Thank you for your interest in volunteering! Inova Fairfax Medical Campus offers many volunteer opportunities including patient support, staff support and retail assignments.

Please note: Volunteer Services is not affiliated with any intern/shadowing programs at Inova. For more information on those opportunities, visit the Clinical Education & Research website.

We have two different college student programs designed to accommodate students who have availability during the summer only and those with availability year-round.

  • Summer Only
  • Year-Round

Summer-only college student volunteer program

The college student summer-only program receives a high volume of interest and applicants. As a result, selection to the program is by lottery. Children of Inova team members, and returning and current volunteers, are exempt from the lottery but are required to register. 

View details

Year-round college student volunteer program

If you are available to commit to one, 3-4 hour shift per week for the duration of the fall and/or spring semester, and are able to meet the requirements listed above, we welcome your application.

Greatest need areas include Gift Shops, Treasure Trove shops, patient support services and clerical assignments.

Registration periods for 2024

Applications are reviewed during designated registration periods throughout the calendar year. Before applying, please be sure you’ll be available to attend the corresponding mandatory orientation session and meet the attendance requirement of serving one, 3-4 hour shift per week for a minimum of six months. You’ll begin volunteering within one week of the mandatory training class.

July Registration: July 9-11

  • Mandatory Zoom meetings: July 15, 9-10 a.m. or July 17, 4-5 p.m.
  • Mandatory training class: August 16, 9 a.m. to noon
  • Session start date: August 19

Current service needs and availability are updated monthly and may be viewed below. You’ll have the opportunity to indicate your availability and service area preference on your application.

Frequently asked questions

While many of our volunteer assignments provide clinical and patient interaction, you will not be shadowing doctors or other clinical personnel while volunteering. For more information on those opportunities, visit the Clinical Education & Research website.

Due to interest in our program, students available during the summer months only are selected via lottery. See "Summer Only College Student Volunteer Program" above for details on how to register for the lottery.

A shift is 3-4 hours depending on the service area assignment.

Within one week of attending the orientation.

You’ll be given 4-5 weeks to complete all requirements.

We’ll respond to all applications within 10 days of the close of registration.

The volunteer needs of the hospital change regularly. We encourage you to register again in the future.

You’ll receive your I.D. badge and uniform, and you’ll be guided on a short tour of the hospital and your assignment area.

Unfortunately, we're unable to accommodate students interested in volunteering during winter break only.

We ask volunteers to commitment to the same day and time for a minimum of six months; however, we’ll do the best we can to accommodate a change in your volunteer schedule due to an academic schedule conflict.

Most of our volunteer assignments support clinical areas, but they are not performing clinical activities, so check with your school to see if our program satisfies their requirement