Medical Providers

We are specifically looking for MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs with primary care, urgent care, ER or wilderness medicine experience who are CPR/AED certified. Providers will carry a pager 24/7 and respond to (infrequent) emergency 911 calls if requested by EMS. They will also staff a walk-in First Aid station for 2 hours per day - Monday through Friday. We anticipate that this will be a unique and exciting opportunity professionally as well as a huge contribution to the Swan's Island community.

Housing

A Swan's Island house or cabin with 1-2 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom, and internet access will be provided free of charge for the medical volunteer and their family.

Experiencing Swan's Island

We expect there will be ample time for medical providers to enjoy the natural beauty of Swan's Island and join in island activities with our friendly island residents.

Responsibilities of SIFA Medical Volunteers

1. First Aid Walk-In Hours

Walk-in hours at the First Aid Station will be 2 hours per day Monday thru Friday. Walk-in hours are for the treatment of minor injuries and illnesses. On occasion, if a situation is deemed more serious, the volunteer will contact island EMS and advise and help coordinate getting the patient transported to the mainland for further evaluation and treatment.

The First Aid Station has a well equipped exam room and first aid supplies but only very limited medications on hand. The walk-in clinic is NOT intended to take the place of one's primary care and we do not treat chronic illnesses or renew patients medications. The First Aid Station is also a place where injured patients can be brought for evaluation, assessment and where patients can be held safely while awaiting transport off the island if necessary.

2. Carrying an emergency call cell phone and responding to 911 calls 24/7

Volunteers will carry an emergency call cell phone 24/7 and will assist our first responders in attending to 911 calls. A major part of the medical volunteer's role in responding to a 911 call is triaging - assessing, stabilizing the patient and helping to determine if Lifeflight or other mainland-based EMS personnel are needed. Also in some instances, if you're able, you'll be asked to help first aid volunteers with carry-outs when patients are injured on the trails. In addition, in serious situations you will be responsible for helping to keep a patient stable while awaiting medical personnel from the mainland and then reporting and handing off the patient to them. In rare instances, when the LifeFlight helicopter or the Coast Guard vessel are not able to get to the island due to weather, you might need to accompany the patient on the ferry to hand them off to an ambulance at a mainland dock. There are generally an average of 15 emergency medical calls over the course of the summer.

3. Licensing

Medical providers with active Maine licenses are preferred during our pilot project due to the added cost of licensing out of state providers for only a 1-2 week period of work.

Out of state MDs, DOs and PAs will need to get a full or temporary Maine license. See links: https://www.maine.gov/md/licensure/md-license and https://www.maine.gov/osteo/licensure

Out of state NPs will also need to apply for a Maine NP license. See link: www.maine.gov/boardofnursing

4. Malpractice Insurance

For the 2026 SIFA pilot project we are hoping that all volunteer providers will have their own medical malpractice liability insurance which will cover volunteer work on Swan's Island. If you work for a group practice or hospital organization please contact your malpractice insurance specialist to confirm coverage for volunteer work.

If your own malpractice will not cover volunteer work on Swan's Island then SIFA's liability insurance becomes your primary malpractice carrier covering your time on Swan's Island.

We will ask you confirm your insurance arrangement prior to arrival and send us a current document certifying your insurance coverage.