Mentoring Programs

Note: There can be confusion between shadowing and volunteering. Shadowing or observing, is watching and learning without any hands-on activity. When requesting a shadowing experience, you are asking a busy staff member to share their time with you. You are requesting the gift of an experience.

Volunteering on the other hand is a gift of service to others. If you have availability to be of regular weekly support and are willing to learn to lend a hand to support staff and patients, you might consider a volunteer role. You may or may not be needed in your primary area of interest. Consider what you are requesting or offering. Learn more about Volunteering with Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

The guide below should be used to determine who the best point of contact is for your needs.

Who should I contact?

If a student has selected a Roper St. Francis Healthcare employee who has agreed to one to two day job shadowing, please contact student.development@rsfh.com to obtain a job shadow form.

Please note the following general guidelines:

• Students must be 14 years or older to job shadow. For our intensive care unit, birth suite, operating room, or emergency department, students must be 16 years or older.
• The experience is limited to 16 hours or less.
• Roper St. Francis Healthcare does not participate in job shadowing during Flu season (Oct 1 – Mar 31).

The SCRUBS mentoring program is the best way to begin exploration in health careers.

“SCRUBS” is an acronym for: Students Can Really Use Bedside Skills. Our program was named by the first group of students who joined our mentoring program. Many students who attended past SCRUBS programs are now working as professional healthcare employees at Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

SCRUBS Mentoring Program

The SCRUBS Mentoring program allows students on medical career tracks the opportunity to work along with staff at the bedside in a mentored role. The program is designed for pre-nursing, MD and PA career track students. Download details and application instructions for the SCRUBS Mentoring program. The SCRUBS Mentoring Program is popular and often operates at capacity. Applicants are interviewed and accepted when there is an opening in the program. The applicant (not parent) may email their anticipated career track and available interview time to the requested facility.

Candidates apply and are processed primarily through the Volunteer Departments at Roper Hospital and Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital. Processing includes an interview, application, background checks, two step TB test, immunization documentation, reference letter and attendance at a scheduled Volunteer Orientation session. Most participants are college level pre-med/nursing students. Minimum age is 16. Second career applicants are welcome. Students completing 32 hours of mentoring earn a certificate of completion.