Volunteering

 Service is an essential pillar of AOA’s mission to perpetuate excellence in the medical profession. With it we reach those who are most in need in our community, learn of the differing perspectives of our potential patients, and become more aware of our diverse communities. The hardest part of volunteering is finding an opportunity that fits with the demands of our schoolwork, but many studies have found correlations between volunteerism and beneficial health effects like stress buffering (1, 2, 3). It’s a win-win.

USU AOA is working with the USU Volunteer Coordinator/Website to promote active opportunities. You can also check https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/volunteercenter/ to see any individual opportunities available, such as Meals on Wheels. 

The following activities are already approved by the School of Medicine:

Boys & Girls Club: USUHS students can volunteer to provide mentorship and academic guidance to kids from the Boys and Girls Club. Our services aim to help them on their quest to obtain long-term academic success. We will teach knowledge and skills such as STEM tutoring, music, resume building, college application development, and general wellness principles.  

Maryland Volunteer Response Corps: Assist the Montgomery County Public Health Department with assistance for emergency response vaccination clinics, COVID test collection, and other relief activities in a non-clinical capacity. 

Fields 4 Valor: Fields 4 Valor is a non-profit farm founded by veteran Pete Scott. Pete grows produce at no charge to veterans and Gold Star families (families who have lost a loved one in the line of duty). USUHS students have the opportunity to help with food distribution. 

Teaching Emergency Aid: TEA aims to share skills and knowledge that empower people to take life saving action. TEA teaches three different hemorrhage control courses ranging from a student-developed virtual lesson to the Instructor Trainer course for the new Red Cross First Aid for Severe Trauma Course (FAST).

Service organizations that have additional opportunities they would like to promote can contact lance.culjat@usuhs.edu to update this website. 

  1. Yeung JWK, Zhang Z, Kim TY. Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms [published correction appears in BMC Public Health. 2017 Sep 22;17 (1):736]. BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):8. Published 2017 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8

  2. Poulin MJ. Volunteering predicts health among those who value others: two national studies. Health Psychol. 2014;33(2):120-129. doi:10.1037/a0031620

  3. Salt E, Crofford LJ, Segerstrom S. The Mediating and Moderating Effect of Volunteering on Pain and Depression, Life Purpose, Well-Being, and Physical Activity. Pain Manag Nurs. 2017;18(4):243-249. doi:10.1016/j.pmn.2017.04.004