Everything You Needfor Your SLT.
Everything you need before, during and after your Service Learning Trip — clinic stations, phrasebook, daily rhythm and emergency contacts.
Who we are
MEDLIFE is a 501(c)(3) fully non-profit organization with over 450 student chapters worldwide. We partner with low-income communities across Latin America and Africa to improve access to medicine, education, and community development projects. All resources are reinvested in advancing our mission and impact — no private equity ownership, no private shareholders.
- Lima + Cusco, PeruAvailable
Peru Dual SLT + Machu Picchu
Two-week bundle: one SLT week in Lima, a Saturday flight to Cusco, a second SLT week in the Andes and an included full day at Machu Picchu.
Open handbook
- Lima, Quito, Riobamba & GalápagosAvailable
Peru + Ecuador + Galápagos
Three-week bundle across two countries: an SLT week in Lima, a full day in Quito, an SLT week in Riobamba and a Galápagos island-hopping extension.
Open handbook
- PeruAvailable
Cusco
Andean and Quechua communities in the Cusco region
Open handbook
- PeruAvailable
Lima
Hillside communities on the outskirts of Peru's capital.
Open handbook
- EcuadorAvailable
Riobamba
Highland Kichwa communities in the Andes — where MEDLIFE began.
Open handbook
- TanzaniaAvailable
Kilimanjaro
Rural communities around Moshi, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Open handbook
- Costa RicaAvailable
San José
Communities in and around Costa Rica's capital.
Open handbook
- Lima + CuscoAvailable
Peru
Service learning in Lima's hillside settlements plus an included Machu Picchu visit.
Open handbook
Nicolas Ellis, MD
Founder, MEDLIFE
A message from our founder
Why we do this work
Dear Friends,
MEDLIFE began with a simple belief I learned early in my life: that health, dignity, and opportunity are not privileges—they are rights owed to every human being.
As a student, I saw firsthand how poverty and inequality shape lives. But I also saw something else: that too many institutions teach about injustice from a distance, studying suffering without confronting or alleviating it.
I knew there had to be a better way.
My experiences in Panama and Ecuador taught me that true understanding comes only when you enter the systems that shape people's lives—when you listen to families, walk their paths, and witness both their struggles and their strength. Working with Paul Farmer's team taught me something equally important: that justice requires presence, humility, and persistence. You cannot serve people well if you do not walk with them for the long haul.
MEDLIFE was built at the intersection of these two truths.
For more than two decades, MEDLIFE has worked alongside local leaders in low-income communities to expand access to healthcare, education, and safe housing. But that's only half of our mission. The other half is developing the next generation of leaders—students and emerging professionals—who will continue this work for decades to come.
Our Service Learning Trips are not charity.
They are retreats where people disconnect from distraction, reconnect with purpose, and learn the mindset and skills required to serve ethically and sustainably. They are the beginning of a lifelong journey, not the end.
I have watched thousands of students discover their purpose in these communities. I have watched local leaders rise to address challenges that once seemed immovable. And I have watched families build safer, healthier lives for their children. These moments—and the relationships behind them—are the reason MEDLIFE exists.
Our mission is bold because the need is great.
But I believe deeply that with understanding, humility, and sustained action, we can build a more just world for low-income families everywhere.
Thank you for being part of this movement.
Thank you for your presence, your service, and your belief in what we can build together.
With gratitude and hope,
Nicolas Ellis, MD
Founder, MEDLIFE