Health care in third-world countries is often bleak when compared to most industrialized countries. In an effort to close this gap, students and health professionals have taken an interest in ameliorating global health issues by contributing donations, by volunteering, and by conducting research. Among these global health initiatives are short-term medical missions (STMM), which generally take place over 1-2 weeks and provide health-related services to individuals in developing countries. These services include eye examinations, wellness checks, over-the-counter medicine, and surgical operations. While on the surface these programs seem beneficial to both volunteers and to program recipients, we know little about the short- and long-term effects on the recipient community. What, then, are the impacts of overseas educational medical programs on the receiving community? And, more specifically, what program model best ensures positive results on-the-ground? My project evaluates four prominent STMM organizations based on each program's pre-departure training practices, the empowerment of local healthcare workers, the presence of organization-community partnerships, the comprehensiveness of care, and the program’s duration and impact. I conclude that most short-term medical missions are set to do more harm than good in the communities they serve. The primary issue is that these missions aim to temporarily fix the problem instead of preventing problems or establishing long-term, sustainable practices. Funding and volunteers should be utilized by the existing local health care sector to aid in the training and support of local health care workers.