The information below is intended for undergraduate students currently enrolled at The Ohio State University, who are at least 18 years old, and interested in volunteering at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Not a current Ohio State undergraduate student? View our general volunteering information and select a different category.
Informational Session on Tuesday, July 16 from 4-5pm
In this virtual Informational Session via Zoom we will share about our College Program, what volunteer opportunities are available, and the application process for this upcoming semester. In this session you will get to hear from current volunteers about their volunteering experience and you will have the opportunity to ask both staff and current volunteers any questions you have about the program.
Please make sure to register via Zoom to learn more about The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Volunteer College Program.
What makes you a good fit for our program
We are seeking student volunteers who are:
- Compassionate – whether you are interacting with a patient or visitor, they are likely feeling stressed or overwhelmed. The empathy and compassion you provide during even a brief interaction can go a long way.
- Reliable – our staff, patients and visitors count on your support!
- Driven – many of our roles function fairly independently. Volunteers who get the most out of their experience are the ones who take initiative.
- Extroverted – regardless of where you are placed, a large portion of your role will involve interacting with our patients and visitors, so you should feel comfortable striking up conversations with strangers.
- Service-oriented – with each task or interaction, you have the opportunity to positively impact someone’s experience here at the Medical Center.
Do you fit everything above, but haven’t turned 18 yet? Medical Center regulations require all volunteers must be at least 18 years old (by the date you submit your application). We hope you will apply for a future session.
What you can expect of the college volunteer experience
We place volunteers within University Hospital, Ross Heart Hospital, East Hospital, and several outpatient sites. As part of the activity selection process, you will be able to choose the location where you’ll be volunteering.
Please note The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute has a separate college volunteer program. (Learn more about volunteering at The James) Students may only apply to volunteer either with the Wexner Medical Center or The James in any given semester.
Volunteers come in once a week, the same day and time each week, over the course of an entire session (semester). Each shift is between 2 and 4 hours long depending on your activity. Most shifts fall between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, but we do have some shifts that fall outside those hours.
We will be accepting applications for new college volunteers two times this academic year — before the start of Autumn and Spring semesters. See the section below for important details related to our next application cycle and volunteering session.
The application window is typically open for a full week (see below for specific dates). We review all applications for completeness and eligibility. Applicants who meet all program requirements are then randomly assigned to a group for the scheduling process. When your group’s window for scheduling opens, you will be granted access to our system where you can select a volunteer activity from the remaining openings.
We have a limited number of available positions each semester, so not every applicant will receive a placement. The scheduling process will continue until all open positions for the semester are filled.
You are eligible to apply through our College Volunteer program if you are:
- A current Ohio State undergraduate student
- At least 18 years old
- All Spring Semester applicants will also be required to submit proof of having received an annual flu shot before the start of the volunteering session.
When and how you can apply
Here are important dates and guidelines for our updated application process:
- Monday, July 22 , 10 a.m. – Application opens for Autumn Semester volunteering
Prepare to Apply – Essay Questions
This semester’s application includes two short essays (prompts listed below). We suggest you prepare your answers to these essays in a Word document so you can easily copy and paste your responses into your application and avoid getting timed out of the system. Here are the essay prompts:
- What strengths do you feel you would bring to volunteering and how will volunteering enrich your undergraduate experience?
- Please describe a time you went out of your way to help someone you didn’t know. Within your answer, explain how you demonstrated empathy and compassion to that person.
- Monday, July 29, 4 p.m. – Application closes for for the semester of volunteering
- Eligible applicants will be randomly assigned to scheduling groups, which means order of submission does NOT impact your chance of matching with a volunteer opportunity.
- Wednesday, July 31 through Friday, August 3 – All eligible applicants will receive an e-mail with their assigned scheduling group and detailed instructions.
- Wednesday, August 7 through Tuesday, August 12 – Volunteer scheduling windows will open and applicants will have an opportunity to select from remaining available volunteer positions.
- After selecting a volunteer activity and shift, you will receive a confirmation email with details about scheduling yourself for an Orientation session and background check.
- Wednesday, August 21 through Thursday, August 22 – Mandatory Zoom Orientation sessions
- Three orientation sessions will be offered during this week. All new volunteers will be required to select ONE to attend.
- Monday, August 26, Noon – Deadline to Complete Mandatory Background Check
- All new volunteers will need to schedule a background check. These will take place inside the medical center and will take approximately one hour to complete. More information about scheduling an appointment will be provided after your volunteer schedule is confirmed.
- Tuesday, August 27 and Wednesday, August 28 , 4:30-6:30 p.m. – Activity-specific training
- Many (but not all) of our volunteer activities require an additional training beyond general orientation. If you select an activity that requires a training, it will be held during this time frame on one of these two dates.
- Tuesday, September 3 – First day of Autumn Semester volunteering
- Tuesday, November 26 – Last day of Autumn Semester volunteering
If you have any questions, please contact:
Volunteer Services
Volunteer@osumc.edu
614-293-3983