The University of Connecticut Health Leaders (UCHL) is a community-based, pre-health program founded for bridging health care disparities by addressing the social determinants of health for the State of Connecticut. UCHL functions all year, focusing on training pre-professional students on how they can help advocate and improve the way we deliver health care for our patients.

• Click here for general student volunteer program information.
• Summer Session 2024 application period opens March 3 and closes April 1: click here for more information.

Visit the Leaders page at UConn Health or contact (Storrs) Jill Skowrenski: jill.skowrenski@uconn.edu or Lauren Wilson: lauren.wilson@uconn.edu or (Waterbury) Tamara Kalaliszewski: tamara.kaleszewski@uconn.edu.

Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) imparts principles and tools to stimulate changes in clinical practice to achieve patient-centered nursing care for older adults in healthcare facilities. As a student in the Purposeful Visitors program, you will gain experience interning in a hospital environment, communicating and collaborating with nurses and other staff, and most importantly will gain patient interaction skills through visits with hospitalized older adults.

Learn more about NICHE

The primary purpose of the program to provide support to the state of Connecticut in reducing the non-medical use of prescription drugs, prevent opioid overdoses in the community, and improve the lives and health of our CT communities. Learning opportunities are designed by involved University faculty and staff, students, and CT Health Districts and Departments to provide students with transformative learning experiences and real-world work environments.

Contact the Program Manager, Peaches Udoma, at peaches.udoma@uconn.edu, and copy AHS Program Specialist, jill.skowrenski@uconn.edu, for information or to apply.

Hartford Hospital Mobility Volunteer Program:  The Mobility volunteer program provides support to patients that need assistance and encouragement to get out of bed and walk to help maintain functional status.  Overseen by the department of Rehabilitation, volunteers are trained to function in this role on assigned nursing units interacting directly with patients and staff.  More information can be learned in the video on this website: https://hartfordhospital.org/health-professionals/for-job-seekers/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities (scroll down to Mobility is Medicine).  Shifts are available at Hartford Hospital (80 Seymour Street Hartford) 7 days a week 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon or 1:00-4:00 p.m.  Volunteers must commit to volunteering at least two semesters to receive credit.

Applicants for this program must:

• Contact Eileen Pelletier, Director of Volunteer Services Eileen.Pelletier@hhchealth.org and complete an interview by April 19^th.
• All hospital on-boarding requirements must be completed by June 14^th.  Requirements include:
  • On-line application
  • On-line education (volunteer orientation, patient privacy law education, etc.)
  • Background check release form
  • Medical information: MMR vaccine, Varicella vaccine, Tdap immunization, Tuberculosis test.  (Please note that a flu vaccine will be required in the fall of 2024.)
  • Hospital ID documentation: proof of identity such as a drivers license, motor vehicle registration (if parking will be requested), and a portrait photo
• Classroom training will be held on Wednesday, September 18^th 5:00-8:00 p.m. and a minimum of two on-unit training sessions will be scheduled after (on-unit trainings are only available weekdays)
• Weekly shifts will be confirmed prior to training and must be the same day/time each week for the semester.
• Additional requirements for AHS students to receive internship credit: AH 3091 Internship Guidebook.pdf(Shared) - Adobe cloud storage

Thank you for your interest in this program that supports our patients and provides an in-depth experience in an acute care setting.