In the medical field, getting accepted into college feels like a baking competition. 

Everyone has certain ingredients. Judges look at what ingredients you have and what you do with it. You want your dessert to stand out. Medical extracurricular activities like volunteering and involvement in clubs can help you stand out on your resume. 

Patriot High School Red Cross Club 

According to the Red Cross Website, the Red Cross nonprofit organization provides health and safety training, disaster relief assistance, and helps people prepare for and prevent emergencies. According to Meredith KariKari, the Red Cross Head of Planning at Patriot High School, the club includes “many volunteer opportunities encouraging students to make a positive impact in their community,” KariKari said. Red Cross Club at Patriot High School “spreads awareness about this club through posters and TV screens [around Patriot High School]” said KariKari. 

In the Red Cross Club, she explains that the students who run the club motivate other students to volunteer by creating a minimum number of volunteer hours that the students should get by the end of the year. This pushes them to volunteer because it is a requirement, rather than something that is optional in the club. They provide different types of volunteering for each meeting to complete the hours, such as card-making for hospitalized patients and blood drives. 

Patriot High School Medical Club 

Patriot High Schools Medical Club is a student-run organization. The students who run it create medical-related activities and help introduce students to different types of medical careers. Mel Nichols, the medical club sponsor and earth science teacher, shares that medical club officers “coordinate volunteer opportunities, has guest speakers come in, and plans an open-heart surgery field trip each year.” 

Nichols also revealed that medical club can help guide students to see “different experiences and different understandings of careers in the medical field.” For example, she explained that after the field trip last year, a perfusionist came to talk to the students. According to Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, perfusionists are responsible for operating extracorporeal circulation equipment, such as the lung heart machine during open-heart surgery. 

The perfusionist mentioned the schooling and degrees required for that profession. He had told them that it is currently an in-demand job. Many students had never heard of it and started to think about a career change in that field.  

INOVA Volunteer Program  

This program allows high school students over the age of 16 to volunteer at INOVA Hospital Locations. Since this program is well-known and receives many applicants, the selection to the program is through lottery. Only one entry can be submitted. Registration begins at 4p.m. on Nov 7, 2025, and closes at 4p.m. on Nov 9, 2025 

A volunteer must support staff by assisting them with tasks the staff assign. The volunteers must make sure they attend each date outlined for their volunteering with consistency. Each shift is three to four hours long, and they must attend one shift per week. The INOVA Volunteer Program Website is where they can go for the specific steps and instructions. 

University of Virginia Junior Volunteer Program 

This program allows high school students aged 16-18 to volunteer for the University of Virginia Prince William and Haymarket Hospital. You can assist staff and patients with medical tasks in all different types of medical jobs.  

In this program, the volunteer must attend a 3-hour shift each week for a minimum of one year. They must have transportation and must be able to balance school and volunteer responsibilities. If interested, the Junior Volunteer Program Website will show the steps to sign up.  

Judith Kelly, the volunteer coordinator for UVA Hospital, states that the volunteering done at UVA is “integral to their medical college experience.” Kelly remarked that it can lead to opening internships, getting research opportunities, and shadowing in the hospital, which are pivotal to going into the medical field.  

Why It Matters 

In college, students may realize that the career they chose may not be the right fit. To prevent this, you can shadow medical professionals and volunteer in different health care fields to gain experience of what each field is about. In clubs, guest speakers also provide valuable information about various types of fields, creating an open perspective about different medical careers.  

By getting involved before college, you not only gain experience and decide what interests you, but also show colleges that you’re truly interested and passionate about the medical field, which creates a strong work ethic and dedication because you are putting your time in to explore these extracurriculars.  

Add those extra details to your dessert and stand out!