Internships and Volunteer Opportunities for High School and Pre-Nursing Students
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
You’ve probably heard that having volunteer experience on your resume can help set you apart when applying to college, including nursing school. But what type of volunteering and internships should you consider? And where can you find them?
We answer your questions and break down volunteer and internship opportunities by state in this guide.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Popular Types of Nursing Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering
Most volunteer opportunities for high school students involve volunteer positions in a summer or year-round program. Most hospitals welcome teen volunteers to perform duties that tend to be nonclinical, such as assisting staff, visiting patients, and providing information to visitors.
Internships
Nursing internships typically are designed for college students, especially juniors or seniors. Internships can involve more patient care-related responsibilities than volunteer positions, albeit under a trained professional’s supervision. Some hospitals and medical centers offer summer residential internships and college scholarships.
Shadowing
Job shadowing programs offer students the chance to follow a nurse or other health professional on their regular shift for a set time period (e.g., half day, full day, or 24 hours). These opportunities are generally “hands-off” while students just observe.
Summer Camps
Camps may involve volunteering, group activities, and presentations. They take place over 1-2 weeks and focus on letting students explore different career options in healthcare.
Research Internships
Students interested in nursing or health research partner with a researcher on a project, attend informational sessions and learn about specific research areas, such as cancer, diabetes, and other diseases and conditions.
Nursing Internships and Volunteer Opportunities Near Me
Click your state to find opportunities below:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Alabama
Huntsville Memorial Hospital
Volunteers can give back to their community by working in the OR waiting room, gift shop, ER waiting room, or information desk. This volunteer group, called the Auxiliary, provides special scholarships and grants to nursing students and raises funds for hospital projects.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Medicine
This medical center and hospital offers summer opportunities for teen volunteers, ages 15-18, and college students. Volunteers may assist in various departments or observe bedside procedures. Pre-college research internships are available for high school students with racial or ethnic minority backgrounds.
University of South Alabama Health
Teens can learn about healthcare careers at USA Health facilities in southern Alabama. Volunteers care for newborn babies, mentor pediatric patients, and educate families about cancer detection and prevention.
Alaska
High school students aged 14 and up can volunteer at this hospital, clinic, and skilled nursing facility. There are great opportunities to work in the gift shop, assist with patient care, and perform other clerical tasks within the facility.
Educational opportunities include a competitive summer internship program for high school graduates and summer internships for Alaska Native high school students in the Juneau area. Student volunteer opportunities are also available.
High school students aged 15 and older can volunteer, helping with everything from special events to guiding patients to assisting in the emergency department.
Arizona
Phoenix Children’s Hospital
High school students aged 16 and older can volunteer throughout the year. The Family Volunteer Program is open to teens ages 13-17 who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Arizona State University
ASU offers a summer college immersion that features learning communities in health and leadership for students in grades 9-12.
Valleywise Health
High school students, aged 16 and up, can benefit from patient-oriented volunteer opportunities within this Phoenix health system, including placements in the emergency department, pediatrics, postpartum services, radiology, and surgery.
Arkansas
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Students aged 14-18 can learn about caring for children and providing support to families in a hospital setting at Little Rock’s Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Baptist Health
Students aged 16 and older can participate in Baptist Health’s volunteer youth programs, such as Caring Teen and STAR Volunteen.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
The HEALERS program invites Little Rock junior and senior high school students to learn about medical careers from practitioners, perform first aid and CPR, and gain clinical experience.
California
Cope Health Scholars
Students can shadow a current Health Scholar while they provide patient care, observe how healthcare teams interact, and decide if healthcare is the right career path for them.
Scripps Health
Student opportunities at San Diego County-based Scripps include the High School Exploration Internship Program, University City High School Collaboration, Young Leaders in Health Care, and onsite training through student placements.
Stanford University
Stanford’s Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills and Education Center offers a summer internship for high school students interested in surgical careers, including nursing. Topics include dissection, suturing, and cardiac valve replacement.
Colorado
Children’s Hospital Colorado
In partnership with Denver Health, the Medical Career Collaborative Program prepares underrepresented students for future nursing and other healthcare careers with hands-on training and professional development.
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Sky Ridge Medical Center offers a Junior Volunteer program or High School “Future Careers” program to gain hands-on experience in healthcare.
University of Colorado Health
UCHealth offers student volunteer, job shadowing, and clinical observation opportunities at its hospitals throughout the state, including in the Denver area, Fort Collins, and Steamboat Springs.
Connecticut
Stamford Health
Junior Volunteers, aged 14-17, work on patient care units, perform administrative duties, and help with events. Stamford offers internships to graduating seniors.
Connecticut Children’s
Connecticut Children’s offers teens aged 15 and up volunteer opportunities as a Patient and Family Ambassador. A teen volunteer can also help with fundraising events or in the gift shop.
Yale New Haven Health
High school juniors and seniors at select area high schools can participate in the School-to-Career Internship Program at the Yale New Haven Hospital during the spring and summer.
Delaware
ChristianaCare
ChristianaCare offers its Summer VolunTeen program to high schoolers aged 14-18 at its hospitals in Wilmington and Newark. Volunteers interact with patients and learn about hospital careers.
Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill
High school students can volunteer in positions such as physical therapy assistant, information desk staff, and patient visitor during the summer.
Nemours Children’s Health System
Students aged 16 years or older who have completed their sophomore year of high school can apply to the High School Program to volunteer in the summer. Volunteers must be TB tested.
Florida
Mayo Clinic
The clinic, located in Jacksonville, offers a summer program for high school students, along with year-round programs for home-school and early college enrollees. Teens volunteer in gastrointestinal recovery, oncology, and surgical units.
Nemours Children’s Health System
Teens wanting to learn more about pediatric health can volunteer in a specialty care program in Pensacola, Orlando, or Jacksonville by assisting staff with supporting patients and families, including serving on pet visitation teams.
Florida Medical Center
High school students can volunteer in the emergency department, nutrition services, patient care units, and family waiting areas during the summer. Volunteers will have access to community lectures, complimentary flu shots, and a meal voucher during shifts.
Georgia
North Georgia Health System
High school students looking for a healthcare career and keen on giving back to their communities have multiple opportunities at the NGHS.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
This hospital offers two volunteer opportunities for high school students: VolunTeen, a summer program with patient interaction, and the Explorer Program, where teens learn about medical careers from professionals.
Christian City
Though not a medical organization, this Atlanta faith-based not-for-profit offers teens enrolled in high school or recent graduates under the age of 19 the chance to learn about the organization’s mission of helping children and families in crisis. In addition to foster care and homeless services, Christian City includes senior assisted living facilities.
Hawaii
Cope Health Scholars
High school students in Honolulu can participate in an immersive experience working alongside healthcare professionals at Adventist Health Castle in Kailua.
Area Health Education Center
The Pre-Health Career Corps engages students in learning about health careers and supports them through college with volunteer positions, career shadowing, internships, and financial resources. The center is located in the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine.
Hawaii Pacific Health
The Health Careers Summer Internship Program offers high school students the chance to explore career options, learn about hospital systems, and talk to practitioners.
Idaho
Kootenai Health
Teens can gain experience in a professional environment and learn about the healthcare industry through Kootenai Health’s teen volunteer program. Most volunteer areas require a regularly scheduled, weekly, 4-hour shift.
Idaho State University
High school students interested in healthcare careers can apply to the Early College Program, which offers dual credits for both high school and college. Applicants need a minimum 2.7 GPA to apply.
Madison Memorial Hospital
High school students can apply for externships, internships, shadowing, and volunteering opportunities. Madison Memorial Hospital provides training for all positions, along with exploration of a variety of health careers.
St. Luke’s
This Boise not-for-profit healthcare organization’s Junior Volunteer Program accepts students aged 16-18 looking to gain hospital experience, customer service and leadership skills, and patient interaction. Volunteers must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Illinois
Advocate Health Care
High school students can choose from a variety of sites to volunteer at least 2-4 hours per week. Most sites accept students 16 years or older, but a few accept students who are 14 or 15 years old.
Edward-Elmhurst Health
Volunteers, including high school students, receive orientation and on-the-job training in patient care and advocacy at Edward Hospital. Volunteer applications require students to submit a 400-word essay.
Southern Illinois Healthcare
Designed to interest high school juniors and seniors, along with graduating seniors, in healthcare careers, SIH’s Summer Internship Program includes tracks in nursing and other healthcare-related fields.
Indiana
Ascension Healthcare
Ascension welcomes student volunteers at its various locations, including Peyton Manning Children’s, St. Vincent Anderson, and St. Vincent Carmel hospitals.
Indiana University School of Medicine
High school students interested in health-related research can choose among several scholarships in areas like behavioral sciences, biomedicine, and molecular medicine.
Parkview Health
Parkview Health partners with affiliated schools to pair high school seniors with health professionals for semester-long internships and externships.
Iowa
Great River Health
Students aged 16 and older can volunteer at Great River Health’s Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center throughout the year.
Mary Greeley Medical Center
The center offers one-on-one clinical internship and preceptor programs, job shadowing, and youth volunteer opportunities to introduce students to healthcare careers.
UnityPoint Health
This Des Moines healthcare organization offers student volunteer opportunities in its Iowa Lutheran Hospital Volunteer Program. Volunteers must be 14-18 years old and commit to 2-4 hours per week for two semesters.
Kansas
Ascension Via Christi
The Via Christi Hospitals in Wichita offers nursing unit volunteer positions to teens, including greeting visitors, delivering gifts to patients’ rooms, and aiding with dismissals.
Children’s Mercy Research Institute
Students from underrepresented groups can apply for the STAR 2.0 program. Participants work on an original project, earn a stipend, and learn about medical research, ethics, and careers.
Salina Regional Health Center
High school students can apply to volunteer with Salina Regional during the summer months. Volunteers must commit to at least 35 hours of service and meet minimum GPA requirements.
Kentucky
Norton Healthcare
The Summer Teen volunteer program invites high school students aged 14 and up to lend a helping hand during their summer vacation. Students have the opportunity to gain healthcare experience while making a positive impact on others.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare
The High School Senior Internship Program offers service learning experiences for students in their senior year. Interns explore the different hospital departments and their impacts on patient care.
University of Louisville Health
This healthcare organization’s Louisville-area hospitals offer volunteering and summer programs for teens in cancer centers, hospitals, and rehabilitation institutes.
Louisiana
Baton Rouge General Medical Center
High school students who commit to volunteering at least 25 hours during the school year can volunteer in areas like the Center for Health, the surgery waiting area, pediatric rehab, and radiology.
Children’s Hospital of New Orleans
The career shadowing program includes opportunities to shadow nurses and other practitioners in various hospital departments. Students must be 16 or older. The hospital also offers volunteer positions.
Woman’s Hospital
High school student volunteers with a 2.0 GPA or higher can participate in the A-HEC of a Summer program while earning half of a high school elective credit upon completion. Other volunteer opportunities are available for students to work in the NICU, aquatic therapy, labor and delivery, gift shops, and the surgery center.
Maine
Central Maine Medical Center
The junior volunteer program invites applications from independent, enthusiastic, and responsible teens ages 14-17 for school-year and summer shifts.
MaineHealth
MaineHealth’s Center for Workforce Development introduces students to career options within the health system through summer internships, junior volunteers, and student partnerships.
St. Mary’s Health System
Every summer, students aged 14-17 can join the St. Mary’s Health System junior volunteer program. Students must commit to volunteering at least one day per week.
Maryland
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Johns Hopkins and its agency partners host a Summer Scholars program that includes a track for underrepresented Baltimore high school juniors enrolled in the MERIT Health Leadership Academy.
Meritus Health
This Hagerstown hospital offers high school students aged 14-18 the chance to participate in the Volunteen program. Volunteers aged 14 and 15 can work in the gift shop or coffee shop; 16-year-olds can provide nursing support, and 17 and 18-year-olds can work in the emergency department.
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
High school students can apply to the NIH Clinical Center Summer Internship Program, which pairs students with researchers and health professionals in nursing and other research areas.
Massachusetts
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Beth Israel’s Winchester Hospital introduces students to healthcare careers through its Junior Volunteer Program. Participants assist with patient discharge and deliver charts and lab samples.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Boston’s BWH features summer internships that open up healthcare careers to students, the Student Success Jobs Program that provides mentoring, and Project TEACH for 10th graders enrolled in partner schools.
Lowell General Hospital
Students ages 16-18 can apply to the Junior Track volunteer program and learn about healthcare careers. Volunteers commit 100 hours of service per year and work after school.
Michigan
Ascension Providence Hospital
High school students aged 16 and older can apply to volunteer at Ascension Providence, Southfield. A minimum six-month commitment with 100 hours of service is required.
Trinity Health Michigan
Teens ages 16 and older can volunteer at Trinity Health Michigan in locations such as Livingston, Grand Rapids, and Oakland. Students can gain healthcare experience in critical care, radiology, endoscopy, and infusion centers.
Beaumont Health
Student experiences at Beaumont Health include volunteer positions at its locations throughout the Detroit metro area. Experiences include both year-round and summer positions.
Minnesota
M Health Fairview
Students aged 15 and older can apply to become a M Health Fairview volunteer. Volunteers can choose from a variety of settings, including Ridges Hospital, Woodwinds Hospital, and University of Minnesota Medical Center.
Centra Care
CentraCare welcomes students aged 14 years and older to volunteer in their various hospitals and centers. Volunteers will interact with healthcare professionals, explore their healthcare interests, and receive scholarship eligibility.
Astera Health
High school students can lend a helping hand in Astera Health’s VolunTEEN program. Opportunities include visiting patients, delivering flowers, and spending time with pediatric patients.
Mississippi
Baptist Memorial Health Care
The CRASH Course camp invites applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The summer camp introduces students to careers in nursing at several Baptist Memorial hospital locations.
North Mississippi Health Services
This organization fosters student interest in healthcare careers through several programs, including a summer health academy, summer volunteering, job shadowing, and scholarships.
Singing River Health System
Student volunteers can find nonclinical summer opportunities in the cancer center, emergency department, and radiology at Pascagoula and Ocean Springs hospitals.
Missouri
CoxHealth
Springfield’s CoxHealth accepts high school volunteers ageD 15 and up who complete the interview process and background screening. The student program focuses on engaging volunteers for possible future recruitment.
Children’s Mercy at Kansas City
Children’s Mercy Hospital provides summer volunteer opportunities for high school students who want to support staff and create positive experiences for patients, families, and visitors.
Missouri Baptist Medical Center
The St. Louis-based hospital offers volunteer opportunities where students gain insight into healthcare careers. Student volunteers provide support, comfort, and facility navigation service to patients.
Montana
Billings Clinic
The clinic welcomes student volunteers aged 15-18 who can commit to one 4-hour shift a week for a minimum of nine shifts. Students must also be up to date on immunizations.
Northern Montana Health Care
Junior volunteers, aged 13-18, supplement the essential duties of healthcare staff by delivering newspapers, assisting in resident activities, and helping with events. Volunteers must commit to one 2-hour shift per week.
Intermountain Health
Junior volunteers aged 14-17 can participate in the Intermountain Health volunteer program. Opportunities include working as a NICU cuddler, providing gift shop support, and performing music for patients.
Nebraska
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Omaha
Kids and teens can learn more about healthcare careers and make a positive contribution to medicine in Nebraska by volunteering through Teen Connection or joining the KIDS Nebraska Advisory Board. Teen Connection volunteers apply in the summer or fall to join volunteer groups.
Nebraska Methodist Health System
High school students aged 14-18 can provide hospital support after school on weekdays. The Volunteen program allows students to explore various healthcare career opportunities, develop leadership skills, and make new friends.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The Omaha-based High School Alliance Health Sciences Enrichment Program for juniors and seniors features observation and shadowing tracks. Participants can also take college-level courses taught by practitioners, including nurses.
Nevada
Summerlin Hospital
Teens aged 16 or older can apply to the Summerlin Hospital teen volunteer program. Students must commit to at least one four-hour shift weekly and a minimum of 100 service hours.
Dignity Health
Junior volunteers who are 14 years or older may apply to become Dignity Health volunteers. Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and commit to at least one four-hour shift per week.
The Valley Health System
Teens ages 16-18 with a 2.5 GPA can participate in the summer volunteer teen program at Las Vegas-area hospitals. Volunteers attend an orientation covering infection prevention, patient confidentiality, and safety.
New Hampshire
Concord Hospital
Students aged 14 and up learn about health professions and develop new skills by greeting and escorting patients, delivering mail to departments, and providing clerical support.
Speare Memorial Hospital
Students aged 16 and older can volunteer at Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth. Volunteers commit to 30 hours in the first year, assisting patients, visitors, and staff while learning about careers in healthcare.
Southern New Hampshire Medical Center
The teen volunteer program provides opportunities to students aged 14-18 during the afternoons and weekends. Volunteers are eligible for scholarships.
New Jersey
Cooper University Healthcare
Student volunteers aged 14-17 at Camden-based Cooper acquire experience in patient care, perform clerical tasks, and serve as radiology ambassadors. Volunteers can earn community service and internship hours.
Jefferson University Hospitals
High school students can apply for summer volunteer positions working with patients and clinical staff, performing clerical duties and providing patient services, such as patient escorting.
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
The institute offers numerous education and training events for students to train the next generation of cancer researchers.
New Mexico
Presbyterian Medical Services
High school graduating seniors can explore healthcare careers during this internship, where they rotate through various departments and observe nursing, clinical, and support staff.
University of New Mexico Health
UNM Health’s Youth Empowerment Program introduces high school students to healthcare careers with summer and after-school hands-on activities, volunteering, and classroom instruction.
New York
Addressing Health Equity Challenges
This organization serves Manhattan and Staten Island. Its Summer Health Internship Program places high schoolers in healthcare facilities to learn about health professions and issues.
Adelphi University
Based in Garden City, Adelphi offers a pre-college introduction to the nursing track for sophomore, junior, and senior high school students. Held in the summer months, students live on campus and earn three college credits.
>Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital offers many volunteer opportunities for high schoolers aged 16 and up. Students can volunteer in the Child Life and Take 10 programs, provide pet therapy, and work as ambassadors. The hospital also offers limited research-based volunteer programs for high school students.
North Carolina
Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
The Carolinas Medical Center offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for high school students aged 15-18. Teen volunteers may provide non-clinical support, assist with clerical work, and deliver sterile equipment to the units.
Cone Health
The Annie Penn Hospital Teen Volunteer Program consists of both a summer and year-round opportunity for high school students to experience working in a hospital environment.
University of North Carolina Medical Center
UNC’s summer high school volunteers benefit from eight-week positions in nursing units at its Chapel Hill and Hillsborough sites. The program teaches practical job skills in an academic hospital setting.
North Dakota
Altru Health System
Grand Forks-based Altru accepts applications for its junior volunteer program from students aged16 and older or who have started tenth grade. Volunteers gain on-the-job experience and explore health occupations.
Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin
Teens ages 16-18 can apply to become an Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin volunteer. Student volunteers must commit to a minimum of 100 service hours. Volunteers are eligible for scholarships.
Ohio
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Graduating high school seniors can apply for a paid eight-week summer internship in which they work with a mentoring physician in a pediatric specialty area.
Cleveland Clinic
The clinic’s Zielony Nursing Institute partners with schools nationwide to mentor and develop new nurses through senior projects. The project matches each student with a nurse in an assigned unit.
Ohio Health
High school students aged 15 and older can become Ohio Health Doctors Hospital volunteers. Opportunities include providing emergency room support, being a patient navigator, and serving in the maternity ward.
Oklahoma
Ascension St. John Hospitals
The Junior Volunteer programs at Ascension St. John hospitals in Broken Arrow, Owasso, and Sapulpa provide summer and school-year career discovery and exploration opportunities for students aged 15-18.
Stillwater Medical Foundation
Recipients of high school fellowships observe surgeries, childbirth, and emergency procedures and shadow physicians. Former fellows have entered nursing and other medical fields.
Bethany Children’s Health Center
The center’s VOLUME program grants service-based, hands-on learning for high schoolers planning for healthcare careers, such as nursing. Activities include job shadowing, pediatric patient care, and team building.
Oregon
Kaiser Permanente Northwest
Oregon high school students can volunteer at Kaiser Permanente Northwest hospitals. Students must commit to volunteering a minimum of 50 hours in six months.
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland-based OHSU houses a nursing school and offers numerous K-12 student experiences, such as a summer scholars program with partner schools that focuses on cancer research, treatment, and prevention.
Asante Three Rivers Medical Center
Students can apply to the Asante Three Rivers Medical Center Youth Volunteer program. Volunteers must commit to volunteering at least one year or 100 hours of service.
Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
UPMC invites student volunteers to gain healthcare experience and earn community service credits. Volunteers must commit to a minimum of 50 hours of service annually.
Jefferson Health
High school summer volunteer opportunities include working with patients and clinical staff. Students also participate in career day where they can ask questions to health providers.
Penn Medicine
Penn’s junior volunteer programs offer high school students aged 14 years or older exposure to healthcare professions, patient care, and daily duties.
Rhode Island
Care New England
The Teen Volunteer Program exposes students who have completed two years of high school and aspire to healthcare careers to numerous medical professions.
Lifespan
The Lifespan Summer Youth Employment Program provides students ages 16-19 with an inside look at healthcare, paid summer employment, career advice, and potential employment beyond the summer.
South County Health
Volunteer opportunities at South County Hospital for students ages 13 and up include assisting postoperative patients, cancer center and surgical service staff, and helping emergency department nurses.
South Carolina
Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation
The greater Charlotte-area clinics invite teens to volunteer as nursing unit assistants and patient mentors, along with job shadowing nurses and occupational and physical therapists.
Medical University of South Carolina
High school students aged 14 and up can apply to become MUSC Health volunteers. Volunteers must commit to serving a minimum of one three-hour shift each week.
Lexington Medical Center
Junior volunteers can apply to become Lexington Medical Center volunteers to gain healthcare experience in nursing units, surgical waiting areas, and community medical centers.
South Dakota
Monument Health
Monument Health offers high school students the opportunity to shadow healthcare professionals to learn what a healthcare career is truly like.
VA Sioux Falls Healthcare System
Junior volunteers can gain healthcare experience at Royal C. Johnson Veterans’ Memorial Hospital, Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers.
Tennessee
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
The Knoxville hospital’s summer VolunTeen Program invites high schoolers to help at its diabetes camp or at camps for rehabilitation center patients.
Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge
Methodist Medical Center offers a variety of volunteer opportunities, including serving as a patient representative, assisting in the Hospitality Houses, and delivering flowers.
Williamson Medical Center
The student volunteer program at Nashville’s Williamson Medical Center provides opportunities for teens aged 16 years or older to work with patients and their families and explore potential career paths in healthcare.
Texas
Covenant Health
West Texas’ Covenant offers nurse observation experiences for students ages 16 and above, along with pre-nursing school internships for college-level students.
Houston Methodist
The Caring Teen Volunteer Program accepts applications from community youth and delivers opportunities to network with medical professionals and provide supplemental hospital services.
Texas Health Resources
The Dallas-Fort Worth network invites teens to become junior volunteers at its various facilities during the summer. Volunteers curious about healthcare operations can develop professional skills.
Utah
Intermountain Healthcare
Teen volunteers at Intermountain medical facilities can work with pediatric patients at Primary Children’s Hospital, coordinate with pet therapists at Park City Hospital, and find numerous other opportunities.
Maliheh Free Clinic
High school students can join nurses and other practitioners at this Salt Lake City community clinic and provide administrative support and perform services, such as reading to children in the waiting room.
Utah State Hospital
Students can gain healthcare experience through the Utah State Hospital volunteer program, including physical and occupational therapy.
Vermont
Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital
High school students can volunteer at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital or apply for one of their internship programs. Student volunteers are eligible for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.
University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
The statewide Office of Primary Care and Area Education Centers Program facilitates community and academic partnerships that connect students to healthcare careers.
Virginia
Inova
This Northern Virginia nonprofit health system offers numerous volunteer options for teens that suit their interests and enable them to explore potential careers.
Mary Washington Healthcare
High school students aged 15-17 can apply for summer junior volunteer positions working with patients, families, staff, and visitors at this Fredericksburg healthcare organization.
Virginia Hospital Center
Teens ages 16 and up can volunteer and assist staff with direct patient care in inpatient units, women and infant health, and outpatient services at this Arlington hospital.
Washington
Cope Health Scholars
High school students aged 16-18 can shadow a current Health Scholar or work in healthcare settings. Volunteers must commit to one 4-hour shift or two 2-hour shifts per week.
UW Medicine
At UW Medicine, high school students can volunteer at their choice of four different medical centers. Students may also participate in summer teen volunteer programs.
Washington Hospital Healthcare System
High school students age 16 and older with at least a 3.0 GPA can apply to volunteer at Washington Hospital Healthcare System. Volunteers commit to at least 100 hours and work in the gift shop, lobby, or birthing center. They can also play music in the lobby.
Washington, D.C.
Georgetown University
GU hosts a three-week college-prep summer program for high school seniors with seminars in health studies, test prep workshops, and mentorships.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
The D.C.-based VA medical center offers students nationwide an inside view of career options, ways to gain healthcare experience, and qualification for college scholarships.
West Virginia
Mon Health Medical Center
High school students can join the junior volunteer program and gain experience in endoscopy, women’s imaging, and child development. Student volunteers are eligible for three different scholarships.
West Virginia University Hospitals
WVU Hospital invites high school students 16 years and older to join their volunteer program running three times per year. Students gain hands-on experience as they pursue their interest in various health professions.
Wisconsin
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Milwaukee-area teen volunteers work with pediatric patients in hospitals, advocate for children’s health to state legislators, and assist at fundraising events.
Froedtert Hospital & Medical College of Wisconsin
In partnership with Milwaukee’s Carmen High School, student interns can gain work experience, home life skills, and earn scholarships for college while learning about healthcare careers.
Aurora Health Care
Teens aged 14 and above can volunteer year-round at Aurora Health Care locations, including Aurora Medical Center Kenosha, Aurora Medical Center Bay Area, Aurora Medical Center – Manitowoc County, and Aurora Medical Center Oshkosh.
Wyoming
Campbell County Health
CCH’s junior volunteers can learn new skills and provide aid to the community by supporting services to children, working with clerical records, and helping at the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center, among other roles.
Memorial Hospital
High school students find volunteer opportunities by working in a hospital environment, providing support to patients, their families, and visitors at the Sweetwater County facility.
Cheyenne Regional
Cheyenne Regional welcomes student volunteers aged 15 and older to join their volunteer program. Volunteers must commit to a minimum of 25 service hours per year.
In Summary
From hands-on clinical experience in hospitals to community-based outreach and engagement, every state offers a multitude of pathways to explore the healthcare field. If any of the opportunities stood out to you, don’t hesitate to take that next step and apply! You never know, it could be an exciting start to your healthcare career.
Page last reviewed on April 24, 2024
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