Volunteering

Volunteering at an academic medical center allows you to interact with visitors, patients and staff associated with one of the Southeast's premier health care systems.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteer Services places volunteers throughout many UF Health facilities in the Florida, including UF Health Shands Hospital, UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, UF Health Shands Medical Plaza & Davis Cancer Pavilion, and many other UF Health departments and practices.

Volunteer Services at UF Health contributes to the support of patient services by providing volunteers who assist patients, visitors and staff within UF Health Shands Hospital and associated facilities through the Volunteers, VolunTEEN, Pet Visitation and UF Health Shands Auxiliary programs. The key emphasis of the volunteer program is to enhance customer service and to be a "helping hand" resource. Volunteers give thousands of hours each year to UF Health to enhance the care of our patients and their families. They provide support throughout the hospital, including staffing the information desk, delivering mail and flowers, operating the gift shop and escorting patients.

Types of Volunteers

UF Health Shands Hospital has five different volunteer programs, each with its own application process:

• Adult Volunteers
• Student Volunteers (18+)
• Dental Volunteers
• VolunTEENs 
• Auxiliary Volunteers 
• Pet Therapy Volunteers 

Benefits of Volunteering

UF Health Shands Hospitals values the time and energy our volunteers give graciously each day.

Benefits of volunteering with UF Health Shands Hospitals include the following:

• Making a postive impact on your community
• Making a difference in someone's life
• Gaining work and life experiences
• Meeting new friends and forming lasting relationships
• Building self-esteem and self-confidence
• Experiencing diversity
• Exploring career opportunities
• Broadening skill sets and knowledge

Specific benefits for our adult volunteers include:

• Meal voucher for each four-hour shift worked
• Free flu shots
• Opportunities to attend volunteer educational meetings and luncheons

Getting Started

• Review our service areas to decide where you would like to volunteer
• Understand our application process for each area

Interviews and Acceptance

• Interviews for college-age volunteers are scheduled at the beginning of each semester (January, May and August)
• Interviews for adult volunteers are available year round on an individual basis
• Volunteers are not accepted for court-ordered or community service hours that need to be completed
• Volunteers who have cars and are willing to drive are needed and will be accepted through the year

Volunteer Information

Dress Code

The general volunteer uniform is a UF Health Shands Hospital volunteer shirt, which can be purchased at the hospital gift shop, worn with khaki pants and close-toed shoes. Badges provided by the Volunteer Department complete the uniform.

Commitment

Adult volunteers are asked for a six month commitment for a three hour shift once a week.

College students who volunteer are asked to commit to one full semester for a three hour shift once a week. Student volunteers are allowed two absences during each semester. Those who have more than two absences during a semester must make up any additional absences.