Undergraduate (Patient Intake) Volunteers
Patient intake volunteers play an important role in helping Arbor Clinic function effectively. The following paragraphs contain answers to common questions about the patient intake volunteer experience. Additionally, please check out the volunteer profiles section to read about volunteers' experiences in their own words.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE A PATIENT INTAKE VOLUNTEER?
Although the vast majority of patient intake volunteers are Stanford undergraduates, graduate students and Stanford staff members are eligible to serve as patient intake volunteers. The only requirement is that YOU MUST BE AFFILIATED WITH STANFORD TO PARTICIPATE. If you are not a Stanford student and are interested in the Arbor Clinic, you can volunteer as an interpreter. Please refer the interpreter section for more information.
When does the clinic run?
The clinic is open every Sunday (52 weeks a year) from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Because patient intake volunteers are involved in the set up and clean up of the clinic, volunteering entails a 5 to 6 hour time commitment. We strongly recommend that our volunteers come to the clinic regularly, as continuity generally leads to a more meaningful volunteer experience.
What do Patient Intake Volunteers do?
Patient intake duties at the Arbor Free Clinic include setting up the clinic (we use facilities at the Menlo Park VA hospital), greeting patients and checking them in, creating a patient chart, conducting an initial demographic interview, and recording patient height and weight. Volunteers are also encouraged to shadow medical students and physicians once the clinic is up and running. In addition, as part of a larger effort to educate our patients about health insurance options in the Bay Area, patient intake volunteers now serve the important role of providing patients with information about health insurance and other community resources.
What other volunteer opportunities are there are Arbor?
Patient intake volunteers who have been involved with Arbor for more than two quarters are eligible to become patient intake leaders. Leader responsibilities include overseeing the registration process and coordinating with the medical students to make sure that the clinic runs smoothly. Additionally, patient intake volunteers and leaders who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to Arbor are eligible to apply for a position on the Arbor Steering Committee. The Steering Committee, which is comprised mostly of medical students, is responsible for running all parts of the clinic.
How do I become a Patient Intake Volunteer?
Patient intake volunteers are chosen at two different time periods during the year. Those who are selected at the beginning of fall quarter must commit to volunteering through the end of the school year. A second application process occurs during spring quarter for summer volunteers. Although the application process varies depending on the number of interested students, applicants are typically required to answer several short essay questions and participate in a short interview. As a first step, using your Stanford email address, you should join the Arbor Undergraduate Email List.
Note: Any further inquiries regarding undergraduate volunteering should be directed to arbor.ugrad@gmail.com.
