Internships and Volunteer Opportunities for High School and Pre-Nursing Students

Looking to jump-start your nursing journey before college? Whether you’re a high school student exploring healthcare or a pre-nursing student strengthening your application, hands-on experience is crucial. Volunteering and internships don’t just build your resume — they shape your confidence and professional insight.

In this evergreen guide, you’ll find everything you need to get started. We explore the best volunteer and internship opportunities across the country, organized by state, so you can find meaningful programs near you. Whether you want to serve at your local hospital, assist with public health initiatives, or shadow experienced nurses, this resource is designed to grow with you.

Start now — discover experiences that can define your future in nursing.

Explore these listings and find a program that appeals to you in your state.

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.

This medical center and hospital offers summer opportunities for teen volunteers, ages 15-18, and college students. Pre-college research internships are available for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds or first-generation in the family attending college.

Teens to adults 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.

High school students aged 14 and up can volunteer at this hospital, clinic, and skilled nursing facility. There are opportunities to work in the gift shop, assist with patient care, and perform 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. Volunteers have access to free educational classes.

The Family Volunteer Program is open to teens ages 13-17 who are accompanied by a parent or guardian. The College Intensive Volunteer program is a 12-week accelerated program to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare environment.

ASU offers a summer college immersion that features learning communities in health and leadership for students in grades 9-12. They offer day camps to residential programs.

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. They can be involved in reception, patient communication, transportation services, special pet therapy, and music enrichment.

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. Volunteers who are at least 18 years old must commit to one three-hour shift each week.

Students aged 16 and older can participate in Baptist Health’s volunteer youth programs, such as Caring Teen and STAR Volunteen. Volunteers can serve in inpatient units, critical care, the surgery center, and the PACE program.

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.

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. The program is offered year-round at selected sites with a nine-month commitment.

Student opportunities at San Diego County-based Scripps include the summer High School Exploration Internship Program, Young Leaders in Health Care, and on-site training through student placements.

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.

In partnership with Denver Health, the Medical Career Collaborative Program prepares high school students for future nursing and other healthcare careers with hands-on training and professional development.

Sky Ridge Medical Center offers a Junior Volunteer program or High School Future Careers program to gain hands-on experience and career insight in medical fields.

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. Age limits and opportunities vary by facility.

Stamford emphasizes patient-centered care, matching your strengths and talents with volunteer opportunities. 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 offers several types of volunteer opportunities, including the Patient and Family Ambassador position for teens aged 15 and up. A teen volunteer can also help with fundraising events or in the gift shop.

Public high school juniors and seniors can participate in the School-to-Career Internship Program at the Yale New Haven Hospital during the spring and summer. This five-week, 20-hour per week placement helps volunteers explore healthcare careers.

ChristianaCare offers a Summer VolunTeen program to high schoolers aged 14-18 and a college volunteer program. Volunteers interact with patients and learn about hospital careers.

The hospital offers volunteer opportunities for high school students in areas including physical therapy assistant, information desk staff, library, and patient visitor during the summer.

Students aged 16 years or older who have completed their sophomore year of high school can apply to the High School Program to volunteer for an 8-week commitment over the summer in more than 80 departments throughout the hospital. Volunteers must be TB tested.

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 must provide proof of immunity to several contagious diseases, a TB skin test, and have transportation.

Teens wanting to learn more about pediatric health can volunteer in a specialty care program by assisting staff with supporting patients and families, including serving on pet visitation teams, lobby ambassadors, or greeting patients and families.

The Teen Volunteer Program is for students aged 14–18 who have completed 8th grade. Volunteers commit to one 4-hour shift per week, aiming for at least 75 hours over a year. Requirements include a TB screening and orientation.

High school students who are at least 15 years old with a teacher’s reference have multiple opportunities at NGHS, including non-clinical tasks or assisting on nursing units. They can also get involved with specialty projects to explore a healthcare career.

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.

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 participate in the organization’s mission of helping children and families in crisis, including those in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or in senior assisted living. Verification of volunteer hours and letters of recommendation for colleges are available.

High school students can participate in volunteer opportunities in the lab, nursing units, mammography, and special events. Volunteers must be 16 years old and commit to at least four hours each week.

The Pre-Health Career Corps engages students in a year-round program where they can learn about health careers. They offer volunteer positions to students of all ages, including career shadowing, internships, and financial resources. The center is located in the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The Health Careers Summer Internship Program is a six-week paid internship for high school juniors and seniors. It gives students the chance to explore career options, learn about hospital systems, and talk to practitioners.

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, during which they accumulate 80 hours over four weeks.

The Medical Reserve Corps in Idaho welcomes medical and non-medical volunteers, including high school students. Volunteers support local public health initiatives, such as immunization clinics and emergency preparedness activities. Training is provided, and volunteers can choose their level of involvement.

High school students can apply for externships, internships, shadowing, and volunteering opportunities. Madison Memorial Hospital provides training for all positions, encouraging exploration of a variety of health careers.

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 and fill 8 hours per month during the school year and 12 hours per month in the summer.

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. They provide orientation and training for all volunteers.

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 be at least 14 years old, submit a 400-word essay, and complete four hours each week.

Healthcare interns work in the clinic or hospital setting to fill various roles, including clinical care aides, receptionists, and healthcare student workers.

Ascension welcomes student volunteers at its various locations, including Peyton Manning Children’s, St. Vincent Anderson, and St. Vincent Carmel hospitals, where they interact with patients, families, and visitors, assisting with non-clinical support.

High school students interested in health-related research can choose among several training programs in areas like behavioral sciences, biomedicine, and molecular medicine.

Parkview Health partners with affiliated schools to pair high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in healthcare with health professionals for job shadows, observations, clinicals, and semester-long internships and externships.

Students aged 16 and older can volunteer at Great River Health’s Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center throughout the year. They can serve at the information desk, personal medical emergency response system, virtually, or as a patient ambassador.

The center offers one-on-one clinical internship and preceptor programs, job shadowing, and youth volunteer opportunities for students preparing for a career in healthcare—clinical and nonclinical positions. Job shadows, observations, internships, and other volunteer opportunities are available for students.

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.

The Via Christi Hospitals in Wichita offers nursing unit volunteer positions to teens, including greeting visitors, delivering gifts to patients’ rooms, and helping with discharges.

Students 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 in a hands-on six week program.

High school students can apply to volunteer with Salina Regional during the summer months. Positions are limited to 25 per summer. Volunteers must commit to at least 35 hours of service and meet minimum GPA requirements.

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 after receiving orientation and training.

The High School Senior Internship Program offers service learning experiences for students in their senior year. Interns explore five tracks in different hospital departments and their impacts on patient care.

This healthcare organization’s Louisville-area hospitals offer volunteering and summer programs for teens in cancer centers, hospitals, and rehabilitation institutes. Students must be at least aged 16, supply immunization records, and flu vaccination.

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. College students must commit to one four hour shift per week for one semester.

The career shadowing program for students 18 and older and includes opportunities to shadow nurses and other practitioners in various hospital departments. The hospital also offers clinical and nonclinical volunteer positions.

Freshman through junior 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.

The Volunteer Pathways offers career exploration field trips for students exploring the healthcare field. They also offer observational experiences to students aged 16 years and older.

The Inside Medicine Program is a virtual statewide program for current high school students to explore medicine and help solve medical mystery cases. College and post-secondary students can access a 10-week summer internship program, and student partnerships with local businesses and agencies.

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, during which they help in nonclinical roles.

Johns Hopkins and its agency partners host a Summer Scholars program that includes a track for Baltimore high school juniors enrolled in the MERIT Health Leadership Academy. There are 300 available positions for students in research and leadership volunteer programs.

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.

High school students can apply to one of 40 paid internships in the NIH Clinical Center Summer Internship Program, which pairs students with researchers and health professionals in nursing and other research areas.

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.

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.

Students ages 16-18 can apply to the Junior Track volunteer program and learn about healthcare careers, in clinical and non-clinical roles. Volunteers commit 100 hours of service per year and work after school.

Students must be aged 16 years or older and can volunteer in clinical or non-clinical roles during the summer months. Volunteers must work a minimum of one shift each week and commit to 100 hours per year.

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.

Student experiences at Beaumont Health include volunteer positions at its locations throughout the Detroit metro area. Experiences include both year-round and summer positions, requiring two to four hours per week.

Students aged 15 and older can apply to become a M Health Fairview volunteer. Volunteers can choose from clinical and nonclinical roles in various healthcare settings, including Ridges Hospital, Woodwinds Hospital, and the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

CentraCare welcomes students aged 14 years and older to volunteer in their various hospitals and centers. Volunteers interact with healthcare professionals, explore healthcare interests, earn letters of recommendation, and are eligible for scholarship opportunities.

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.

The CRASH Course camp invites applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The summer camp allows students to work alongside nurses at several Baptist Memorial Hospital locations to learn more about various healthcare professions.

This organization fosters students, ninth grade and older, with an interest in healthcare careers through several programs, including a summer health academy, summer volunteering, job shadowing, and scholarships.

Student volunteers can find nonclinical summer opportunities in the cancer center, emergency department, auxiliary, chaplaincy, and radiology programs at Pascagoula and Ocean Springs hospitals.

Springfield’s CoxHealth accepts high school volunteers aged 15 and up who complete the interview process and background screening at four hospital facilities. The student program focuses on engaging volunteers for possible future recruitment.

Children’s Mercy Hospital provides year-round and summer volunteer opportunities for high school students who want to support staff and create positive experiences for patients, families, and visitors.

The St. Louis-based hospital offers volunteer opportunities where high school and college students gain insight into healthcare careers. Student volunteers provide support, comfort, and facility navigation service to patients.

The clinic welcomes student volunteers aged 15-18 who can commit to one 4-hour shift a week for a minimum of nine shifts during the summer months. Positions are limited and students must also be up to date on immunizations and complete an interview process.

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 or long shifts during the summer months.

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. The opportunities vary based on the needs of the hospital.

Kids and teens aged 15-19 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.

High school students aged 14-18 can provide hospital support after school on weekdays. The Volunteen program has a one-year commitment, allowing students to explore various healthcare career opportunities and develop leadership skills.

The Omaha-based High School Alliance Health Sciences Enrichment Program for juniors and seniors features observation and shadowing tracks. The program has a competitive admission process. Participants can also take college-level courses taught by practitioners, including nurses.

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. They must meet a minimum GPA requirement and speak fluent English.

Junior volunteers are 14 years or older and can 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 and 100 hours per year. Students can volunteer in clinical and nonclinical roles.

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. Students must meet minimum health requirements and communicate well in English.

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. Students under 16 must submit working papers, and all must pass a background check and complete an interview.

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.

The teen volunteer program provides opportunities to students aged 14-18 during the afternoons and weekends. Volunteers are eligible for scholarships. They must commit to one year and submit parental consent.

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. They offer summer programs and limited positions during the school year.

High school students can apply for summer volunteer positions at one of eight hospitals in the system, working with patients and clinical staff, performing clerical duties, and providing patient services, such as patient escorting.

The institute offers numerous educational and training events for students to train the next generation of cancer researchers. The summer teen program requires an eight-hour per week commitment for students aged 14 to 17 years who complete an interview and are fully vaccinated.

High school graduating seniors can explore healthcare careers during an internship or volunteer program, where they rotate through various departments and observe nursing, clinical, and support staff. The program is highly competitive.

Students aged 14 and older can acquire skills in a hospital setting and gain insights into various healthcare careers. Students can access the employee gym and job shadowing opportunities.

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.

They offer a variety of volunteer opportunities for students aged 16 and older in clinical and nonclinical roles. Students must commit to a four-hour shift each week for nine months. They also provide summer opportunities.

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.

The Carolinas Medical Center offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for high school students aged 15-18 with a focus on providing education and experience in healthcare. Teen volunteers may provide non-clinical support, assist with clerical work, and deliver sterile equipment to the units.

The Annie Penn Hospital Teen Volunteer Program offers a summer program for high school students to experience working in a hospital environment. College students can participate in a year-round program to gain educational experiences.

UNC’s summer high school volunteers benefit students aged 14 years and older 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 during the summer program.

Grand Forks-based Altru accepts applications for its junior volunteer program from students aged 16 and older, or who have started tenth grade, and those who are 14 during the summer months. Volunteer opportunities are also available for college students to gain on-the-job experience and explore health occupations.

Teens ages 16-18 can apply to become an Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin volunteer. College students also have opportunities to gain healthcare experience. Student volunteers must commit to a minimum of 100 service hours. Volunteers are eligible for scholarships.

Graduating high school seniors can apply for a paid eight-week summer internship in which they work 20 hours per week with a mentoring physician to learn more about working in biomedical sciences. The summer student extern program for nursing students interested in exploring a career in pediatrics.

The minimum age to volunteer at the Cleveland Clinic is 15 years, but some sites require teens to be 18. Clinical, nonclinical, and spiritual volunteer opportunities are available to introduce students to the healthcare field at several locations throughout Ohio.

High school students aged 16 and older can become Ohio Health Doctors Hospital volunteers, while some roles require students to be aged 18. Opportunities include providing emergency room support, being a patient navigator, and serving in the maternity ward.

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.

Recipients of high school fellowships observe surgeries, childbirth, and emergency procedures and shadow physicians. Former fellows have entered nursing and other medical fields. Applications open March 1 and close April 1 each year.

The center’s VOLUME summer 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 high school students can volunteer at Kaiser Permanente Northwest hospitals. Students must commit to volunteering a minimum of 50 hours in six months, which allows students to gain experience and add to a college application.

Portland-based OHSU offers numerous K-12 student experiences, such as a summer scholars program with partner schools that focuses on cancer research, treatment, and prevention. High school students can participate in several programs, including volunteer opportunities and internships in cardiovascular, auditory, and cancer programs.

Students aged 16 years and older 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.

UPMC invites 18 year old student volunteers to gain healthcare experience and earn community service credits. Volunteers must complete a screening process and commit to a minimum of 50 hours of service annually.

High school summer volunteer opportunities include working with patients and clinical staff in the emergency room, surgery waiting, and radiology. Students also participate in career day where they can ask questions to health providers.

Penn’s junior volunteer programs offer high school students aged 14 years or older exposure to healthcare professions, patient care, and daily duties. The college program gives students 18 years and older exposure to medicine and healthcare experiences.

The Teen Volunteer Program exposes students who have completed two years of high school and aspire to healthcare careers to numerous medical professions. Students must commit to the onboarding requirements and one 3 to 4 hour shift each week for six months.

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. The program promotes professionalism, career exploration, and skill development.

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. Students aged 18 years and older must submit to a criminal background check, complete an orientation, and adhere to a dress code policy.

The greater Charlotte-area clinics invite teens aged 15 years and older to volunteer as nursing unit assistants and patient mentors, along with job shadowing nurses and occupational and physical therapists.

Volunteers in the Summer College Volunteer Program must be aged 18 years and older and undergo a criminal background check. Students must complete 80 hours over 10 weeks and may be assigned roles in the emergency department, outpatient surgery, outpatient clinics, and inpatient units.

Volunteers gain healthcare experience in nursing units, surgical waiting areas, and community medical centers. College volunteers have flexible opportunities in several clinical and nonclinical roles throughout the hospital.

Monument Health offers high school students the opportunity to shadow healthcare professionals to learn what a healthcare career is truly like. Not all applications are accepted. Students have the opportunity to shadow a professional one time for up to four hours and be referred by a career counselor.

Junior volunteers can gain healthcare experience at Royal C. Johnson Veterans’ Memorial Hospital, Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers. Students must be aged 16 and older and commit to 50 years of service over six months.

The Knoxville hospital’s summer VolunTeen Program admits students who are at least 16 years or older. They invite high schoolers to help at its diabetes camp or at camps for rehabilitation center patients, or in the hospital.

Methodist Medical Center offers a variety of volunteer opportunities, including serving as a patient representative, assisting in the Hospitality Houses, and delivering flowers. Volunteer benefits include discounted meals, educational in-service programs, and discounts at the gift shop.

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. Volunteers can serve in the emergency department, transport patients, or provide clerical support.

West Texas’ Covenant offers nurse observation experiences for students ages 16 and above, along with pre-nursing school internships for college-level students.

The Caring Teen Volunteer Program accepts applications from community youth and delivers opportunities to network with medical professionals and provide supplemental hospital services. Students must complete 36 hours in four hour shifts.

The Dallas-Fort Worth network invites teens aged 16 to 18 years to become Junior Volunteers at its various facilities during the summer with a commitment of 32 to 128 hours. Volunteers curious about healthcare operations can develop professional skills.

Teen volunteers aged 18 years and older 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 clinical and nonclinical opportunities.

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, gaining valuable healthcare experience.

Students can gain healthcare experience through the Utah State Hospital volunteer program. Students gain experience while contributing to the community. Volunteers can help in occupational, physical, and recreational therapy.

High school students aged 14 and older can volunteer at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital or apply for one of their internship programs, depending on the available positions. Student volunteers are eligible for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.

Student volunteers can work in clinical and nonclinical positions. Volunteers can also help with special events or organize drives.

This Northern Virginia nonprofit health system offers numerous volunteer options for teens aged 16 and older that suit their interests and enable them to explore potential healthcare careers.

High school students aged 15-17 can apply for summer junior volunteer positions working with patients, families, staff, and visitors at Mary Washington Hospital or Stafford Hospital. Students must not have a criminal record and pass an interview process.

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. They must commit to four hours each week for six weeks.

High school students aged 16-18 can shadow a current Health Scholar or work in healthcare settings to give them experience and exposure to clinical environments. Volunteers must commit to one 4-hour shift or two 2-hour shifts per week.

At UW Medicine, high school students can volunteer at their choice of over 70 roles throughout four medical centers. Students may also participate in summer teen volunteer programs. The adult and college student program requires volunteers to be high school graduates.

High school students age 16 and older with at least a 3.0 GPA can apply to volunteer at Washington Hospital Healthcare System. Volunteers must go through a background check, wear a uniform, and commit to at least 100 hours. They can work in various areas, including the gift shop, lobby, birthing center, or play music in the lobby.

GU hosts a three-week college-prep summer program for high school seniors with seminars in health studies, test prep workshops, and mentorships. Applications require recommendations, transcripts, and supporting documents.

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. Students can volunteer in clinical and nonclinical roles.

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 and must commit to a minimum 50 hours, once a week, in three to four hour shifts.

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.

Milwaukee-area teen volunteers can choose to work with pediatric patients in hospitals, advocate for children’s health to state legislators, and assist at fundraising events or other community opportunities.

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. Internships and apprenticeships are also available for high school juniors and seniors.

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. Students can work in inpatient settings and virtual volunteering.

CCH’s junior volunteers aged 13 to 18 years 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. The hospital opens 40 volunteer positions each spring.

High school students aged 14 years and older have volunteer opportunities in a hospital environment, providing support to patients, their families, and visitors at the Sweetwater County facility.

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, either in a routine schedule or by helping in occasional projects.

From hands-on clinical experience in hospitals to community-based outreach and engagement, every state offers 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.