Mercy Outreach Surgical Team: Changing Lives in Mexico

Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (MOST): Changing Lives in Mexico

Reaching out to those who have limited access to health care, the Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (MOST) provides care and compassion during week-long and weekend missions in the heart of Mexico. Our goal is to bring hope, comfort and the opportunity for a better life to children and adults through life-changing surgeries. For more than 30 years, MOST missions have helped uplift the spirits, self-esteem and prospects of more than 14,000 patients.


Since the program began in 1987, MOST has been supported entirely through philanthropy. Our physicians, nurses, technical and administrative team members volunteer their time and expertise to help those in need. Without the generosity of donors and volunteers, this work could not be done.


For an update on what we're doing, check out our latest newsletter (PDF, 1.3 MB).

Making miracles happen in Mexico

A mother gets help for her baby by Scripps Mercy Outreach Surgical Team in Mexico.

For more than three decades, the Scripps Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (MOST) has been crossing borders and changing lives. These dedicated volunteers not only work wonders for patients’ self-esteem, they bring hope — and with it the opportunity for a better life. Take a look at some of their work and check out our video to see the impact the team has made with your support.

There are many ways to give

An online donation is the easiest and most immediate way to help MOST. All gifts, no matter the size, can have a direct impact on those in greatest need:

Benefits of Giving MOST
  • $100 provides an eye exam and a pair of eyeglasses
  • $750 provides surgery for one child
  • $750 sponsors one team member
  • $25,000 provides supplies for one mission
  • $35,000 covers team travel
  • $100,000 sponsors the team for a week-long mission


Your gift can change a life with one click. No matter the size of the gift, all gifts matter. Every dollar donated goes toward providing life-changing procedures. Our MOST team plans two to three trips a year, typically in the spring and fall. Your gift can help send our team on its next mission. Please view the video below to capture the essence of a recent mission trip.


Donate now

Volunteer on a MOST trip

MOST makes one-week trips to different cities in Mexico twice a year, as well as regular weekend trips to Baja. The team works with patients of all ages, but primarily young children. The team works at a local hospital in Mexico and brings all necessary durable and disposable supplies to set up the operating room.

Surgeries commonly performed

  • Cleft lip and palate repairs
  • Microtia reconstructions
  • Herniorrhaphies
  • Orchiopexies
  • Strabismus corrections
  • Burn scar revisions and burn contracture releases
  • Syndactyly releases
  • Removal of extra toes/fingers
  • Removal of hairy nevi

Types of volunteers needed

Surgeons (board certified):

  • General
  • Maxillofacial
  • Ophthalmology
  • Registered nurses 
  • PACU
  • Pediatrician
  • Plastic
  • Post-operative
  • Pre-operative
  • OR
  • Urology


Anesthesiologists (board certified):

  • Adult
  • Pediatric


Licensed vocational nurses:

  • Post-operative
  • Pre-operative


Other roles:

  • Anesthesia technicians
  • Medical records/administrative assistants
  • OR technicians
  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy technicians


Roles not currently needed:

  • Dentists 
  • EMTs
  • Interns
  • Nursing students
  • OB-GYN physicians
  • Residents


MOST volunteers work the day shift Monday through Friday in their assigned positions. Fluency in Spanish is highly desired, but not mandatory. Volunteers are selected by committee, based on the completed applications received, their skills and the needs of each program. Teams are selected several months before a trip.


For week-long trips, the team travels to Mexico on Sunday and returns the following Saturday. 


Volunteers are not compensated and are asked to make a donation to help cover the cost of their travel and lodging.


To be a MOST volunteer, you must be:

 

  • A team player and work well with others
  • Physically, emotionally and mentally able to endure long hours at a fast pace and fulfill the duties of the volunteer position
  • 18 years of age

Apply to volunteer

To volunteer with MOST, please contact Kathy Guevara at 619-686-3633 or guevara.kathryn@scrippshealth.org.


Please read the volunteer guidelines (PDF, 220 KB) and send the completed application (PDF, 110 KB), a color copy of your passport and a CV or resume (for licensed applicants) to guevara.kathryn@scrippshealth.org.

For more information on how to donate to MOST, contact Judah Crossland, Director of Development, at 858-554-3971 or crossland.judah@scrippshealth.org.