Volunteering in a hospital/talking to doctors

I currently volunteer in the emergency department of a hospital once a week for 4 hours. I have been doing so since mid June. I would like to try to get to know the Doctors/PAs/Nurses but have a hard time doing so. I am contemplating maybe volunteering more than once a week after work. I was actually talking to a patient and he asked why I was volunteering; I told him I wanted to be a doctor. He said I should have a doctor as a mentor and I agreed. He actually knew one of the head doctors that was working that night and wanted to introduce me to him. I couldn’t get a chance to be introduced to him before I left the hospital. This was probably a golden opportunity that I let pass by unfortunately. I feel like I am being a nuisance if I do try to speak with the doctors etc. because the ED is such a busy place. Any help on this would be great.

Biscuit23,


I am currently volunteering in the ED as well and I am having the same issue. It has been a challenge getting to know the staff, especially the physicians. I do value the experiences I have with the patients, but I am hoping to develop relationships with the staff as well. I know that volunteering in a hospital setting is important. Any ideas on how to take advantage of the opportunity and gain valuable experience would be helpful. Would love to hear more from the OPM community on the subject of volunteering while working full-time.

Biscuit23 and leighaliene,


Greetings. Like the both of you, I am also volunteering in the ED 4 hours a week. I struggled with the same issue, but when I started feeling more comfortable in the ED (about the 3rd week), I started introducing myself to the various attendings (which the Volunteer organizer had suggested that I do anyway, but I was a bit too intimidated to do so, at first). A couple of doctors ignored me, but others (an attending and 2 residents) were a bit more receptive. I had always found it easier to talk to the Nurses and NPs - by discussing patient concerns (one laughed at my credulity for taking a frequent flyer’s request as legitimate). One nurse was more ‘personal’ and was interested in my educational/career goals. These conversations were small victories for me, as I felt less like a voyeur and more like a serious pre-med student planning on transitioning into the field.


I have to say that although I also felt like a nuisance, when I allowed my curiosity free reign, I asked appropriate, patient-centered questions that opened up real (but limited) conversation with several of the healthcare personnel. Two residents let me witness them suture and interview patients. I felt comfortable asking them about their plan of care, I think, because they were students asserting themselves and muddling through the educational process themselves.


It seems that my confidence is slowly developing in the ED, although my volunteering experience is still very awkward for me. I take it as being somewhat of an identity crisis, one that I must ride out and resolve as I slowly transition into this field.


I don’t know how or whether my posting is of any help, but I wanted to respond b/c I have been doing a lot of hand wringing about my volunteer experience too, wanting it to be both relevant and meaningful for me. It seems to be resolving itself in an organic fashion.


So, I’ve decided to continue to listen to the doctors conversations, mark my questions, and ask the more receptive doctors and nurses questions as the opportunity arise. Granted, this is not a grand solution, but I feel comfortable with it after having read other volunteer experiences on sdn.net.

This is a good topic. I am volunteering 4 hours a week on Wednesday nights, but I did not choose the ED. I am on the med/surg floor. I get a LOT of patient contact. I walk in, smile, ask if they want their water pitcher filled, ask if they need an extra blanket. Sometimes people do not have visitors and are bored and lonely and I sit and talk with them. Sometimes I help in little ways. There was an slzheimer’s patient who was being very demanding with her adult daughter and not “letting” her leave. I sat with them both, and when the patient dozed briefly - motioned to the daughter to leave, and then when the patient awoke, I engaged her a little bit in conversation, and she did not “notice” her daughter’s absence. I hang out in the nurse’s station - a lot. I constantly offer to help and tell them to make use of me as much as possible, smile, and am pleasant. I have run and gotten ice packs for a nurse who could not leave an isolation room, gotten extra pillows or sheets, stocked iso gowns, etc. I am very quiet most of the time and just offer to help. Gradually, the staff is warming up to me. The doctors come in to do rounds near 5 or 6. I have not yet introduced myself, but have been at the nurses station while they are there and have listened to discussion of cases. As the nurses find uses for me in the evenings, I get more and more to do. They are relaxing and moving me into the routine of the unit. This week is week 3. The more everyone gets to know me, and the routine hours I am there, the more I will be counted on. I deliberately chose med/surg. I was afraid that if I was in the ER, my actual profession would be revealed by running into my patients there, and I would be constantly used for the psych cases. I have a ridiculous amount of psych experience and do not wish to be used in that way. I wanted to gain more medical experience. I find most of the patients will talk endlessly about their illness or surgery and love having someone listen. Interesting window into patient health literacy. I do not actually ANSWER call bells, but can come in the room, ask what the issue it, and then go get the right person to take care of it. Sometimes it IS something I can take care of, like putting the phone, or TV remote, or bed controls within reach of the patient. I also ask the nurses about where they went to school and let them “crow” to me about their education and experience, which helps in relationship building. All in all, it is not too bad.

  • leighaliene Said:
Biscuit23,

I am currently volunteering in the ED as well and I am having the same issue. It has been a challenge getting to know the staff, especially the physicians. I do value the experiences I have with the patients, but I am hoping to develop relationships with the staff as well. I know that volunteering in a hospital setting is important. Any ideas on how to take advantage of the opportunity and gain valuable experience would be helpful. Would love to hear more from the OPM community on the subject of volunteering while working full-time.



I would like to point out that this was post #90,000 on this website.

Only Geeks like us are hip to those things!!!


I recently started scribing in a local ED. It’s not volunteering, but I get to work one-on-one with the ER docs, it’s great experience, but it also allows some time to get to talk with the doc I’m working with (assuming it’s not crazy in the ED). I’m working about 3 days a month doing that right now, so I’m able to fit it in my schedule around my other job.


I’d suggest checking to see if there are any positions like that around. It’s been really cool so far.

Awesome experience on the unit last night. A couple of docs were in to do rounds. As each, respectively was leaving the unit, I introduced myself, gave a little background and told each that I was “building volunteer hours for my med school application”. Apparently they strongly identify with this!! Each one lit up, and openly invited me to shadow and ask questions whenever they were on the unit. ( BIG KOOL-AID SMILE ).

That’s great! I probably need to start doing that.

  • VickiV Said:
Awesome experience on the unit last night. A couple of docs were in to do rounds. As each, respectively was leaving the unit, I introduced myself, gave a little background and told each that I was "building volunteer hours for my med school application". Apparently they strongly identify with this!! Each one lit up, and openly invited me to shadow and ask questions whenever they were on the unit. ( BIG KOOL-AID SMILE ).



That's great, Vicki!

My own take on this problem: if you don't ask, they can't say yes. So be bold. What's the worst that can happen?