Volunteer Services Application

Boston Medical Center Health System is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive workplace where employees and volunteers are fully engaged, valuing each person's gifts, talents and abilities, and celebrating individual uniqueness-whether seen or unseen. We believe there is strength in diversity. Diversity, Belonging, Inclusivity, and Equity are values integral to our mission as a place of healing, welcome, hope, and community.

1. Complete the online application.
2. Application is reviewed by Volunteer Services.
3. Candidates are invited to a welcome call for discussion about the volunteer role, time commitment, and reasons for volunteering to evaluate whether this is a correct fit.
4. Approved candidates will be asked to submit information for a required background check.
5. Approved candidates will be asked to complete the required medical clearance. Medical clearance is required for all BMC employees and volunteers. See below for the full process.
6. In-person orientation is scheduled once the candidate has completed the above process.
7. Volunteers will start their first shift!

*This process, from beginning of application review to a volunteer's first shift, typically takes 2-3 months in total.

As an introduction to the volunteer experience, all new BMC volunteers are required to serve initially in the Volunteer Ambassador roles.

These roles provide orientation to the BMC campus and its clients, patients, family/visitors, and staff.

Serving as a Volunteer Ambassador helps a new volunteer learn about the patient experience (nervousness, confusion, anxiety, language barriers, or emotional distress) as well as learning to calm, listen to, assist, provide information to, and walk with patients as they access the medical center.

For other roles, the hospital dictates the volunteer need, and Volunteer Services responds to fill those roles. Volunteers may request to be assigned to specific opportunities in specialized volunteer roles on specific floors and units as these become available-Volunteer Services will assist with this placement.

Medical clearance is required for all BMCHS employees and volunteers.

Medical Clearance Requirements

• Tuberculosis (TB) Test
  • 2-step TB skin test: One within the past 3 months, and another one within the past year OR 
  • Blood Test (T-Spot or Q-Gold): Must be completed within the past 3 months
  • *Please note that these tests must be done within the 3 months of a volunteer's start date, which may be several weeks or months after the application has been submitted. Because of this, we do not recommend completing this step until instructed to do so in the onboarding process.
• Immunization Review
  • Must provide proof of immunization and/or titers for the following:
    • COVID-19
    • Hepatitis B
    • Influenza (flu)
    • MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
    • Tetanus (Td/Tdap)
    • Varicella (chicken pox)
  • Healthcare workers with patient contact and potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids must additionally provide:
    • Positive Hepatitis B surface antibody titer
• Administration of Any Missing Required Vaccinations or Titers
  • BMCHS Occupational Health will administer any necessary tests and/or vaccines as necessary.

A detailed copy of BMC immunization requirements can be found on the BMC intranet, The Hub.

How to Obtain Immunization Records

Immunization documents can be found in your doctor’s office records, student health office, previous employee health records, immigration documents, military service documents, travel vaccination records, and/or through the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS).