FREQUENTELY ASKED QUESTIONS
DONATIONS
How do you fund your programs?
Our organization is nonprofit and 100% charity-funded. Through generous gifts by donors, volunteers, grants, corporations and foundations and the donated time and talent of all the healthcare professionals who serve as our InternationalMedical Educators, we are able to direct more than 90% of our funds directly into our programs. View our financials here.
How can I support Physicians for Peace?
Your generous financial gift will contribute directly to training, supporting and empowering healthcare professionals around the world. You may make a donation online here.
How much of my donation will go to programs?
87.9% percent of our cash and material donations go directly toward our Global Health programs.
How do I know that my investment will be put to good use?
Independent, third-party agencies including Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) look at a nonprofit's financial statements, governance, program outcomes and fundraising practices, among other factors. Physicians for Peace meets all of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability, and Charity Navigator has recognized us for exceptional organizational efficiency. Physicians for Peace is also a is a USAID-registered Private and Voluntary Organization (PVO), a designation that requires organizations to meet a rigorous set of organizational, financial and programmatic standards.
What would your organization do with additional resources?
In the places we have touched, something remarkable is happening: those we train are not only continuing to care for their communities, but are training, mentoring and teaching others in their area, increasing the number of trained professionals and the strength of healthcare in their community. This is the exponential effect of education, and it creates a ripple effect of care and hope. With additional resources, Physicians for Peace could scale up our most successful medical training programs. We could create more opportunities, heal more people and save more lives. Many of the solutions we've formulated can be replicated; we know our model works. We also know that techniques we bring to a burn clinic in Costa Rica are as important to hospitals in the Dominican Republic, and that nurses in Malawi have some of the same needs as nurses in Ethiopia. We already connect people with the training and resources they need to build healthy communities. With greater resources, we could do that on a much larger scale. You can significantly enhance our ability to teach one and heal many.
Do I get a receipt for my donation?
Yes. A donation receipt will be sent to you at the email address you provide on the donation form and a mailed letter sent to your address acknowledging your gift. Please be sure to keep a copy of your receipt for tax purposes. If you select a recurring donation, you will be sent an initial receipt of your monthly giving and a final year end receipt.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. We are a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. To claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes, please keep your donation receipt as your official record.
Is my donation secure?
With certainty, your online gift is secured and the confidentiality of your information is our highest priority. We use industry-standard SSL (secure socket layer) technology to protect your information and provide a safe and secure environment for online donations. We will not sell, trade or share your personal information with anyone else, nor send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations, and we will only share personal information if you have given us specific permission to do so.
Do you embrace standards of transparency and accountability?
We believe that our donors have a right to expect regular updates on programs and financial reporting. Our financial information is accessible online, and through our focused communications efforts, we strive to keep our supporters aware of our latest news, without overwhelming your mailbox or inbox. And, we always welcome comments, questions and feedback.
PROGRAMS
What are your program areas?
How do you determine where to conduct your outreach programs?
Physicians for Peace responds to requests for training from individuals and organizations in underserved areas, including hospitals, clinics, government agencies and nongovernment organizations. Through first hand assessment, Physicians for Peace evaluates requests and explores the local needs. Before sending a team, Physicians for Peace confirms its ability to address those needs and achieve impact. Once a joint plan is mutually agreed upon, Physicians for Peace identifies funding and recruits volunteer healthcare professionals. A partnership is formed and training is initiated on site by our International Medical Educators who work with the in-country team on specific predetermined objectives.
Who goes on your medical training efforts?
Physicians for Peace Program Directors work closely with Volunteer Team Leaders and in-country host partners (hospitals, clinics, Ministries of Health) to identify training needs. Teams of International Medical Educators (IMEs) are then customized based on the identified training needs and may include: surgeons, nurses, therapists, pediatricians, and other healthcare specialists. Total team size also varies based on need; on average, the team consists of about 4 healthcare professionals who volunteer their time and skills, and spend from between 5 -10 days in the field.
I am a healthcare professional and interested in becoming an International Medical Educator. How can I volunteer for a Medical Training activity?
Learn more about our International Medical Educators and Volunteer Opportunities here.
What are your security guidelines for staff and IME volunteers?
For Physicians for Peace Staff and Volunteers there are times when the locations that we operate in have minimal risk. There are times that our operations may take our staff and volunteers into areas that have moderate risk. Sometimes, just like in the areas that you reside every day, the risk we experience may become great and extremely dangerous. That is the reason why 'Safety and Security' is so important for Physicians for Peace and it will be a continued priority for all of our staff. We take every person's personal safety as seriously as any other issue within the organization.
ABOUT PFP
What is Physicians for Peace?
Physicians for Peace trains providers of surgical care to strengthen healthcare systems in the world's most fragile places. Our programs lead with education and training, introducing critical skills which help local healthcare professionals to provide better treatment. This model, focused on education first, has an exponential effect: when you heal someone, you help one person. When you teach someone to heal, you help many.
Who founded Physicians for Peace?
Dr. Charles E. Horton, Sr. was born in Purdy, Missouri in 1925. He earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia and completed his surgical residency at George Washington University Hospital. Dr. Horton trained during the Korean War at the U.S. Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he discovered his passion for plastic surgery. After completing a plastic surgery residency at Duke University, he moved to Norfolk and became the region's first plastic surgeon.
What need does your organization address?
We envision a world where no one struggles with illness, disability or death due to the lack of quality local healthcare. Many under-resourced communities do not have enough access to qualified healthcare professional to meet the need. In fact, low and middle income countries carry 90 percent of the world's disease burden but have only 10 percent of the world's healthcare resources. That dramatic difference cuts lives short and condemns communities to poverty. The situation is morally unacceptable.
Where do you send volunteer healthcare teams?
When were you founded?
Physicians for Peace was founded in 1989 by Dr. Charles E. Horton Sr., a dedicated humanitarian and physician. When Dr. Charles Horton founded Physicians for Peace in 1989, he envisioned the organization as a corps of medical diplomats and healthcare providers from different backgrounds coming together to teach and learn.
How is Physicians for Peace governed?
Physicians for Peace is guided by a Board of Directors comprised of individuals with leadership roles in medicine, business, international relations, academia and government policy. Volunteer leaders from the medical community also provide regular, expert counsel to our program staffs through the Medical Advisory Committee.
What makes your organization effective?
Physicians for Peace mobilizes teams of committed healthcare providers who want to share knowledge and make a difference in the world. We are leaders in healthcare education, with a reputation for delivering thoughtful approaches to patient-centered care. In practice, that means we teach our colleagues how to care for all of a patient's needs.
Does Physicians for Peace partner with other organizations?