Volunteer Opportunities

WVU Hospitals accepts three types of volunteers: Adults, college students, and high school students for the Junior Volunteer Academy and our regular Junior Volunteer Program.

Adults (18+ and no longer a student) may apply for volunteer service at any time. Graduate students can apply as an adult.

College student volunteers are accepted three times per year during the fall, spring, and summer. The fall enrollment dates are August 1 – 31, 2023, for college students. College students can only apply during an enrollment period. Student applications will not be accepted after an enrollment period has ended.

Junior Volunteer Academy applications are accepted during the month of January each year and applications for the regular Junior Volunteer Program are accepted May 1 – 31.

  • The first 125 college student applications will be accepted. Please do not apply as an adult volunteer unless you are a grad student.
  • If you were a college student volunteer within the past two years and you would like to volunteer again, you are not required to submit a new application. Please contact the Volunteer Services Office at 304-598-4134 to obtain a volunteer return packet.
  • The Junior Volunteer Academy is one week of exposure to various healthcare professions. Participants will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience not offered by traditional volunteering. Students must commit to the entire one-week session. Thirty applications will be accepted, and 20 participants will be chosen for the program.
  • Students interested in applying for the Junior Volunteer Academy must be interested in a healthcare profession, provide their high school transcript with at least a 3.0 grade point average, provide two letters of recommendation from teachers or guidance counselors, and write a 500-word essay about why they are interested in participating in the WVU Hospitals Junior Volunteer Academy.
  • Applicants will attend a group interview with a selection committee. If chosen to participate, applicants must complete all volunteer onboarding requirements.

Volunteer Hours

Shifts are available during morning, afternoon, and evenings. Volunteers are expected to complete at least one shift per week and a minimum commitment of 50 total hours of service before leaving their volunteer position.

Volunteer Orientation and Onboarding Session

Upon receipt of your application, you will receive an email with a link to the online volunteer orientation. Orientation must be completed prior to attending an onboarding session. If you are a student or an applicant for the Junior Volunteer Program, you will select an onboarding session date on your application. Adult volunteers will be contacted to schedule an onboarding session after completing the online orientation.

Required Immunizations

In order to provide a safe environment for both patients and volunteers, volunteers are required to provide documentation of the following immunizations. All volunteers will visit WVU Medicine Employee Health, and a clinician will grant approval to volunteer once all immunization requirements are confirmed.

  • COVID-19
  • Tetanus: within the past 10 years
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR): proof of two separate doses
  • Chicken pox: documentation of history
  • Hepatitis B: series of three immunizations; at least one must be administered prior to start. (This is given in Employee Health and a titer to follow the vaccines.)
  • Tuberculosis skin test (TB): If you have not received a skin test within the past 12 months, a two-step TB skin test will be administered seven to 10 days after your initial skin test placement.
  • Flu: during flu season

We strongly suggest that you do not get any immunizations before seeing an Employee Health clinician.

Employee Health will only administer a TB test for the Junior Volunteers. All other immunization requirements must be obtained elsewhere.