers that work regularly at the station.

While we understand that you may wish to be placed in a particular city, one that you are acquainted with, or have family in, it is important to keep in mind that the main reason you have come on the program is to help MDA and the Israeli people. If you are placed in a station that is already full, you will not be accomplishing that goal.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that nothing in Israel is too far away. For example, if you are placed in Naharia, you are only 1 ½ hours away from Tel Aviv by train. Rehovot and Kiryat Gat are only an hour away from Jerusalem. While on the program you are required to do 5 shifts a week, so you can easily arrange to have two days in a row off to visit your family in other cities.

From our past experience as organizers of the program, the large majority of our participants request, and in some cases even insist, on being placed in the major cities. Also from past experience, the participants that enjoy the program the most, and get the most out of it are those who volunteer in the smaller cities. In the smaller stations there is more of a family atmosphere, and the overseas volunteers are welcomed more warmly and hosted frequently by Israeli families. In countless cases the same participants who insisted on being placed in Jerusalem and were placed elsewhere, said that being in a smaller community was the best part of their experience in MDA.

During the summer months (June-August) we generally have over 100 overseas volunteers in Israel at any given time. Each volunteer has his or her personal placement requests, and accommodating them all is impossible. Therefore we ask that you be understanding and patient, as well as open to different placement options.

During the year (September through May), we only place participants in cities where there is an absorption center in close proximity, unless they arrange their own accommodations. During the summer months we open placement options in many additional cities, and provide accommodations in dormitories, hostels and hotels. Unlike absorption centers, these facilities are private, and therefore there is an additional charge for accommodations in these cities. If you are applying to the program during the summer months, additional information on the placement options will be sent to you.