Make a Difference!: Becoming a Hospital Volunteer
If you have ever dreamt of an experience working at a hospital before even graduating from medical school, you’ve probably thought of volunteering at a hospital. Unfortunately, the pandemic has restricted volunteering opportunities. However, now that COVID restrictions are loosening up, more hospitals are starting to open their doors for volunteer applications. With all this extra time to spare during the summer, why not give your time to make a difference in your community and get involved with volunteering at a hospital?
There are numerous skills you might learn while volunteering at a hospital. First, it goes without saying that you will learn about your role as a volunteer, whether that be providing information, assisting patients, or tackling administrative tasks. With these tasks, of course, comes a golden opportunity to strengthen your invaluable transferable skills. As a volunteer, time management skills are essential, as hospital settings can get quite busy. You’ll also be working on your communication skills when assisting patients or providing directions to visitors. In addition, you might find improvements in your organization skills as a volunteer who works on administrative tasks. These skills and beyond will help you throughout your journey as an aspiring medical student, or even in daily settings.
In addition to the skills you will learn, there are many other benefits of volunteering at a hospital for individuals hoping to work in the medical field in the future. Notably, one huge advantage is that you get to familiarize yourself with the hospital setting. You can learn more about yourself and the healthcare field, and whether this is something that you will truly enjoy building a career out of. Your work as a volunteer will also help make an impact in your community and for those in need.
Sunnybrook Hospital
Based in Toronto, Sunnybrook Hospital is currently accepting volunteer applications! There are different roles that volunteers might take on. This includes courtesy services, clinics, family waiting rooms, and retail shops. Requirements for volunteers include the following:
- Volunteers must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, with two shots of a Canadian-approved vaccine
- For certain areas and roles, volunteers may be required to have the seasonal flu vaccine
- Volunteers must complete a medical form, including an immunization status for a two-step Tuberculosis skin test with their family doctor
- Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older
In addition to these requirements, you will have to partake in a virtual orientation and in-person training before you start as a volunteer. As for the application process, an application form will need to be filled out on Sunnybrook’s website. Then, an interview is to take place online through Zoom. If you wish to apply or learn more in-depth information about volunteering at Sunnybrook, click here.
Credit Valley Hospital
If you live in Mississauga, many hospitals are also currently accepting volunteer applications! At the Credit Valley Hospital, for example, there are various opportunities you might take on as a volunteer, including providing patient support, administrative support, clinical support, and many more. For the High School Student Program, you must be 15 years or older. There are several documents that you will need to provide once you are accepted, which can be found here. Furthermore, the application process consists of an online application and an in-person interview, for the High School Student Program and the Adult College/University Program. Note that in order to receive documentation of your volunteer hours, you must meet a certain amount of commitment as stated on their website. High school students can also apply to be a part of the Co-op student program and should speak with their guidance department or Co-op coordinator at school if they wish to participate.
As more hospitals start accepting volunteer applications, why not give your time to help out at your local hospital? With all this extra time during the summer, it’s a great time to do some research on your nearby hospital and see what you can do for your community. Volunteering at a hospital is a fantastic way to get involved with the healthcare field during the summer as a student and aspiring worker in the healthcare field.
About the Author
Selina Liu is a grade 10 student based in Ontario. She is passionate about the sciences and wants to pursue a career in the medical field. In her spare time, you can find her playing the violin, drawing, or reading.
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