Program Description
Brigham and Women's Medical Career Exploration Volunteer Program is designed to give college pre-medical, first year medical, and post baccalaureate students an opportunity to gain exposure to the hospital environment in order to help them make informed career decisions. The program features a rotation of assignments that build experience and culminates in a letter of reference and a set of rounds with a physician.
Those enrolled in the BWH Pre-Med Volunteer Program are expected to make a minimum commitment of 125 hours (45 hours of ambassador service and 80 hours in a department role). A minimum commitment of 6 months is required. We encourage participants to stay longer than 6 months to maximize professional and educational relationships.
Take a look at the following video of current pre-med volunteer participants and what they think of the experience.
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/partnerhc/bwh/volunteer/bwhvolunteer2004.wvx
Assignments
Central Transport or Patient Access Ambassador (45 hours each)
As an Patient Access Ambassador, pre-med volunteers will gain hands-on exposure to the patient, visitor and family member experience. Stationed at the main information desk, main duties include greeting patients, answering basic questions, and escorting visitors to sites throughout the hospital. Bilingual skills are very helpful.
"BWH truly is titanic in size. Today I saw 6-7 patients of varying backgrounds. The most memorable included a woman who was very happy to see me simply because I let her know her husband was waiting for her at the front desk; I helped a man heading towards ambulatory registration who asked me about my background and hope of becoming an MD; and a grandmother with her daughter telling me all about how she came in for an ultrasound of her partially occluded carotoid artery and that she was never able to find the Vasuclar Lab." -BWH Patient Access Ambassador Volunteer
As an Central Transport Ambassador, pre-med volunteers will serve as transport assistants, learning behind-the-scenes hospital operations. This will be achieved through the transport of patients, specimens, equipment and packages to all ambulatory, lab and inpatient units.
"I witnessed all types of (professional) relationships within the hospital and saw lots of things that I never really thought I would. I have always equated hospital life to what I had viewed on television shows. From my perspective, real life is so much better." -BWH Central Transport Ambassador Volunteer
Department Choice (80 hours)
This phase of the BWH pre-medical volunteer experience involves experiences which will help students gain confidence in their communication and caring skills while providing a better understanding of a specific clinical environment in the hospital. This experience will open up opportunities to interact with patients, families and clinical staff such as nurses, technicians, patient care assistants and some physicians.
Letter of Recommendation (At completion of 125 hours)
Set of Rounds with a Physician (At completion of 125 hours)
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