Teen Volunteer Program

The Teen Volunteer Program is a rewarding experience that provides a special opportunity for teens, ages 15-17, who are interested in gaining a first-hand experience in a pediatric health care environment.

Teens who are accepted into the program will be placed in a variety of approved assignments throughout the hospital under supervision of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh staff.

We are now accepting preliminary application inquiries for teens (ages 15-17) who are interested in becoming a volunteer at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with the Teen Volunteer Program.

Please reach out to John Krysinsky, Lead Volunteer Coordinator at john.krysinsky@chp.edu by submitting a letter of inquiry (minimum two to three paragraphs), by telling us a few things about yourself and provide a response to the following question:

What Do I Hope to Gain from becoming a Volunteer at UPMC Children’s?

Please note that this program is extremely popular. Due to the high volume of submissions received, we may be unable to respond right away to all inquiries regarding the statuses of individual applications. Opportunities are filled on an as-needed basis. If you are selected as a final candidate for an opportunity, the Volunteer Office will contact you directly to schedule an interview.

We are once again anticipating a high number of candidates for a limited number of positions at the Main Hospital in Lawrenceville, along with openings at satellite locations in Monroeville (CHP East), Bridgeville (CHP South) and Wexford (CHP North Surgery Center & CHP Pine Center).

To create a quality experience for each teen volunteer while supporting the greatest needs of the hospital, a limited number of candidates will be selected for interviews based on the following criteria:

Be 15-17 years of age (having turned 15 by June 1, 2025).
Commit to two (or three) day a week schedule (6 to 8 hours per week) for at least 8 weeks during the summer months (we can work your schedule around one or two weeks of vacation).
Have two non-relatives complete reference form on your behalf.
Complete and must show documentation of the following immunizations prior to attending New Volunteer Orientation Training session(s):
- TB (negative Tuberculosis test result – either Quantiferon Gold Blood test or two separate PPD negative readings).
- Tdap (from within the last 10 years).

If program participants complete the program in the Summer and are in satisfactory or higher standing, they will be eligible, if interested, to be placed into select assignments on CHP’s year-round volunteer schedules and/or part of the following Summer program.

The Volunteer Services Department does not process requests for internships, externships, clinical or professional shadowing, or research opportunities within UPMC Children's.

If you are interested in pursuing those types of opportunities, contact the hospital department directly for information.

Contact UPMC Children's Volunteer Services

To learn more about Volunteer Services at UPMC Children's, call 412-692-5185 or email chpvolunteer@chp.edu.

Learn more about all UPMC Volunteer Services »