Fall 2025 Undergraduate Volunteer Application
The Fall 2025 Undergraduate Application Cycle is now closed.
Check back here in Fall of 2026 for our next application cycle!
Reach out to Krishna Hariprasad and Katie Se at [email protected] with any questions.
The Fall 2025 Undergraduate Application Cycle is now closed.
Check back here in Fall of 2026 for our next application cycle!
Reach out to Krishna Hariprasad and Katie Se at [email protected] with any questions.
Requirements
To meet the requirements for being considered as an undergraduate volunteer at C.D. Doyle Clinic, students must either be enrolled in an educational institution or be taking a gap year in Austin. We take attendance and commitment very seriously. If selected, we require that all volunteers attend at least 1 clinic per month. You must be available to volunteer Sundays from 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM. Additionally, all volunteers are required to participate in at least 1 outreach project per semester, which takes place on a day of your choosing. One training session is required each semester to keep everyone's knowledge up-to-date. Lastly, all undergraduate volunteers are required to write a short reflection at the end of each semester.
Clinic Volunteering Roles
As an undergraduate clinical volunteer, you will have three primary clinical roles: patient registration, intake, and social services. A registration volunteer greets patients as they come in and records their chief complaints. The volunteers working registration then check patients into our EHR system. Next, the intake volunteers interview patients, take their History of Present Illness (HPI), vital signs, and finally, present that information to the medical students. Additionally, social services volunteers provide resources for patients such as referrals, basic care, MAP information, and so much more.
You may ask, "Why do I have to apply to volunteer?"
At C.D. Doyle Clinic, we take seriously our responsibility to provide excellent care to all of our patients. We have a limited number of positions available because there are a limited number of jobs to do at the clinic. When we have too many volunteers at the clinic with nothing to do, it slows us down and wastes your precious time. If not selected, we encourage you to re-apply, as spots open every year in the Fall!
Our application process is divided into two parts:
- Fill out an application and submit it before the deadline.
- If selected, applicants will be invited to attend a 30-minute interview to allow clinic officers to get to know you and determine whether volunteering at C.D. Doyle would be a good fit for you.
Below is a list of FAQ's. For additional questions, please contact:
Krishna Hariprasad
Undergraduate Director
[email protected] or @cddoyleclinic on instagram
UG Application Cycle
When does the undergraduate volunteer application open?
It opens annually every Fall semester; however, depending on volunteer staffing needs, a spring or summer application cycle is sometimes hosted. Please email us at [email protected] about when the next application cycle opens.
Are undergraduate volunteer applications accepted outside the application season?
Each application cycle has a hard deadline. We will NOT accept applications outside the deadline, given the extensive application review and interview process that involves the graduate and undergraduate leadership.
I do not attend the University of Texas at Austin, but can I still apply?
The undergraduate volunteer application is open to applicants from surrounding educational institutions (e.g., Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University, Austin Community College, Concordia University) and to gap-year applicants who’ve graduated from other educational institutions.
If I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree already and/or am a non-traditional student and/or post-baccalaureate/graduate student in a gap year, how can I be involved with the clinic?
Please submit an undergraduate volunteer application to get involved if you are NOT a medical, law, psychiatric nurse practitioner, pharmacy, or master of social work student.
Do I need to be on a pre-health track (e.g., Pre-Medical, Pre-Physician Assistant, Pre-Nursing, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Dental, etc.)?
To get the most out of all the opportunities we offer to the undergraduate volunteer program, it is ideal to be pursuing a pre-health track, but not required.
Do I need to have clinical experience to apply?
Having clinical experience is NOT required to apply; however, previous clinical experience, especially with the underserved population(s), is favorable. We have accepted applicants with no clinical experience before.
Is there a specific number of clinical and/or non-clinical volunteer hours or a GPA required to apply?
No.
Are healthcare certifications (e.g., CMA, EMT, PCT, etc.) required to apply?
No! You do not need to spend money on certification(s); however, if you do have certification(s) and you utilize them, then that would show you’re not just having them to “have it.”
What are you looking for in an applicant?
When blind reviewing the applications, we are looking for how well you can connect your experiences to showcase your passion for serving the community we serve, contextualize why you’d be a good fit for C.D. Doyle, and explain how your experiences have contributed to your personal growth and desire to pursue a career in healthcare.
Is there a specific CV or resume format to follow?
No, but please refer to the resources provided by a local college or university on how to format your CV/resume!
Is a letter of recommendation needed for the application?
In the past, we have required it, but NO letter of recommendation(s) are required at this time. We will not be accepting any recommendations from any references.
Is a cover letter needed for the application?
No, do not submit one.
Can I apply if I cannot commit to volunteering for a minimum of two semesters?
Yes, you can still apply; however, it is an ideal commitment.
Can I apply again if I got rejected last cycle?
YES! Your application will be looked at favorably if you show significant improvements from your last application. Do not copy/paste your responses from the last cycle to submit for the next cycle, please.
How many undergraduate volunteers get accepted?
Each application cycle varies based on the clinic’s needs and factors, like volunteer attrition rate and clinic demands. We have an acceptance rate ranging from 2% to 7% out of a total range of 200-300 applicants.
Is it required to attend profit shares or information sessions?
It is NOT required and does not have any impact on your application; however, it is an encouraged opportunity to get any questions answered! We track attendance at these sessions to gauge interest for future recruitment planning.
Any writing tips for the application?
A good tip is to write your essays showing the AAMC Core Competencies of Entering Medical Students! “Show, don’t tell” your experiences.
Are applications accepted on a rolling basis?
Applications are NOT accepted on a rolling basis, meaning if you submit early or one hour before the deadline, it will have no impact; however, we highly encourage you NOT to put off submission until the last minute in case you run into technical difficulties.
What is the application review process like?
The undergraduate application is usually open for about a month at the start of the semester, and then a month and a half is set aside for the graduate and undergraduate leadership to blindly review applications in randomized batches. Each batch is then z-scored to account for discrepancies in scoring and is compared to the z-scores in other batches. A certain z-score cut-off will be set for interview invitations. Please anticipate delays out of respect for reviewers’ availabilities.
What is the interview process like?
Interviews will be held within a two to three-week period. Interviewees will be assigned to the following combinations of interviewers: (1) one graduate leadership member and one undergraduate leadership member, or (2) two undergraduate leadership members. Please allow up to two weeks to hear back for interview results, as interview scores are z-scored and thoroughly analyzed.
What is the interview format, and how can I prepare?
Interviews can be in-person or virtual. If doing a virtual interview, do not have any distractions in the background, and make sure you are in a well-lit and quiet area with good audio and video capabilities. Overall, please dress appropriately. You may practice example graduate school interview questions, especially situational judgment questions. Come to the interview with energy and a smile because we want to get to know your personality and passions!
Will there be a second round of interviews?
No.
When can we hear the results back?
Interview results will be released within a one to two-week timeframe after the last interview has been conducted. Once interview results are released, those who have not received an interview invitation are automatically sent a rejection via email. Please anticipate delays out of respect for interviewers’ availabilities.
What if I get waitlisted?
Depending on the summer staffing needs, volunteers may or may not get off the waitlist! We will send you an email if you need to reapply. Each cycle may vary on whether there will be a waitlist or not.
I am a high school student, so can I apply?
Unfortunately, the undergraduate volunteer application is only for undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and non-traditional students.
UG Volunteer Roles and Expectations
Will we only be able to volunteer in one undergraduate role?
We used to have the application set up where once accepted, you would be sorted into one of three roles: (1) clinical volunteer, (2) social services, or (3) pharmacy. Now, we currently have three undergraduate roles: (1) registration, (2) intake, and (3) social services. Once accepted, undergraduate volunteers can take turns signing up for each role!
Will we be trained once accepted?
Each volunteer cohort will undergo a mandatory in-person clinical skills training session and an electronic health record training taught by the clinic’s undergraduate and graduate leadership before the first volunteer shift.
If accepted, how can I get to the clinic?
Each week, some volunteers have cars and can offer carpooling opportunities! No need to go out of your way to take public transportation.
Is the clinic only open on Sundays 2:00-5:00PM?
Unfortunately, given many factors like the passage of Proposition B (i.e., banning encampments in public spaces), the number of medical/psych NP/pharmacy/law students being able to see a certain number of patients, and limited clinic space, the clinic only operates every Sunday minus national holidays that happen to fall on a Sunday. There are plans to expand to a second location in the future, though!
What are some outreach projects that C.D. Doyle has done?
Popular by patients’ demands, we have done seasonal kit-making sessions where hygiene care, wound care, and sexual wellness kits were put together with donations from local student organizations and non-profits. A food distribution event was held where participants cooked and distributed home-cooked meals to Esperanza Community residents. A health fair, with the help of the TMA grant, was held to educate Esperanza Residents on nutrition, hygiene care, skin care, and vision care.
What do social services projects look like at C.D. Doyle?
We have done phone banking sessions where participants call to interview with local resources and are added to the clinic’s resource database.
What research projects have been done at C.D. Doyle?
To name a few there is the (1) patient-centered design project where we interviewed community stakeholders and patients about the care they received on C.D. Doyle and their overall experience with the healthcare system, (2) mid-week follow-up call barriers project to identify barriers patients encountered after they visited with C.D. Doyle, and (3) health education project where videos on common chronic illnesses are discussed and tailored to patients’ access to resources.
External Involvement with C.D. Doyle
Are there any service-learning projects or research projects that I can be involved in?
Unfortunately, we do not offer participation in service-learning, QI, or research projects to those who are not formally admitted into the undergraduate volunteer program or are not a medical, pharmacy, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or law student.
Are there any administrative roles or coordinator positions available?
We do not accept any external applications for coordinator or undergraduate leadership positions. To qualify for an undergraduate coordinator position, applicants must first be accepted to volunteer at C.D. Doyle for a certain period and be knowledgeable about the internal and external operations of the clinic.
Are there opportunities to shadow at the clinic?
Unfortunately, the clinic does not offer any shadowing opportunities, given the small clinic space that we share with the Esperanza Community, and the ratio of patients and volunteers at any given time, especially in the exam room. We do not want to overwhelm the patient with too many people in the exam room at once.
I am interested in collaborating with C.D. Doyle with my organization. Who can I contact?
From time to time, we collaborate with a few student organizations and programs on outreach events such as our meal distribution events, kit-making events, and our health fair. If you are interested in having your organization collaborate with C.D. Doyle, then please email us at [email protected] so that we can connect you to our Undergraduate Outreach Coordinator and the rest of the undergraduate leadership team to figure out logistics and feasibility.
If I volunteered at an outreach event with the organization that was collaborating with C.D. Doyle, can I list myself as a C.D. Doyle volunteer?
Please do NOT list yourself as a C.D. Doyle volunteer if you were not accepted into the C.D. Doyle Undergraduate Volunteer Program, as this would be misleading.
Are there any volunteer opportunities specifically for an honor program or student organization?
C.D. Doyle does NOT do recruitment partnerships. We invite students part of an honor program or a student organization to apply individually to the C.D. Doyle Undergraduate Volunteer program. If you are part of an honor program or student organization that has done an event collaboration or is interested in an event collaboration with C.D. Doyle, then please reach out to us at [email protected] to see what outreach or social services opportunities are available.
Can I volunteer at an outreach or social services event on my own?
Unfortunately, participation in our outreach and social services opportunities is currently limited to individuals affiliated with organizations or programs we are collaborating with, have collaborated with in the past, or are interested in collaborating with us.
Clinic Operations
How is C.D. Doyle able to provide care in terms of funding?
Through monetary donations, clothing or item drives, grant writing, fundraisers, and profit shares!
What are some challenges that undergraduate volunteers may face at the clinic?
Undergraduate volunteers may have difficulty getting a manual blood pressure reading, but that is okay because everyone is learning and always willing to help at C.D. Doyle! Another challenge is that sometimes undergraduate volunteers are hesitant to ask patients sensitive questions, like about recreational drug use or gender identity. In that case, the undergraduate volunteer can reach out to a medical student or another student volunteer to ask the patient instead and provide advice for next time. Time management can also be a challenge, especially in the intake role, since we want to not prolong the patient’s visit more than it needs to be before they see the volunteer attending. In those cases, an experienced undergraduate volunteer or even a medical student can step in to help!
What is the clinic environment like?
There is a lot of collaborative and interdisciplinary teamwork going on when providing care to patients. We have psychiatric nurse practitioner students, medical students, pharmacy students, and pre-health undergraduate students working together to provide holistic care. The clinic fosters a learning space where the student volunteer team, under the supervision of the volunteer attending, can perform history-taking and physical exams to create a tailored assessment and plan for the patient. The environment is one of “mutual respect,” as students are not only learning but also providing a service to underresourced individuals.
How are outreach programs organized beyond the clinic?
Typically, the clinic tries to identify community needs through feedback and challenges that the clinic currently faces. The clinic will then establish partnerships with local community resources to align outreach efforts with the needs of the community. The clinic leadership tries to consider the feasibility, logistics, and resources (e.g., adequate volunteers or funding) necessary for the success of the outreach initiative(s). We try to have a method of feedback or data collection to evaluate the success of the outreach event and reflect on it for future outreach initiatives.