Whether you're a retiree wanting to give back to the community, a student exploring what it may be like working in a hospital setting or you just have a desire to help others, there are many opportunities at Westchester Medical Center, Maria Fareri Children's Hospital and the Behavioral Health Center.
Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and able to commit to a minimum of 120 hours of service: general volunteer, non-credit intern or as part of our summer program. All volunteers must adhere to all hospital policies and procedures.
Because of the nature of care provided at our facilities, all volunteers are carefully screened, processed and placed in appropriate assignments. This process includes the initial interview with the Coordinator of Volunteers, a medical clearance, reference checks, clearance by the State Central Register Database , a Criminal Background Check , attend an all day mandatory hospital orientation given by Human Resources. The process for becoming a volunteer does take time, but it is meant to ensure the safety of patients and families as well as the success of our volunteers.
General Volunteers
General volunteers are those interested in volunteering at Westchester Medical Center who are not involved in an internship program or those who do not have seasonal time constraints, such as summer volunteers. In other words, general volunteers are mostly available and interested in volunteering year-round.
College Student Volunteers
The Volunteer office does not process college credited internships. We offer volunteer service hours only. Volunteers will commit to 120 hours of service during the semester. All Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Must get medical clearance (either from private physician or via WMC Employee Health)
- Must attend a full day Westchester Medical Center orientation
- Must provide two references with an application
- Successfully pass required background checks
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester 5/1
- Spring Semester 10/1
College students interested in volunteering in the summer are encouraged to start the process during one of their breaks so they are able to start volunteering the end of May/beginning of June.
High School Senior Experience
Seniors participating in their high school internship program are required to commit a minimal four hours per volunteer shift ( three to four days a week. ) for 8 weeks with a minimum of 120 hours of service. High School applicants must meet these requirements in addition to those specific to the type of (volunteer) internship:
- Must be a SENIOR and at least 16 years old
- Must be able to volunteer during normal business hours Monday to Friday
- Must get medical clearance (either from a private physician or via WMC Employee Health)
- Must attend WMC orientation
- Must provide two references with an application. (Accepted references include those from teachers or other educational professional, clergy, or past employer)
- Pass necessary background checks if 18 years-old or older
Summer Student Volunteer Program
Summer, non-credit volunteers must be willing to commit to 120 hours of service, 8 to 10 weeks of time with a minimum of 8 hours per week spread out over no more than two days.
Our volunteers touch the lives of our patients and families in so many ways and are valued members of our team at WMC. No matter what your background, we will help you find the perfect way to volunteer and help make a difference in someone's life.
Please note that at this time we are unfortunately NOT able to accommodate any requests for completing 20-50 hours of volunteer/community service . We apologize for any inconvenience.
>Apply now | >Download reference form (two references required)