Patient-Related Volunteer Programs
At The Mount Sinai Hospital, patient-related volunteers visit patients and assist staff in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Our volunteers help lower the stress levels of our patients and their loved ones. These placements provide excellent opportunities for those wanting to gain experience in a hospital setting.
2023 Virtual Volunteer Recognition - Celebrating our extraordinary volunteers across the Mount Sinai Health System.
Cancer-Related Programs
The Derald H. Ruttenberg Treatment Center
Volunteers at The Derald H. Ruttenberg Treatment Center provide assistance and compassion to cancer patients and their families, ensuring their visit is as comfortable as possible.
As a volunteer, you will help familiarize patients and caregivers with center, assist in communication of any delays, and provide companionship and support to new patients and patients who come alone.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Minimum age: 18
- Minimum hours: 100 hours completed over 6 consecutive months (one 4-hour shift per week)
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (9am – 5pm)
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2024 Ruttenberg Treatment Center Application Cycle |
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Accepting Applications |
Cohort |
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November 6, 2023 – December 6, 2023 |
Spring 2024 (Begins in February) |
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February 21, 2024 – March 27, 2024 |
Summer 2024 (Begins in June) |
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May 31, 2024 – July 5, 2024 |
Fall 2024 (Begins in September) |
The Dubin Breast Center
Volunteers at the Dubin Breast Center provide direction and assistance to patients and their family members to ensure their visit is as comfortable as possible.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Minimum age: 18
- Minimum hours: 100 hours completed over 6 consecutive months (one 4-hour shift per week)
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (9am – 5pm)
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2024 Dubin Breast Center Application Cycle |
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Accepting Applications |
Cohort |
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November 6, 2023 – December 6, 2023 |
Spring 2024 (Begins in January) |
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February 21, 2024 – March 27, 2024 |
Summer 2024 (Begins in June) |
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May 31, 2024 – July 5, 2024 |
Fall 2024 (Begins in September) |
Child and Adolescent Program
Child Life Program
The Child Life Program helps infants, children, and adolescents cope with illness and hospitalization by offering therapeutic activities tailored to meet their social, emotional, and education needs. Child Life volunteers help staff the playrooms for both inpatients and outpatients, and bring play and art materials to the bedside. In addition, volunteers assist our staff with toy cleaning and other tasks to help maintain a safe environment. This is an excellent opportunity for those interested in pursuing a career in a hospital environment.
Academic Year Cohort (September – May)
Volunteer Requirements:
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Minimum age: 18
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Minimum hours: 150 hours completed over 9 consecutive months (one 4-hour shift per week)
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Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (10am – 4pm)
Summer Cohort (June – August)
Volunteer Requirements:
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Minimum age: 18
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Minimum hours: 80 hours completed over 10-12 consecutive weeks (two 4-hour shifts per week)
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Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (10am – 4pm)
Limited weekend/evenings – Placements may include weekdays and/or weekends, daytime and evening hours depending on program openings and needs.
If you fulfill all the above requirements and are interested in applying to our Child Life Program, please submit an application, when we are accepting new applicants, here.
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2024 Child Life Application Cycle |
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Accepting Applications |
Cohort |
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February 1, 2024 – March 21, 2024 |
Summer 2024 (May – August) |
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May 8, 2024 – June 27, 2024 |
Academic Year (September 2024 – May 2025) |
High School Child Life Volunteers
Volunteer positions for high school students (minimum age of 15) are very limited as these placements are restricted to select areas of the Child Life program, primarily in the KidZone TV studio.
Please contact us at VolunteerDept@mountsinai.org with any questions.
Care and Respect for Elders in Emergencies (CARE)
Care and Respect for Elders in Emergencies/Everyone (CARE)
The Department of Emergency Medicine's Care and Respect for Elders in Emergencies (CARE) volunteer program is dedicated to enhancing the care for older patients visiting the Emergency Department. Volunteers strengthen the quality of patient care by providing bedside comfort, support, and helping to prevent avoidable complications, such as the onset of delirium. Volunteer interventions range from playing games; engaging in conversations; and offering reading glasses, hearing amplifiers, and stress balls. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone who enjoys interacting with geriatric patients in a fast-paced and ever-shifting environment.
Care and Respect for Everyone offers the same bedside comfort to patients of all ages who have been admitted to the hospital and are in inpatient areas. Geri-friendly interventions remain a priority, but all adult patients are visited. Volunteers who feel more comfortable in a more controlled and quiet setting would be best suited.
CARE II: Up and About! volunteers help mobilize inpatients to improve health outcomes and speed recovery. We hope to re-open CARE II in early 2024.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum age: 18
- Minimum hours: 150 hours completed over 6-9 consecutive months (four hours per week)
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday shifts, 9am-1pm, 1pm-5pm, and 5pm-9pm
If you fulfill all the above requirements and are interested in applying to our CARE Program, please submit an application, when we are accepting new application, here.
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2024 CARE Application Cycle |
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Accepting Applications |
Cohort |
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September 11th, 2023 – October 30th, 2023 |
Spring 2024 |
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February 12th, 2024 – March 15th, 2024 |
Summer 2024 |
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May 6th, 2024 – June 21st, 2024 |
Fall 2024 |
Please feel free to send an email to care_volunteers@mountsinai.org if you have any questions.
*Current CARE volunteer shifts are available Monday-Friday between the hours of 9am-9pm. Weekend volunteer hours will resume at a time to be determined in 2024, but please do not apply for this cycle unless you are able to make the weekday commitment.
Hospital Delirium Program
The Hospital Delirium Program
The Hospital Delirium Program at Mount Sinai Hospital is looking for volunteers to join the team.
Delirium is a syndrome of global brain dysfunction associated with acute medical and surgical conditions, typically occurring in hospitalized geriatric patients. It is associated with many negative outcomes, up to and including death. Delirium Program volunteers provide non-medical interventions to promote cognitive stimulation, reorient to the environment, and increase mobility. Volunteers serve as part of a team to treat active cases of delirium and prevent delirium in high risk cases and gain one on one patient experience in medical and surgical unit settings. Orientation, ongoing supervision, and education will be provided.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Minimum age: 18
- Minimum hours: 130 hours completed over 6-8 consecutive months (4 hours per week)
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (12:30pm – 5:00pm)
If you fulfill all the above requirements and are interested in applying to our Delirium Program, please submit an application, when we are accepting new applicants, here.
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2024 Hospital Delirium Application Cycle |
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Accepting Applications |
Cohort |
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September 20, 2023 – October 31, 2023 |
Spring 2024 (Begins in January) |
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January 25, 2024 – February 29, 2023 |
Summer 2024 (Begins in June) |
Creative Arts Programs
Music for Healing and Musicians On Call
Musicians On Call (MOC) is a national organization which provides volunteer musicians to hospitals across the country.
Volunteers may perform either at the patient's bedside or in an open area where patients and their families can gather. Musicians must demonstrate sensitivity to the special needs of patients and should be able to play soothing music. Volunteers may use voice, an instrument, or both.
You don’t need to be a performer or musically inclined to be a volunteer guide. Volunteer guides escort the musicians from room-to-room during MOC's bedside performances.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum age: 18
- Minimum hours: Varies
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday
Pet-Assisted Therapy (PAT)
Pet-Assisted Therapy (PAT)
To participate in this program, individual volunteers and their dogs must be certified as a pet-assisted therapy team by a recognized organization (e.g. Good Dog Foundation, Therapy Dogs International, Pet Partners). Each PAT team is screened by the Volunteer Department for suitability in our hospital environment.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum age of volunteer: 16
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday
Organ Transplant Programs
**Please note all placements are filled at this time and the Department of Volunteer Services is not accepting applications for The Recananti/ Miller Transplantation Institute**
The Recananti/Miller Transplantation Institute (RMTI)
The Recananti/Miller Transplantation Institute (RMTI) is a multi-organ transplantation program. Volunteers assist with administrative tasks, serve as patient escorts and greeters, and assist with awareness walks and donor campaigns.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum age: Varies
- Minimum hours: Eight to 10 hours per week for two academic semesters
- Summer commitment: 20 hours per week for 12 weeks
- Times to volunteer: Varies
Ambassador Program
Ambassador Program
The Cullman Institute Ambassador Program places volunteer ambassadors at entrances to greet patients and visitors, offer directions, and provide escorting assistance. The program provides a friendly and welcoming environment in our large medical complex.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum age: 16
- Minimum hours: 80 hours
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday, 9am – 4:30pm (not available on weekends)
For further information regarding the Ambassador program, contact the volunteer department.
Spiritual Care
Spiritual Care and Education
Spiritual Care volunteers assist in offering support and care to our patients, their loved ones, as well as to the staff members of Mount Sinai.
Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI)
Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI)
Our Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI) volunteers provide free and confidential advocacy, as well as support and referral services to past and present survivors of rape, sexual assault, incest, and domestic violence. Volunteers also offer support to the families and friends of survivors. For further information, contact SAVI at 212-423-2140.
This volunteer position requires:
- Minimum hours: Two 6-hour shifts per month, for a minimum commitment of one year
- Times to volunteer: day shifts include 8am to 2pm and 2pm to 8pm, night shifts include 8pm-2am and 2am-8am
- Must live in Manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn
- Must be able to complete a 40-hour training
- Must be 21 years old
Take 10
Take 10 is a staff support program to help physicians, nurses, and other members of the medical team draw on their own spiritual and emotional resources by creating a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. In the Take10 Program, volunteers engage Mount Sinai staff with a mobile cart that includes teas, snacks, and essential oils.
Volunteers take part in a two hour training and shadow a chaplain to learn how the program works. You will be working throughout the hospital and interacting with many different types of employees. If you like to give back to hard-working hospital staff and have a calming presence, please think about volunteering with our program.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Minimum age: 17
- Minimum commitment: 50 hours completed over 6 consecutive months, 2 hours per week
- Times to volunteer: Monday through Friday (1pm-5pm)