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Students

We Need Student Volunteers!

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Student-Run Health Clinic. Our organization is staffed and organized entirely by Case Western Reserve University students and volunteer health care providers. We’re always looking for new volunteers!

Eligibility

Clinical volunteers MUST be students currently enrolled at one of the following programs:

  • Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
  • Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine
  • Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine 
  • Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
  • Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. Students at the school of nursing must be enrolled in either the Graduate Entry or MSN program

Note: If you are not eligible to apply for a clinical volunteer position, you can still get involved with the Student-Run Health Clinic!

Roles of Clinical Volunteers

Patient Advocate: first- or second-year social work student

  • Assists clients in signing up for health care insurance and
  • Refers them to community resources as needed.

Case Manager: medical, dental, physician assistant or nursing student (M1, M2, D1, D2, PA1, MN1 or MN2) 

  • Acts as a guide to the patient during his or her visit to the Student-Run Health Clinic;
  • Provides pertinent social health resources to the patient upon discharge; 
  • Reviews intake forms;
  • Assesses vital signs;
  • Coordinates patients with clinical assessment teams and phlebotomy;
  • Guides patients through reduced and free medication options;
  • Refers patients to pertinent Cleveland-area social health resources.

Junior Clinician: medical, dental, physician assistant, or nursing student (M1, M2, D1, D2, PA1, MN1 or MN2)

  • Works in the clinical assessment team with the senior clinician to carry out: 
    • An initial assessment of the patient including a chart review (if a chart is available);
    • A focused history and 
    • A focused physical exam. 
  • The assessment team then presents their findings, their assessment and a tentative plan to the clinical preceptor (a licensed MD, DO, or NP);
  • Together with the clinical preceptor, the assessment team carries out a final evaluation of the patient and decide upon a definitive plan of care.

Senior Clinician: medical, physician assistant, or nursing student with significant clinical experience (M3, M4, PA2 or MSN student)

  • Mentors the junior clinician throughout all aspects of the clinical assessment, as described above.

Become a Clinical Volunteer

How to Apply: First- and Second-year MD, First- and Second-year DMD Students, First-year PA Students

If you are a first- or second-year student at the School of Medicine (M1 or M2, D1 or D2, PA1) or School of Nursing Graduate Entry program (MN1 or MN2):

1. Complete an application.

  • Medical, dental, physician assistant, and nursing students must complete our short online application to volunteer at the Student-Run Health Clinic. These applications are sent to your CWRU email address, so please be on the look out!
  • There are no prerequisites in terms of volunteer experience. All first- and second-year medical, dental, physician assistant, and nursing students are encouraged to apply.

2. Attend one mandatory training sessions.

  • There will be one mandatory training sessions where students will be oriented to the organization and patient flow of our clinic. These training sessions are scheduled on a rolling basis after each application period (September, January and May/June).
  • Trainees will include the basics of assessing vital signs, presenting patients and referring patients to pertinent social service organizations in Cleveland.
  • It is mandatory that all first- and second-year medical, dental, and nursing students, and first-year physician assistants attend these training sessions.

3. Commit to at least three clinic sessions.

  • Students should attend at least three clinic sessions. M1/M2, D1/D2, MN1/MN2, and PA1 students will be assigned either a junior clinician, front desk, or case manager role.
  • Since students are the primary care providers in the clinic, it is essential to the mission of the clinic that students who have committed to a date are able to attend. A typical Saturday clinic session will run between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

How to Apply: Third- and Fourth-year MD,  Second-year PA Students, and MSN Students

If you are a third- or fourth-year student in the MD program (M3 or M4), third- or fourth-year student in the DMD program, a second-year student in PA program (PA2) or a student of any year enrolled in the School of Nursing MSN program:

1. Contact a volunteer coordinator.

  • M3/M4, D3/D4, PA2, and MSN students need not apply to become a volunteer. Simply contact one of our volunteer coordinators at srfc.case@gmail.com to get more information.

2. Attend one mandatory training session.

  • Students are required to attend one mandatory training session that will focus on orienting volunteers to patient flow through the clinic.

3. Commit to at least one clinic session.

  • Students will be assigned a senior clinician role. They will be the primary student care provider to the patient and a mentor to junior student clinicians. It is essential that senior clinicians who have committed to a date are able to attend. A typical Saturday clinic session will run between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.