Volunteer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital

At The Johns Hopkins Hospital, our volunteer services team offers opportunities to improve the experience of patients and visitors alike. Whether it’s providing emotional support through our animal-assisted therapy program, helping visitors navigate the hospital or assisting with spiritual services, we can help you find a volunteer opportunity that matches your experience level.

Volunteering in Numbers

  • 104,782+

    Volunteer Hours

    served by our volunteers in 2019.

  • 1,500+

    Volunteers

    contribute to our mission and vision every year.

  • 100+

    Years

    of making a difference in the lives of patients and visitors.

Important Notices

 

Why volunteer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital?

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, founded in 1876 and 1893 respectively, fundamentally changed the way medicine is taught and practiced by intertwining teaching, discovery and education. These institutions and their affiliates, known collectively as Johns Hopkins Medicine, continue setting the standard for patient care, medical education and research in a diverse, inclusive and intellectually exciting environment. The Department of Volunteer Services strives to uphold this mission by providing safe and equitable volunteer opportunities. Come join our team of committed, diverse and enthusiastic volunteers.


Volunteering: A Gift to Hopkins

This volunteer orientation video from The Johns Hopkins Hospital that gives an inside look at volunteer services history and how we assist in providing excellent patient care.

Volunteer Opportunities

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animal-assisted therapy volunteers bring their trained support animals to our hospital to offer patients positive human-animal interactions that bring emotional support during a vulnerable time.

Patient & Family Advisory Councils

Comprised of current and former patients and family and community members, patient and family advisory councils are dedicated to improving the quality of care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital through discussion with patient-centered perspectives. 

Patient Navigation

Patient navigation volunteers directly interact with patients and care partners by offering directions, escorting quests through the hospital and giving tours. 

Patient Services

Patient services volunteers directly impact patients and their families through a variety of programs including ART Cart the breast cancer, Child Life Services, Cyber Sidekicks and emergency medicine.

Spiritual Care and NODA

Through these programs, chaplains, support staff members, NODA (No One Dies Alone) volunteers and other, diverse volunteers provide companionship and spiritual support to patients.

Summer Junior Volunteer Program (SJVP)

This Johns Hopkins Hospital program allows high school students to spend six weeks in an administrative, lab or patient and family-centered care position.

Volunteer Requirements and How to Apply

Adult Volunteers

To volunteer at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, you must be age 18 or older (15 or older for pre-placed volunteers). Volunteers must commit to at least four hours of service per week (or a minimum of 100 hours) for no less than three months.

All applicants must:

  • Submit an online volunteer application to begin the interview/selection process.
  • Receive clearance from Johns Hopkins’ Occupational Health Services regarding a tuberculosis test and immunizations (two measles, mumps and rubella, two varicella, three hepatitis B, one Tdap or 5dTab, and a flu vaccine during the season) before volunteer service.
  • Complete online orientation, training courses and a confidentiality agreement.
  • Complete a background check if age 18 or over.
  • Receive a volunteer badge if volunteering in-person in the hospital.
  • Comply with the Johns Hopkins Hospital 2020 –2021 flu campaign if volunteering in-person in the hospital.
  • Provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination

Apply here

Pre-placed Volunteers

Youths age 15 or older may be pre-selected for a volunteer position by having an agreement to volunteer with a specific department or in a specific role at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. They must commit to at least four hours of volunteer service per week (or a minimum of 100 hours) for no less than three months.

Pre-selected volunteers must complete the pre-placed volunteer application and provide their supervisor’s email address. The supervisor will be asked to approve or reject the applicant. If approved, the volunteer may begin the onboarding process.

Apply here

Animal-Assisted Therapy Volunteers

Animal-assisted therapy offers our patients positive human-animal interactions in a clinical setting and emotional support during a vulnerable time. Our teams visit both children and adults throughout The Johns Hopkins Hospital on a regular basis. With more than 15 volunteer therapy dog teams in service, we believe that animal-assisted therapy improves the well-being of our patients and of staff and family members.

Apply here

Volunteer Benefits

We want to thank our volunteers for all they do to help patients and their families. All volunteers in areas with direct patient contact or impact (such as social work or Child Life Services) are eligible for one of the following benefits for every four-plus hour shift:

  • Complimentary parking at the McElderry, Caroline or Washington Street garage
  • One meal card worth $8

Please note that complimentary parking is available in any of the three garages below. Please bring your parking ticket to the volunteer services office at Carnegie 173 for validation.

  • McElderry Garage (outpatient center garage)
    1501 McElderry St., Baltimore 21205
  • Caroline Garage (outpatient center circle next to the Armstrong Building)
    1501 E. Monument St., Baltimore 21205
  • Washington Street Garage (next to the 2024 Building and opposite the school of public health)
    701 N. Washington St., Baltimore 21205

Contact Us

Office Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday– Friday

600 North Wolfe St.
Carnegie 173
Baltimore, MD 21287