By: Teresa Acosta
The Career and Jobs Services department gave students access to volunteer opportunities in the medical services community.
On Thursday, the LAC+USC Medical Center took part in East Los Angeles College’s monthly “Employer Meet & Greet” over Zoom to discuss the process of applying and onboarding for volunteer work at it’s facility.
Julie Santos Pham, the volunteer coordinator at the medical center, was the host for the virtual discussion. She gave background information, their mission statement and vision for the medical center. She highlighted some of the types of students that can benefit from volunteer work, such as those looking to get into the medical field.
Volunteering at the medical center can give those students a real world idea of what the field is like. “As a volunteer, you’re here to provide a service to the community, but at the same time because you are at a health facility, you’re here to…gain experience in the health field,” Pham said.
Volunteers can expect to work a minimum of 4 hours a week and commit to a 200-hour minimum. The available hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Duties and responsibilities may include clerical work, patient assistance, stocking and disinfecting.
Perks for volunteering may include food vouchers, letters of recommendation, completion certificate, networking and employment opportunities.
After completing the volunteer application, there is a list of required documentation. Pham said help is available for those needing more assistance with the application. After submitting all the required paperwork, if selected, the next step is the interview via Zoom. If you are offered a volunteer position after the interview then onboarding will begin.
A mandatory orientation session will go over the program basics of policies and procedures, what is required of the volunteer, safety and security, and other important information.
During the question and answer portion at the end of the presentation, a student asked for resources to find paid opportunities in the field. Pham gave plenty of suggested avenues and Internet links to help someone who may not be in the position to volunteer their time. Anyone with further questions can email Pham at jsantospham@dhs.lacounty.gov or follow the QR code provided.
