Join Our Medical Clinic Assistant Volunteer Team
If you are interested in assisting the operations of our family medicine and psychotherapy clinic, contributing to the wellbeing of a large patient population, and learning what patient care is about, then apply to be a part of our medical assistant volunteer team at Grace Health Centre! Through this opportunity you will gain robust clinical healthcare experience within a passionate family medicine and psychotherapy clinic. We are recruiting for volunteer positions on a rolling basis, with a minimum 1 year commitment.
Within this role you will be working alongside fellow staff and volunteers to support the family physicians in ensuring the smooth daily operation of the clinic. Under close supervision, you will receive comprehensive training from physicians and fellow volunteers to perform hands-on patient care as well as clinical healthcare management tasks.
Volunteering further presents a number of enriching educational opportunities in which you will get to observe how the principles of medicine are put into clinical practice. There are times when physicians will discuss medical cases, lab results, and emerging healthcare topics, as well as allow shadowing of medical assessments/small procedures. These experiences offer a sneak peek into the multifaceted role of a family physician and allow for a deeper understanding of patient care dynamics. You will observe how a caring therapeutic relationship, and scientific evidence-based medicine work together to improve the health of patients.
At GHC we pride ourselves on fostering a community that supports our volunteers in pursuing further education and careers in healthcare, and encourages a sense of belonging among colleagues with shared aspirations.
We encourage those enrolled in or recently graduated from undergraduate and graduate programs to join our team with a minimum commitment of 10 hours per week onsite within a 2 days/week shift cycle for 12 months.
Volunteers will gain practical clinical experience by, with proper supervision and training (the list is not exhaustive):
Family Medicine:
- Performing patient care and clinical duties such as taking vital signs, shadowing patient consultations/procedures, and administering vaccinations.
- Participating in preventative care projects that educate patients on proactive health measures such as routine vaccinations, cancer screenings, and diabetes management.
- Utilizing the latest software to update and interpret electronic medical records by scanning documents, inputting patient information, preparing diagnostic tests, designing and coding customized forms, and implementing software features.
- Supporting optimal efficiency of clinic operations by confirming appointments with patients, and organizing and maintaining the clinic’s PPE/vaccine inventories.
- Managing local and remote internet networks, clinic cybersecurity data backups, and electronic medical record systems, as well as providing technical support for clinic hardware, VOIP systems, and the clinic website.
- Supporting the optimization of clinic operations for enhanced digitalization, business, IT support, and streamlined patient experiences.
Psychotherapy:
- Contributing to the marketing of psychotherapy services and advocating for mental health wellness to clinic patients and community.
- Supporting mental health client intake and offering customer services to ensure a smooth client experience for counselling.
- Learning and collaborating on different communication platforms and channels to information patients/clients on updates, events, and important news.
- Supporting the technological enablement of our virtual psychotherapy groups for patients while collaborating with clinical team and observing/learning psychotherapy modalities in action.
- Translating English/Chinese of psychotherapy course materials and marketing elements for publishing development and advocacy.
This position is a rich opportunity to not only contribute to the well being of a diverse patient population and community, but also gain invaluable communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Volunteer Testimonials
Many of our volunteers are successful in the application, interview and subsequent admission process to graduate programs and/or professional careers in their field of training across Ontario, Canada, and abroad. They often cite this experience as a significant stepping stone to their accomplishment.
“I came to GHC with the goal of gaining patient experience and it did not disappoint! I was given the liberty to interact with patients and play a significant role in managing their health. I appreciate the doctors and the rest of the team for being super supportive in helping me gain confidence in taking patient vitals and administering flu shots. In addition, I was also able to meet other students with similar aspirations and it is great to know that you are not alone on this journey. Overall, the skills I developed at GHC have laid a solid foundation for me to build upon as I head off to medical school. I will forever be grateful to GHC for sowing the seed of patient-centered care in me and I will continue to practice this quality as a health clinician.” – I.R. 2023
“Volunteering at GHC is no ordinary extracurricular activity to supplement your application for graduate or professional programs. The roles and responsibilities of a GHC volunteer are diverse and also not commonly found in other healthcare settings. You are extensively trained to conduct vital sign check-ups; educate patients on accessible screening tools to detect early signs of cancer; and so many more! Furthermore, you will learn how to utilize electronic patient records, and interact with physicians that will be delighted to provide mentorship opportunities. This is a rewarding experience to give you clinical exposure in a primary care setting, and can even strengthen your resolve to become a future health care professional! I highly recommend volunteering at GHC. Volunteering at GHC is more than a simple experience to add on my CV; it helped me connect with like-minded individuals whom are working towards a common goal, and helped me realize I am not alone in my academic struggles in applying for medical school and ultimately getting into medical school! Long-lasting friendships were made, and in turn I grew to become a better version of myself. In my future endeavors I will periodically reflect upon my experience volunteering at GHC, and take pride in the impact I’ve made for others, as well as the growth and maturation I’ve received.” – J.F. 2022
Please visit here for more testimonials given by former volunteers.
Commitment & Application
Required Commitment:
Volunteers who are regularly involved for longer periods are most engaged, learn the most and are offered leadership positions. This produces a higher quality experience for all, including fellow volunteers, staff, and patients. Thus, we are seeking dedicated individuals who are able to commit to 10-20 hours per week within a 2 day/week shift cycle for a minimum of 12 months. Priority will be given to applicants who are available for the most hours and who have flexible schedules, as it takes time to learn and master the different skills taught at our clinic.
Note: Application is NOT recommended if you cannot commit a minimum of 10 hours per week. Volunteers who reduce their committed hours after onboarding will risk losing their opportunity.
Qualifications:
Applications for our volunteer positions are very competitive since these are unique opportunities not available anywhere else. Due to the extensive use of electronic devices, applications, and websites in our clinic, troubleshooting skills and experience are highly valuable assets. We serve a diverse group of patients from different cultural communities and we value the various language skills and cultural sensitivities you may bring to support our patient care.
We prioritize post-secondary applicants who hold a minimum average of A- (>3.70 GPA). Applicants from the University of Toronto’s St. George campus may apply with a minimum average of B+ (3.30).
Valuable skills: Analytical, Communication, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Collaboration, Organization, Data Management, Interpersonal, Clinical Management, Hardware and Software Management, Website Support, Coding
How to apply:
Please complete the volunteer application form to be considered for an interview. You will be required to enter information regarding your time commitment and background/qualifications, as well as upload your resume, cover letter, and most recent transcript(s). You should tailor your application materials based on the position you are applying for. Incomplete applications without all of the required information will not be considered.
We thank all interested applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
If you have already applied but have not heard back from us in previous school terms, we encourage you to apply again this school term.
We look forward to receiving your application today!