Opportunities to engage with our communities are available to everyone, including students.

The resources on this page will help you to find opportunities that are right for you, whether it is volunteering in one of our community programs or participating in community-engaged research. 

There are three types of volunteer opportunities. 

Note: Some of these programs have age requirements. 

General Volunteer Opportunities

  • UCLA Hospital Volunteer - The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center offers volunteering opportunities in various rotation positions allowing students to explore various opportunities in health-care.
  • UCLA Hospital Intern Program - The UCLA Health Intern Program allows chosen students to work with health care administrators and experience firsthand health care management.
  • UCLA Hospital - People Animal Connection - The UCLA People-Animal Connection program is a comprehensive Animal-Assisted Therapy program where volunteer teams offer companionships to critically ill children and animals.
  • UCLA Care Extender Program - The Care Extender Program provides opportunities for volunteers to assist Medical Center staff and experience health care from a clinical perspective through patient contact and volunteer involvement.
  • UCLA Volunteer Center - The UCLA Volunteer Center offers resources for UCLA students looking for campus-wide volunteering opportunities.
  • Mobile Clinic - Undergraduate students interact with clients and observe medical students through a service learning course that train them to function as caseworkers and committee members.
  • UCLA Care Center Volunteer - UCLA Care Center volunteers learn more about research and providing quality patient care for patients at risk for HIV and those living with HIV/AIDS.
  • Care Harbor Volunteer - Care Harbor sponsors one of the largest free clinics in the country. The community-based event draws local resources and volunteers, including UCLA physicians, dentists and ophthalmologists.
  • Venice Family Clinic Volunteer - Health professionals as well as community members can volunteer for various positions for one of the nation’s largest free medical clinic to the underserved in Los Angeles County.
  • Sun Valley Health Center Volunteer - Volunteers in various positions at the Sun Valley Health Center provide medical care for the medically underserved residents of Los Angeles.

Volunteer Opportunities for Students

Find the outreach opportunity that's right for you

To truly improve lives, students must leave the confines of the campus and connect directly with people in their communities. Opportunities to engage with our communities are available to everyone, including students. Find opportunities that are right for you, whether it's volunteering in one of our community programs or participating in community-engaged research.

UCLA Health and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have identified community engagement as a core mission during the strategic planning process - of equal importance as education, research, and clinic care. Learn more about the core initiatives by exploring the information below.

Volunteer Opportunities for Those Under the Age of 18

  • UCLA Hospital Volunteer - Students (minimum age 15) may sign up for volunteering opportunities in various hospital positions, such as patient escort services and the surgical recovery room.
  • Venice Family Clinic Volunteer - The Venice Family Clinic has limited volunteer opportunities available to students 14 years and up.
  • Pre-Med Scholar Program - The Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program is an intense, one-week, primarily educational program incorporating medical guest speakers and hospital-related tours and activities giving the Summer Scholar an involved sense of working within the field of medicine.
  • Venice Family Clinic Volunteer - Looking for all types of volunteers to serve as healthcare interns, also looking for students interested in PR, Social Media and Special Events.
  • Allied Healthcare Careers Program - Pipeline program that teaches students about opportunities in healthcare that offer promising career growth in areas facing critical workforce shortages. Allied health professionals support physicians and nurses by playing supportive roles in prehospital care, service delivery, rehabilitation, and disease prevention. 
  • Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship - Provides learning opportunities for high school students and recent graduates in finding out more about careers in the entry-level, allied health professions