Frequently Asked Questions

Will I need an adapter for my plug-in devices? 

Panama typically uses 110-volt electricity.  Plugs are typically the 2-pronged flat type, as used in North America.

Do I need to bring bed linens?

We have sheets for the beds, and most people just bring one of their sheets for the multi-day clinics, though if you have a thin blanket and can fit it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to carry, as some of the clinics in late October and November are sometimes a little chilly at night.

What will I need to pack for mobile clinics? Multi-day clinics?

Please see the Packing List in the Volunteer Handbook.

What type of bag should I bring?

Due to shared living space, packing lightly is encouraged. Please limit yourself to no more than two small duffel bags or one suitcase or travel backpack for clothing and personal items, and one small daypack (a school backpack is fine) for clinic days. A large drybag is encouraged. 

How much can I bring?

Each passenger flying into Bocas Del Toro has a 23 kilogram allowance for luggage (approx 50lbs). If you are overweight you have the option of checking bags in as cargo. As long as you go through checking and get your boarding pass, the cargo is shipped at $1 per kilogram. The cargo office is on the side of the airport (attached to the building- the employee at the check in counter can direct you). Also make sure you ask them when the cargo will arrive in Bocas. It usually comes in on the same flight but check just to make sure.

Can I purchase toiletries in town?

You will be able to purchase many toiletries in town, though they are generally a bit more expensive, particularly if you are buying international brands.  If staying only a couple weeks or you have particular preferences, it is recommended that you bring your toiletries with you.

Will I need to bring scrubs?

As a medical professional, scrubs are optional but recommended, as they differentiate medical personnel from non-medical. We have scrubs in many sizes and colors that you may freely borrow during your stay. 

*Immersion Participants- scrubs are not necessary as you will not be treating patients.

What should I wear?

Please see the Floating Doctors Dress Code  

1. Where do volunteers stay?

As a volunteer organization, accommodations are basic.  Floating Doctors headquarters is located on a small, protected island just off Isla San Cristobal,  15 minutes by water taxi or 30 minutes by cayuco from Bocas Town.  The facility provides a bunkhouse with dorm-style accommodations, each room sleeping up to four, with separate bathhouse and communal buildings.

While on a multi-day clinic, volunteers stay within a community for a few nights.  Typically, you will be sleeping in hammocks under an open-air rancho or hung in the community school.

The address of our base is:

Isla de Doctores, Valle Escondido, Isla San Cristobal
Bocas del Toro, Panama

Phone: 507 6962-7455

Do I have to stay with Floating Doctors?

Generally, all volunteers are required to stay at the Floating Doctors headquarters.  Occasionally, there are extenuating circumstances that may make it difficult for volunteers to stay with Floating Doctors.  If you believe you will not be able to stay with Floating Doctors, please confirm that this is possible with the Volunteer Director.  You will be required to have open communication lines with the team at the headquarters and secure your own transportation to our headquarters for clinics throughout your stay.

Are meals provided?

Your volunteer contribution covers meals Sunday evening through Friday lunch.  These meals are prepared by cooks from a nearby community, and there is a variety of meals.  On multi-day clinics, we provide ingredients and coordinate with the community to cook for us. The meals on multi-day clinic are much less varied, and typically include rice, beans, vegetables, and a protein.

I have special dietary needs.  Will I be able to eat what is provided?

We will do our best to accommodate your dietary needs.  For this reason, it is imperative that you let the Volunteer Coordinators know of any needs with advance notice.  Generally, most diets can be accommodated, but volunteers are welcome to use the kitchen when it is not in use by the cooks to prepare their own meals in the event that they can’t eat what is being provided for a meal.

The supermarkets in Bocas have a fair variety of foods.   You will be able to find plenty of foods suiting a variety of diets.  Keep in mind, however, that you may not find specific foods commonly found in North America and Europe. You may need to modify your diet accordingly.

Can I drink the water?

As in all limited  resource settings, the water in Bocas del Toro is not always clean.  We have filtered rainwater at the headquarters for drinking.  While in town, we recommend purchasing filtered water.  While we will have water tanks in clinics, we recommend you bring your own drinking water (at least 1 liter) on all mobile clinics.

On multi-day clinics, in addition to our water tanks, all volunteers are responsible for bringing a large filled water bottle. 

What vaccinations are recommended?

Floating Doctors does not require any specific vaccinations. However, we strongly encourage all volunteers and staff to be vaccinated and to stay up-to-date with recommended immunizations.

For up-to-date information on routine and recommended vaccines for traveling to Panama, we suggest referring to the CDC’s guidelines: CDC Travel Health for Panama. We have provided more information on each vaccine below. 

Please note that while we don’t have a vaccine requirement for our volunteers, we encourage vaccinations for our patients and ask that anyone addressing patient inquiries about vaccinations communicates this recommendation clearly.

RABIES:

Volunteers are advised to consult their primary care or travel health provider for further discussion and advice. This is an individual decision and vaccination is not mandatory. 

The CDC considers Panana to have Robust Rabies Survellience and Control Programs. Panama is considered by the CDC to be free of canine rabies. Floating Doctors has a Rabies Protocol in place and access to post exposure prophylaxis when necessary.  

Vaccination for Rabies consists of a series of three intramuscular injections with human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV) or purified chick embryo cell (PCEC) vaccine. All three injections are required for complete vaccination.

YELLOW FEVER:

Yellow fever vaccines aren’t required for our purposes; yellow fever used to be required for entry into Panama but it is now only required if you are coming from a yellow-fever endemic country. 

TYPHOID:

Typhoid is easily prevented through handwashing and food safety and quickly and effectively treated with antibiotics if contracted, but if convenient to get the typhoid vaccination, we would recommend it as an additional level of safety.

MALARIA:

For malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases, we recommend that all volunteers practice typical, but enhanced, precautions to avoid mosquito bites. This means wearing pants and considering long sleeves when at clinic and using mosquito spray with DEET. Malaria is present in Panama. All beds on the Floating Doctors base include mosquito nets and fans. For multi-day clinics when the team will be sleeping for 2-3 nights in the communities, we have hammock/net kits available to rent.  We recommend taking a malaria prophylaxis prior to your arrival in Bocas del Toro as an added precaution. Keep in mind that some malaria prophylaxis can make you sensitive to sun. We recommend choosing one that does not have this side effect.

You do not need to send Floating Doctors copies of your other vaccinations. It is, however, recommended that volunteers travel with a copy in case something happens and you need to inform the hospital.

Will I have internet access?

Floating Doctors has internet access at the volunteer headquarters. There is rarely access to the internet while in the communities where we work. 

There are many restaurants in town with Wi-Fi (free with purchase) as well.

Do I need a phone?

Panamanian cell phones can be very helpful, especially for long-term volunteers. They usually cost about $30 dollars to begin with, and then you can add credit any time after that. Phones are available at most pharmacies as well as specific phone stores downtown. Many volunteers use Tigo or Mas Movil. You can buy recharge cards at most pharmacies and grocery stores. This is an excellent way to reach other Floating Doctors volunteers; calling internationally is not very expensive, either.

How do I call home?

How to call Panama from a U.S. phone:

• 011 – US exit code; dial first for international calls made from US or Canada
• 507 – Country code for Panama
• Phone number – 7 digits for landline, 8 digits for cell phone
• U.S. to Panama international dialing format: 011-507-???? ????

How to call internationally from a Panamanian phone:

• 00 – Panamanian exit code; dial first for international calls made from Panama

• Country code for the country you are calling (http://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html)
• Phone number
• Examples:

o Panama to US international dialing format: 00-1-phone number

o Panama to Canada international dialing format: 00-1- phone number

o Panama to Australia international dialing format: 00-61- phone number or Panama to UK international dialing format: 00-44- phone number

o Panama to Ireland international dialing format: 00-353- phone number

Do I need a visa?

It depends on your nationality. Citizens of most countries DO NOT need a visa to enter Panama because their countries hold treaties with Panama that entitle their citizens to visit for up to 180 days without a visa. For more information, please visit https://panama.visahq.com/

• Important Passport Information

To enter Panama, a passport valid for a minimum of six months from the date of entry is required by all foreign nationals.  Even if you are staying only one week, please make sure your passport will be valid for at least six months from the date you enter Panama.

• What day can I arrive?

We require that all volunteers arrive on a Sunday. This is a non-clinic day for us, and doing so helps ensure we have someone to meet you when you arrive. Additionally, we require all volunteers to attend an orientation, held every Sunday evening, prior to working with us.  

Please note that if you need to arrive on a day other than Sunday, you will be responsible for your own accommodations and will neither be able to live or work with us until the next Sunday.

How do I get to Bocas?

There are three ways to travel to Bocas Town; by bus/private shuttle and then boat from San Jose, Costa Rica, or by air from Panama City, Panama, or by bus and then boat from Panama City, Panama.

Getting from Panama City to Bocas by Air

Majority of international flights into Panama come into Tocuman International Airport in Panama City.  Most flights from Panama City to Bocas fly out of Albrook Airport Airport (about 30 minutes from Tocumen Airport, though it can be longer during rush hour.) 

To get from Panama City to Bocas, there are two airlines: 

• Air Panama. Air Panama flies multiple flights daily from Albrook directly to Bocas (usually about $120 with tax one-way.) Flights can be booked online or in person at the airport. Prices are pretty much the same either way. 
• FlyTrip is a private airline that sometimes has deals on their empty legs. This is also an easier option when traveling with a group. They have flights available out of Albrook and Tocumen. Please book directly via whatsapp 6250-9578

Cabs and Ubers are readily available and should be around $20-$30. Please contact our Volunteer Director if you would like to reserve a cab in advance. 

It is highly recommended that you give yourself a minimum of 3.5 hours between your landing time in Panama City and your departure time for Bocas del Toro, as you will need to get your baggage, go through customs, and take a taxi across town. If you cannot make this time frame, it is advised that you stay overnight in Panama City.

Getting from Panama City to Bocas by Bus

If you need to travel over land due to schedule constraints or would like to save money, you can take an overnight bus from Panama City to Almirante (10-11 hours) and then a boat from Almirante to Bocas del Toro (30 minutes). To make this happen you first have to take a taxi from Tocumen Airport ($35) or from your hotel in Panama City to Albrook Bus Terminal (Gran Terminal de Transporte) and from there you can get your bus to Almirante.  

The Bocas del Toro bus ticket office numbers are: 303-6326 and 303-6327 in Panama City, and 758-8127 in Bocas del Toro. The only dates when you will not be able to easily catch a bus is when it is a Panamanian National Holiday or when there is school break (3 times a year and dates constantly change). On these days you are better of booking a flight from Panama City to Bocas del Toro because the tickets frequently sell out (and you can’t book online.) For holidays, please refer to this calendar for national holidays, and this calendar for school holidays. 

Once you arrive to Almirante, you can pay any taxi $1 to take you from the bus stop to the docks from where the boats depart to Bocas del Toro. The overnight bus from Panama City to Almirante departs at 6pm, 7pm, and 8PM and takes around 10 to 11 hours. This schedule is subject to change. Buses are air conditioned, modern and have reclinable seats. They are very cold, so bringing extra layers or a blanket is highly recommended! You will arrive to Almirante between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. The first boat to Isla Colón (Bocas del Toro’s main island) departs every half hour starting at 6 a.m. and takes 30 minutes. The cost for the overnight bus ticket is approximately $30 and the boat (water taxi) costs $6. On Sundays, there is also a bus that leaves Panama City at 7 a.m.  Currently there are three water taxi companies: Valencia, Transporte Torres and Taxi 25.

Staying in Panama City

In some situations, it is necessary to stay overnight in Panama City to ensure you are able to make your flight to Bocas del Toro. Hotels range from $45-$95 or more. We usually advise people to find a hotel in the ‘El Cangrejo’ district, which is right in the center of town (between the two airports) and a nicer area with lots of hotels and places to eat etc.

Getting from San Jose, Costa Rica to Bocas

In San José, Costa Rica you can take a bus to Changuinola in Panama (about 7 hours plus border crossing time), which is 19 km away from Almirante, from where you will be taking a boat (30 minutes) to Bocas del Toro. You can also take a bus from San José to Sixaola, which is located right on the Costa Rican border, do the immigration procedures, cross over to Guabito on the Panamanian side, do the rest of the immigration procedures, and then continue by other means of transportation to Almirante.

There is also a shuttle from San José to Bocas del Toro Caribe Shuttle | Transportation in Costa Rica, Panama & Nicaragua

Where do I meet Floating Doctors

Upon your arrival to Bocas del Toro, please make your way Buena Vista Restaurant Dock.

The dock is well within walking distance from the airport. If you take a taxi, it is a short ride. All volunteers will be picked up from the dock every Sunday at 5:00 PM, regardless of the time or manner in which they arrive. We suggest getting to the dock by 4:30pm.

What currency is used?

Panama uses two currencies, the Panamanian Balboa and the US dollar, and they are kept at a 1:1 ratio at all times. Panama does not print any paper currency; all paper is US currency. There are four ATM machines in Bocas del Toro. The two main machines are conveniently located about 3 blocks from the Airport on Av.E Nte at the Banco Nacional. Typical ATM charges are $6.50 (not including your bank’s charge.) You can only withdraw $250 at a time. The other two ATMs are located at local grocery stores, Duo Market and Supermarket Cristina.

Will I need cash?

It is advisable to carry cash with you for water taxis and street food.  While you will generally not need cash on mobile clinics or multi-day clinics, some you may want to carry some small bills, as many of the community members will sell coconuts, fruits, and their handiwork.  Additionally, on many multi-day clinics, we stop en route as we transfer from one mode of transportation to another.  People frequently purchase snacks during this time.

How can I check the schedule for the time I’ll be in Panama?

On our website (www.floatingdoctors.com,) our weekly schedule is at the bottom of each page. It is updated in real time and will show when we are on mobile single-day or multi-day clinics.

What is a typical weekly schedule?

Single-Day Clinic Week:

Sunday: dinner and new volunteer orientation 

Monday: Pharmacy (AM), afternoon base tasks,3-4 hours

Tuesday: Mobile Clinic 6-8 hours

Wednesday: Mobile Clinic 6-8 hours

Thursday: Mobile Clinic 6-8 hours

Friday: Follow Up Clinic 3 hours OR administrative tasks/preparation for the next week’s clinics. 

Multi-Day Clinic Week:

Sunday: dinner and new volunteer orientations 

 Monday: Travel for clinic (2-5 hours)

Tuesday: Mobile Clinic 6-8 hours

Wednesday: Mobile Clinic 6-8 hours

Thursday: Depart for base 3-4 hours 

Friday: Follow Up Clinic 3 hours AND/OR administrative tasks/preparation for the next week’s clinics. 

Please note: A typical working day is 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM, but this is subject to change. There will be days when volunteers are expected to work outside these hours. Similarly, there may be days when all tasks are completed early and volunteers will be released early. All volunteers are expected to work until they are released by leadership.

• What can I expect as a volunteer?

Volunteers will each be assigned a role for the clinic. Although the roles for medical providers usually remain the same, the other clinic roles assigned will likely vary from clinic to clinic for the non-licensed provider volunteers.

All volunteers will be placed where they are needed. We always try to rotate non-licensed provider volunteers between administration, intake, pharmacy, and physician assistant/scribe if the volunteer’s stay allows.

There is no guarantee that you will participate in all the roles at clinic during your stay.

A volunteer’s experience in Floating Doctors, while primarily medical, does consist of other activities. All volunteers (individuals and groups) are expected to participate fully in ALL Floating Doctors activities. This includes, but is not limited to, carrying and packing of medical bags, helping with inventory, coding and scanning, boat maintenance, and sometimes cleaning.

Do students typically receive credit for participating in the program?

The student’s program generally determines whether or not a student receives credit for volunteering with us. There is usually paperwork involved (different for every program.) Please check with your program to determine if you are eligible to receive credit for volunteering with us.