Degree seeking
For people 18+ years old who are or will be enrolled in college, technical school or a post-graduate program or who are taking a gap year
Volunteering
Volunteering at an academic medical center allows you to interact with visitors, patients and staff associated with one of the Southeast's premier health care systems.
Which volunteer program should I apply for?
UF Health Shands Hospital has four different volunteer programs, each with its own application process.
Auxiliary and Shriners
For people who are finished with their formal education
Pet therapy
For people with a registered pet therapy dog
VolunTEEN
For 14- to 17-year-old high school students
Applications and acceptance
- Volunteers are not accepted for court-ordered or community service hours.
- Volunteers must meet certain requirements.
Applications for the following are accepted year-round:
Commitment
- Degree-seeking volunteers are asked to commit to one full semester for a three-hour shift once a week.
- Auxiliary (non-degree seeking) volunteers are asked for a six-month commitment for a three-hour shift once a week.
Opportunity Directory
The Opportunity Directory is a list of all volunteer opportunities broken up by specialty and availability.
Contact Volunteer Services
Gainesville
Please call (352) 265-0360. Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Jacksonville
Please call (904) 244-4271 or visit ufhealthjax.org/volunteer.
Volunteer Information Center (VIC)
Volunteers use the Volunteer Information Center (VIC) to report absences, print volunteer hours and schedule appointments. Use the link to access. Enter your email address and your VIC password, and then click the "Go" button.
Special event application
If you are interested in providing a special event for patients at UF Health Shands Children's Hospital, please review the Special Events requirements. If you are interested in providing a special event for adult patients, you must first fill out our Adult Special Event Application.
Other opportunities
Volunteer Services does not handle shadowing, observation, or internships. Please click the links below to be directed to the appropriate resource.
Shadowing
Shadowing involves observing a professional in their work environment to gain insight into their day-to-day responsibilities and experiences.
Observation
Observation typically entails passively observing various aspects of a work environment, such as procedures, interactions, and workflows, without actively participating.
Internship
An internship is a structured, supervised work experience that provides hands-on learning opportunities related to a specific field or profession.