Get the job

Getting real-world experience through an internship or volunteering in a hospital, medical office or community health clinic can help you identify your interests in the health care field. Internships and volunteer jobs will also enhance your resume or school application. Some internships are paid, while others are unpaid. If you can spend the time at an unpaid internship or volunteer job, make sure you'll be getting the type of experience you want before making a commitment.

A couple of things to keep in mind while interning or volunteering:

• See it all.

  Don't limit yourself to the department or office where you're working — take every opportunity to visit the different departments of the hospital or clinic. There is no better way to learn what a job is like than to see it and talk to the people who do it.

• Do your research.

  Ask people what kind of training and education they needed to get their jobs. You can then determine which jobs you'd be ready for right away and which ones require more study.

• Find a mentor.

  The people you work with will get to know your skills, strengths and passion. By forming a mentor relationship with someone you work with, you will be able to go back to them with questions about the field even after you're finished the job. A mentor can also write a letter of recommendation or be a reference for future jobs.

There are many people, places and organizations that need interns and volunteers. Here are some tips for getting started:

• Look around your community for health-care facilities: hospitals, community health clinics, dental clinics, outpatient surgical centers, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, private doctor's offices and mental health clinics. Visit the facilities, tell them about your interests and ask if they need help.
• Talk to someone you know who works in the field and find out if they can put you in touch with someone who needs an intern or volunteer.
• Ask a career counselor at your school about opportunities.
• Check local community college career centers and Web sites for internship and volunteer listings.

Start here to find an internship or volunteer job near you:

• Northern California
  • Volunteer: Chico Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Chico
  • Volunteer: Enloe Medical Center in Chico
  • Volunteer: St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka
  • Volunteer: Mendocino Coast District Hospital in Mendocino
  • Volunteer: Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta in Mt. Shasta
  • Volunteer: Feather River Hospital in Paradise
  • Volunteer: Mercy Medical Center Redding in Redding
• Bay Area
  • Volunteer: The Berkeley Free Clinic in Berkeley
  • Volunteer: LifeLong Medical Care in Berkeley
  • Volunteer: Daly City Youth Health Center in Daly City
  • Volunteer: Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland in Oakland
  • Internship: Asian Health Services in Oakland
  • Volunteer: UCSF Children's Hospital in San Francisco
  • Volunteer: UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco
  • Volunteer: California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco
  • Internship: Pediatric Dental Initiative of the North Coast in Windsor
  • Volunteer: Pediatric Dental Initiative of the North Coast in Windsor
• Sacramento
  • Volunteer: UC Davis Health System in Davis
  • Volunteer: Shriner's Hospital for Children in Sacramento
  • Internship: CSU Sacramento in Sacramento
  • Volunteer: Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento
  • Volunteer: Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento in Sacramento
  • Volunteer: Dameron Hospital in Stockton
  • Volunteer: Woodland Healthcare in Woodland
• Central Valley
  • Volunteer: Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno
  • Internship: UCSF, Fresno Biomedical Internship Program in Fresno
  • Volunteer: Community Medical Centers in Fresno
  • Volunteer: Hanford Community Medical Center in Hanford
  • Volunteer: Central Valley General Hospital Auxiliary in Hanford
  • Volunteer: Children's Hospital Central California in Madera
  • Volunteer: Memorial Medical Center in Modesto
  • Volunteer: Selma Community Hospital Auxiliary in Selma
• Central Coast
  • Volunteer: Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Oxnard
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Oxnard
  • Volunteer: Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo
  • Volunteer: Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics in Santa Barbara
  • Volunteer: Cottage Health System in Santa Barbara
  • Volunteer: Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria
• Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: Alhambra Hospital Medical Center in Alhambra
  • Volunteer: Methodist Hospital in Arcadia
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Long Beach
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Long Beach
  • Volunteer: Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: USC University Hospital in Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: Children?s Hospital Los Angeles in Los Angeles
  • Internship: UCLA Health System in Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: UCLA Health System in Los Angeles
  • Volunteer: Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in Pomona
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Van Nuys
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Van Nuys
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in West Covina
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in West Covina
• Inland Empire
  • Volunteer: John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Riverside
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Riverside
  • Volunteer: Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside
  • Volunteer: Community Hospital of San Bernardino in San Bernardino
  • Volunteer: American Red Cross in San Bernardino
• Orange County and San Diego
  • Volunteer: Cardiovascular Disease Foundation in Carlsbad
  • Internship: Cardiovascular Disease Foundation in Carlsbad
  • Volunteer: Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Escondido
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Escondido
  • Internship: COPE Health Solutions in Newport Beach
  • Volunteer: COPE Health Solutions in Newport Beach
  • Volunteer: Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange
  • Volunteer: UC San Diego Medical Center in San Diego and La Jolla
  • Volunteer: Latino Health Access in Santa Ana
  • Internship: Latino Health Access in Santa Ana

Or check out these Web sites for more volunteer job opportunities:

• VolunteerMatch
• Idealist.org
• Volunteer.gov
• Network for Good

Many organizations need volunteers, but not everyone can afford to volunteer their time. Here are some tips for building your qualifications if you need a paid position:

Look for a scholarship to cover the costs of your internship.Consider a job — such as lifeguarding, babysitting or elder care — that is related to health care. Remember, all employers look for a general set of job skills, no matter what the job. Any job that develops the following skills will give you a leg up in the health care field:

• Good work ethic
• Time management
• Getting along with others
• Teamwork
• Self-discipline and self-confidence
• Being flexible
• Respecting workplace culture
• Attention to detail