Support Medical Students and Professionals with Career Development

Activity/project background

A Ukrainian university delivers undergraduate and postgraduate education in medicine, dentistry, and healthcare-related fields, while actively engaging in academic research, clinical training, and international collaboration.

Medical students and young healthcare professionals face a significant gap in career development skills, including career planning, professional self-presentation, creating resumes and curriculum vitaes (CVs), and writing cover letters. While participants possess strong technical and clinical training, limited exposure to structured career development and conversational practice constrains their access to global education pathways, research collaboration, residencies, and international exchange. The engagement will address this need through a structured curriculum, supporting approximately 20–25 participants, primarily senior medical students and young professionals aged 18–35.

The university is seeking the support of one Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to support a career development and communication club for medical students and young medical professionals. The VSPP would fill the gap for English-language career coaching and professional communication that is not locally available. The VSPP will design and facilitate 1-hour weekly sessions over the engagement period, delivering interactive workshops, guided practice, and feedback on career planning, CVs, LinkedIn profiles, interview skills, and goal setting for international medical and academic contexts.

The organization has not previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Engagement and tasks

The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:

• Co-assess current skills and priorities of club members
• Co-develop curriculum which will include at least 10–12 sessions that focus on professional development, soft skills, professional presentation skills, job search tips, creating effective LinkedIn profiles etc.
• Co-facilitate a weekly 1-hour online session for club members (average number of participants is 20–25, aged 18–35)
• Attend a weekly meeting with Ukrainian colleagues for feedback and discussion

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be five hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Kyiv time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The host country counterpart will have access to Zoom, Google Meet, Telegram, emails, and WhatsApp for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

Optional additional activities

The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:

1. To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.

Essential qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field

Experience:
• Teaching, tutoring, mentoring, or coaching young professionals aged 18–35 in any educational institutions or youth clubs
• Career consulting /coaching

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually

Desired qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, healthcare, or related field

Experience:
• Virtual engagement and communication
• Curriculum and workshop development
• Coaching, guiding, and/or mentoring young professionals on career planning (e.g. resume, motivation statement writing, job search on LinkedIn, interviews, etc.)
• Understanding and adapting teaching approaches to different conditions and contexts

Terms and conditions of engagement

VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.

Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.

The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.

Engagement safety and security

The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.

Supervision requirements

The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.