Semester Abroad Volunteer?

<p>I was accepted to the Spring Semester of one of my colleges and me and my parents were seriously considering possibly spending this year's fall semester abroad or something like that, volunteering in some medicine or science related field. I was looking at India, since my family is actually from India and I think it would be a good experience. Like I have family there so I wouldn't need to do a homestay or something.
Is this type of thing discouraged? Should I just go to community college for a semester and then transfer in the spring? Does anyone have any information or know of any organizations that do this sort of thing? Like a gap year but a gap semester. It might be too late to apply anyway.</p>