Scott Webb (Host): On today's podcast, I'm going to talk about a few of the volunteer and the career services at Salinas Valley Health with Shannon Graham. She's the Director of Volunteer and Health Career Services, and Michelle McCarty, she's the Program Manager of the COPE Health Scholar Program, and they're both with Salinas Valley Health.

 This is Ask the Experts, the podcast from Salinas Valley Health. I'm Scott Webb.

So first off, I want to thank you both for joining me. Nice to meet you both. We're going to talk about, uh, volunteer opportunities and some really cool stuff at Salinas Valley Health. And Shannon, I'm going to start with you. Tell us about some of these wonderful volunteer opportunities at Salinas Valley Health.

Shannon Graham, MM/PA, CAVS: Our service league had a team of volunteers ready when the hospital opened. So volunteers, they've been an integral part of our team for over 70 years here at the hospital. We have opportunities for individuals 15 and older, both within the hospital, in the outpatient setting, in the community, or even from home.

 If you want to interact with patients, we have volunteer roles in the emergency department. We have them on the floor supporting our patient experience team, in the outpatient infusion center. Nancy Ausonio Mammography Center. No one dies alone Companions Pet Therapy with certified therapy dogs and Mended hearts, working directly with heart patients and their families here at the hospital, as well as providing phone support and monthly educational meetings.

If you prefer to work with the public, you can be part of guest services in the main lobby or the surgical waiting room, the gift shop, leading tours, both in the hospital and in our Museum of Medical History, or helping with special sales such as our $5 sale to help service like Grace funds for scholarships, student programs, and other hospital projects.

 Many of our volunteers enjoy serving out in the community programs such as installing Lifeline personal response units, helping with health promotion events, and several work from home making Telecare calls or making baby blankets and baby hats and lap blankets for our patients. To apply for our volunteer programs, you can find us on the hospital website. With the volunteer tab up towards the right hand side of the homepage or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Host: Yeah, so obviously lots of really cool and fun opportunities. And I know you also manage some programs like Medical Adventure Camp and the Summer Health Institute. Tell us about these programs. When do they take place? Is there a deadline to apply and so on?

Shannon Graham, MM/PA, CAVS: Yes. So we do have a year round opportunity called Health Exploring. It's a program for students 14 to 20. They attend monthly meetings presented by hospital medical staff, and host quarterly service projects for their members. That's coordinated by student officers within the Health Explorers and support from staff and adult advisors.

So if you're 21 and older and interested In Health Explorers, we can get you involved in the leadership team. Those applications are accepted year round, either from volunteer services or through Boy Scouts of America, their learning for Life Division, which hosts their Health Explorers programs. We have a program called Summer Health Institute.

It's a five week program. It's held in June and July for students completing their junior or senior year of high school. We partner with Hartnell College of Nursing and Health Sciences program, as well as the Mission Trails, ROPCNA program for classroom experiences and students also do some job shadowing and work in teams researching a clinical case study.

And also a community outreach project to try to help raise awareness of health issues such as preventing diabetes, heart health, access to preventive care, in partnership with our mobile Health Clinic, Blue Zones Project, and Aspire Population Health. That program, Summer Health Institute, is limited to up to 28 participants, and so far we've graduated 399 since we introduced the program in 2003. Those applications, they include a personal statement, teacher references. Those are due usually in March, so they become available in January, either through our department, here at the hospital, ROP, or their Health Academy Instructors. And then we have a Medical Adventure Camp, that's usually the last two weeks of July for students completing fourth through sixth grade at the time of application.

And they come here to learn in the classroom as well as some field trips. Applications for Medical Adventure Camp are sent to local schools just before spring break in March, and we can take up to 30 on a first come first serve basis. There is a fee for camp, but there are scholarships available through our service league for students who do need that financial assistance.

Host: Yeah. That's awesome. Almost 400 graduates from the Summer Health Institute. So very cool. Lots of opportunities. Want tp bring you in, Michelle. I know there's a new program at Salinas Valley Health called COPE Health Scholars Program. You run this, so, you know, tell us about it. Is it free? How long does it last? What are the ages? All that good stuff.

Michelle McCarthy: Yeah, the COPE Health Scholar Program has been at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital now Salinas Valley Health for about a year. And, it's for people who are interested in patient care experience or possibly they're trying to earn clinical hours toward one of their programs. And we do accept applications on a rotating basis.

It is not free. All of our scholars are enrolled in the Keck Graduate Institute and they'll earn a certificate of completion in patient experience and pre-licensed clinical care. And so part of their enrollment covers that tuition and some of their clearance items and you know, their polo uniform and stuff.

So, we do accept scholars who are 18 years of age or older. There's no cap on the top of that. They just need to be able to pass the fit for duty physical in order to get their badge to work in the hospital. But we don't put a cap on the age limit. They're not required to have any previous experience or education because we do all of the training.

It's a mix of online modules and then some hands-on practical training. They need to pass both a written exam and a practical exam to get through the program. And then they get to work in the patient's rooms and they're doing hands-on patient care, such as ambulating, bathing, feeding, changing. It's really an amazing experience.

We are in the oncology department, the medical surgical department, mother-baby, progressive care, telemetry, and ortho neuro spine right now. And how long the program lasts is truly up to the scholar to some extent. So we have three tracks you can choose to get through the program, which is 280 clinical hours, doing a 15 month, one four hour shift per week track. You can do two four hour shifts per week and complete it in nine months. Or if you'd like to fast track through there and get it done in three months, you can do five to six four hour shifts per week to earn your 280 hours. Now, we don't kick people out right at 280 because if they're looking, for example, an MA or a PA program that they would need, you know, around a thousand clinical hours, they can continue to support the hospital and shift with us until they, you know, put in their application for graduation.

Host: Sure. Yeah I love that. That, uh, no experience is necessary. Tell us about the application process.

Michelle McCarthy: The application is found online at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We accept those on a rotating basis. But we do, you know, go through quarterly rotations as far as our expected training times. And so, anytime somebody fills out an application, I'm sure to reach out to them.

Host: That's great. Well, it's really nice to have you both here to learn more about Medical Adventure Camp, the Summer Health Institute, Cope Health Scholars Program. It all sounds really awesome, interactive, so, thank you both. You both stay well.

Shannon Graham, MM/PA, CAVS: Thank you so much.

Michelle McCarthy: Thank you very much for this opportunity.

Host: And for more information, go to SalinasValleyhealth.com/volunteers and click programs for information on the COPE Health Scholar program.

 And if you found this podcast to be helpful please be sure to tell a friend, neighbor or family member and subscribe, rate and review this podcast and check out the entire podcast library for additional topics of interest. This is Ask the Experts from Salinas Valley Health. I'm Scott Webb. Stay well and we'll talk again next time.