Clinical UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Program

The Clinical UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Program is distinct and separate from the hospital-based volunteer program.  

The Clinical UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Program provides the on-boarding and clearances for invited students and other eligible individuals to participate in clinical research/quality improvement projects, administrative projects, and/or educational endeavored volunteer programs. Additionally, this program processes clearances for individuals who have been invited into one of our Approved Formalized Shadowing Programs. Invitation and eligibility into the program is at the discretion of these departments and the UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Office. Priority will be given to UCLA undergraduates.

Research volunteer opportunities are geared towards undergraduate students as a learning opportunity, and for an introductory research experience, as well as to supplement their pre-health curriculum on the Health Sciences campus under the close supervision of our faculty and staff.

Please note, we do not recruit for the health sciences volunteer programs, and students must be invited by a faculty member or an approved staff sponsor to participate.

Please review the Volunteer Eligibility Requirements before proceeding with the clearance process. 

Shadowing Policy

According to the Shadowing Policy:

• Individual volunteers or students are NOT permitted to shadow UCLA health professionals as part of their volunteer/student role (this includes UCLA SRP Students), regardless if the UCLA health professional accepts/invites you to shadow.
• Shadowing is ONLY permitted if it is part of a UCLA Health/DGSOM Formalized and Approved Shadowing Program’s designated and assigned SHIFT. All observation shifts are scheduled, designated, and approved by the Shadowing Program supervisors/coordinators. Each Approved Shadowing Program (also referred to as a Clinical UCLA Health Sciences "Assignment") has their own recruitment and acceptance process which includes information sessions introducing their role with shadowing at UCLA Health. Once accepted, you will be instructed on how to obtain clearance to start.
• The Volunteer Office does not provide opportunities for volunteers to shadow. 

Instead of shadowing, we strongly encourage students to engage in longer-term, substantive experiences involving patient interaction within clinical settings such as Care Extenders or the General Student Volunteer Program. Please note that the General Volunteer Programs are NOT Approved Shadowing Programs.

Definitions:

• "Clinical Activities": activities that will involve ANY of the following:
• Patient or human research subject contact/interaction
• Access to or handle any identifiable/clinical/medical information
• Perform any duties involving activity within clinical settings and areas (i.e. hospital, clinics, waiting rooms, etc.)

To start, follow the Pre-Screening Process to ensure eligibility

• Before Proceeding: Your inviting faculty/supervisors should read the Volunteer Guidelines. 
• STEP 1: Required Assignment Forms (Clinical)
  • Your inviting faculty/supervisor must provide you with the completed and signed Clinical Required Assignment Forms. Forms must be submitted online, please ensure you have your forms intact in the following files and format:
    1. Required Form #1 (One PDF File): Scope of Duties Form and its addendums (click here for the forms)
       • Please contact the coordinator at CRV@mednet.ucla.edu for assistance with creating your form and its addendums into one PDF
    2. Required Form #2 (One PDF File): Personal Device Form (click here for the forms)
    3. SRP Required Form #3 (only if you are enrolling in SRP for the assignment, one PDF File): Signed UCLA SRP Contract
  • If you need Adobe Reader to open PDF (Portable Document Format) files, please see free software from Adobe's webpage: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
• STEP 2: Submit your Online Pre-Screening Application
  • Once you have your completed Required Assignment Forms, you must submit an Onlince Pre-Screening Application and upload the Required Assignment Forms:
    •  Online Pre-Screening Application (https://volunteer.healthsciences.ucla.edu/)
  • Once submitted, the forms will be reviewed. If you or your supervisor do not receive a response email within 3 business days, please follow up with the coordinator at CRV@mednet.ucla.edu via email.
  • Note: If the form is missing ANY information (unanswered questions) or requires clarifications/revisions, the inviting supervisor will be contacted to clarify and respond. The approval process for the form will be delayed as completed forms are approved first.

After Submission of the Form

• Applicants may preview the STEP 1 Volunteer Requirements (documentations, training and immunizations) required for the On-Boarding Appointment.
• Once the form is approved, you (applicant) will receive an "Approval" email instructions to proceed to the On-Boarding Appointment step (STEP 2).
• Turnaround time from On Boarding to Final Session is typically 1-2 weeks (with no delays from background checks, other clearance items, and/or other approvals).
• After the On-Boarding Appointment, you are required to attend a Final Session Orientation (STEP 3) to finalize the clearance process.

For any additional questions NOT listed in our FAQs, please contact the UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Office.

Due to high volumes of questions, if it is a shadowing inquiry, please read the shadowing policy note before contacting the program coordinators.

The UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Programs do not provide, offer, or approve shadowing/observation opportunities.