Clinical UCLA Health Sciences (CUHS) Volunteer Program
UPDATE (3/7/2022): Please note the following changes/impacts:
- New Applicants: We have implemented a new Database System. Please see below for the new process.
- Clinical UCLA Health Sciences Volunteers may resume onsite activities within the following limited clinical spaces and activities according to their approved scope of duties:
- Low Risk Clinical setting and areas ONLY such as clinic waiting rooms, clinic offices, etc. (No patient/exam rooms)
- Direct contact with non-COVID patients and/or study participants in the above areas (i.e. surveys, provide study information, greet/guide, etc.).
- Additional approvals are required for: Access to the hospital, medical center, patient floors, patient rooms, or treatment spaces in which a patient is being seen such as exam rooms. These are reviewed and approved case by case depending on needs and compliance.
- NOT Permitted: Access to isolation rooms or areas in which suspected COVID positive individuals are being held.
- Requirements to be onsite:
- Volunteers must be currently registered and maintain “active” status under the faculty/staff’s assignment (faculty/staff will be notified of who is under their supervision today).
- Volunteers must wear their UCLA Volunteer ID Badge at all times WITH the COVID/Flu Badge buddies and Booster Sticker attached in order to be onsite. Our office handles the badging and sticker process.
- Volunteers must adhere to current UCLA Health COVID Guidelines and Protocols such as masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene, symptom tracker, and any updated requirements (i.e. Booster stickers, etc.).
- Volunteers are required to complete all training and health updates prompted by our office’s new database system. Please remind your volunteers to complete their expired/missing requirements as soon as possible.
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.
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.
- Each Approved Shadowing program may pertain to a specialty or a specific department (please read their program description and opportunities before applying). All observation shifts are scheduled, designated, and approved by the Shadowing Program supervisors/coordinators. The Approved Shadowing Programs (which may also be 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.
Here is a sample list of Approved Shadowing programs (each program has their own acceptance process and recruitment cycle):
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 Get Started:
APPLICANTS: You must be officially invited by the inviting supervisor (UCLA Health Sciences Staff/Faculty) and receive an Opportunity Link via email to sign up for their Volunteer Assignment. (Click here for an example of an Opportunity Link)
- Before Proceeding, please check for volunteer status eligibility.
- New CUHS Volunteer Applicants: You will be prompted to complete the Prescreening and On-Boarding process.
- Existing CUHS Volunteers: You will be prompted to update your Prescreening information to ensure eligibility and complete any missing On-Boarding requirements before the CUHS Program Coordinator can approve and place you with the supervisor’s assignment.
INVITING SUPERVISORS: Must be a UCLA Health Sciences Employee (may not be an undergraduate student worker or contractor/contingent worker).
What to Expect:
- Applicants may preview the Clinical UCLA Health Sciences Volunteer Requirements to help expedite the process and prepare for the On-Boarding Process.
- Once your supervisor's Opportunity form is approved, you (applicant) will receive a link to the Opportunity which you must "sign up" and then complete the Prescreening Process.
- Once your prescreening is completed, you will be notified via email to start the On-Boarding steps via Samaritan (Volunteer Dashboard).
- Applicant volunteers complete their on-boarding steps via the Samaritan Volunteer Login or Dashboard. You will need to sign up if you do not have an existing volunteer record with UCLA Health.
- 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).
- The Sign-Up for an On-Boarding Appointment will not be available until all of the requirements are completed and verified by our coordinators.
- After the On-Boarding Appointment, you are required to complete the Final Session Orientation 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.
