Pre-Med Volunteers
The Pre-Med Student Volunteer Program, under the leadership of Jason Cohen, MD, is for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who are planning to attend medical school. The program provides shadowing and mentorship, as well as a glimpse into what it means to be a physician today. The program offers students a chance to gauge and affirm their interest in medicine as a career. We are driven to be diverse and inclusive. Our goal is to provide opportunities for students from educationally or economically under-resourced communities, who have not previously shadowed healthcare providers.
Applications for spring 2024 will open Nov. 27 and close Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Applications will only be accepted from existing volunteers. If you are not a volunteer yet, please review some of our volunteer programs here and apply.
If you are an existing volunteer and have completed the minimum 100-hour requirement, log in to your VSys Live portal here, where you can complete the application. The Pre-Med Program application will become visible on Nov. 27. We will not be able to accept any late submissions.
Once all the applications have been reviewed, you will be contacted via email with updates or requests for interviews by Friday, Dec. 8. The spring session will run from approximately Feb. 7 until Apr. 17, 2024.
What to Expect
In-person shadowing of physicians by pre-med volunteers at Cedars-Sinai has returned. Over the 8- to 10-week program, pre-med volunteers will be assigned to a team of mentors within a specific specialty. Volunteers may shadow physicians on patient clinic visits, rounds, grand rounds, collaboration meetings and even into the operating room, if they are assigned to a surgical specialty. The program includes weekly meetings with guest physicians to hear about their journeys into and through medicine.
Important Changes to the Program
As part of our ongoing commitment to our patients and staff, we incorporated a volunteer service component into the program. To be considered for a place in the Pre-Med Volunteer Program, you will need to have completed a minimum of 100 hours in an adult volunteer position at Cedars-Sinai within the past two years. We have programs that will allow you to gain insights into how different departments operate and provide opportunities to interact with patients.
Student Eligibility:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must provide valid proof of COVID-19 and flu vaccination (digital record, PDF of card, etc.)
- Must have completed at least one semester of college
- Show a minimum GPA of 3.3
- Submit an online application
- Participate in group interview if selected
- Pass a background check
- Attend online orientation
- Must be available to attend all sessions
- Have reliable transportation to commute to Cedars-Sinai
- Must have completed a minimum of 100 adult volunteer hours at Cedars-Sinai
Mandatory Commitments:
- Must be available to shadow mentors a minimum of six hours per week
- Must be available to attend weekly Wednesday meetings from 4–6 p.m.
- Log volunteer hours after each meeting and shadowing session
- Adhere to strict policies, guidelines and expectations regarding behavior, communication, confidentiality, privacy, shadowing, operating room protocols, and those set out by each related department
Programs Available to Complete Prerequisite Volunteer Hours
To complete your 100 hours, we have several different volunteer roles available to help serve Cedars-Sinai patients, visitors and staff. You will submit your application, participate in an online interview using the Microsoft Teams platform, and if accepted, undergo clearances and orientation. Shifts are four hours long and are available on weekdays, weeknights and weekends.
We partner with a variety of departments, including through our surgical information desks, our cancer centers, Helping Hand Gift Shop, lobby services, urgent care, and many more departments and teams. The Emergency Department has occasional openings for those 21 and over. Click here to learn more and apply as an adult volunteer. These volunteer roles begin all year long.
We also have a program called Transforming Care at Bedside (TCAB), which is in partnership with inpatient units. Volunteers learn what nurses and other healthcare professionals do in their daily work, and experience how it feels to interact with staff, patients and families. Click here to learn more and apply as a TCAB volunteer. There are specific onboarding times during the year for the TCAB Program. More information is provided during the virtual interview.
Have Questions or Need Help?
Contact the Volunteer Services team Monday through Friday by phone, or send us a message.