Evidence-Informed Leadership Benchmarks for Ethical and Sustainable Short Term Medical Missions

Authors

• Amber Beserra, University of LynchburgFollow

Specialty

Global Health

Advisor

Dr. Salzer

Abstract

Despite the rapid expansion of short-term medical missions (STMMs) in low-resource global settings, the model remains plagued by unresolved ethical concerns and inconsistent clinical outcomes. To mitigate the risks of voluntourism and promote meaningful and sustainable impact for host communities, STMMs require competent and effective leadership across the three critical phases: pre-departure preparation, mission implementation, and post-mission follow-up. This narrative review aims to establish evidence-informed benchmarks to support the recruitment, training, and development of STMMs leaders, with the goal of enhancing ethical integrity, mission effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of short-term medical missions. As these leaders shape mission structure and serve as the principal liaison between volunteers and host communities, their influence on ethical conduct and operational effectiveness is substantial. By synthesizing cross-disciplinary literature from humanitarian, wilderness, and austere medicine, this work provides a competency-based framework for STMMs leadership to optimize ethical and effective global health interventions.

Recommended Citation

Beserra A. Evidence-Informed Leadership Benchmarks for Ethical and Sustainable Short Term Medical Missions. University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2026; 8(1).