Jamaica Relief FAQs
Volunteer Deployment FAQ
This FAQ provides key information for Penn Medicine faculty and staff considering participation in the Jamaican Relief Response effort following Hurricane Melissa. Please review carefully before submitting your Deployment Application Form or attending an information session.
Eligibility and Application
Full-time, fully credentialed Penn Medicine employees (physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals) with a valid U.S. passport and up-to-date vaccinations are eligible. Residents and fellows may be considered with departmental approval.
At this stage, deployment is limited to clinical personnel.
Interested volunteers must complete the Deployment Application Form and discuss planned away time with their department or division leadership.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis through February 2026, with priority given to those available between November 15, 2025, and February 15, 2026.
Final selections will be made by the Center for Global Health (CGH) under the guidance of Dr. Patrick J. Brennan, based on clinical needs identified by the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Heart Institute of the Caribbean.
Deployment and Logistics
Most deployments will be in Kingston and surrounding parishes, coordinated through the Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation and local hospitals identified by the Jamaican Ministry of Health.
A minimum of 14 consecutive days on-site is required.
Yes. Flights will be booked by CGH, and housing and local transport will be coordinated through the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation. Lodging will be in secure, shared accommodations near clinical sites.
Penn Medicine will cover airfare. On-site housing and ground transport will be covered by Jamaican partners. Meals and personal expenses are the volunteer’s responsibility.
No per diem is provided. Volunteers should plan for incidental costs not covered on-site.
Health, Safety, and Insurance
All volunteers must have received a current 2025-2026 COVID-19 booster and routine adult vaccinations. Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid, and Tetanus boosters are strongly recommended.
Yes. All deployed volunteers are covered under Penn ISOS for medical evacuation and repatriation in the event of a security or medical emergency.
Conditions are currently stable, but all deployments are subject to change depending on weather, infrastructure, and local security updates.
Administrative Details
Yes. Participation is on a voluntary basis using personal time. All away time must be coordinated and approved by department or division leadership before deployment.
Yes, volunteers remain salaried during their approved volunteer leave period, provided standard HR and departmental processes are followed.
Yes, as this is a Penn Medicine sanctioned effort, Penn will ensure that all practitioners receive medical liability coverage.
Yes. CGH will conduct mandatory pre-deployment virtual orientations covering logistics, health, and safety protocols.
Please direct all questions to Kierstyn Claycomb at the Center for Global Health at Kierstyn.Claycomb@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.