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What health clinic or hospital takes 16 yrs old as an intern or volunteer or lets them shadow?
I’m a high school student and i want to either volunteer shadow or intern at a health place but i can’t find any. im 16 looking for a place in manhattan.
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Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Alijah !
You have such a wide choice to explore for volunteer work in New York City ! I would be happy to provide you with advice and information before you start exploring first hand.
To begin with, unless your high school knows of internships for teens, usually places in NYC do not offer Internships to your age group. Shadowing is not going to benefit you either and it's very difficult to be in a hugely busy NYC clinic or Hospital, be with the doctor while they're working with a patient and there are privacy issues with it, too. Shadowing does not give you experience nor does it go on your resume. For now, Volunteer work is what you'll want to obtain as that will be real experience as well as an addition on your resume. Internships are usually for college students in their Junior and Senior years or after they've graduated with their degree.
You may want to start trying for volunteer work at the larger hospitals that may have large volunteer programs. Try NYU, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Montefiore Hospital. That's just in Manhattan but you can make a list of hospitals and clinics in the other boroughs, too by searching online. You would call or visit these places at their Human Resources Office and ask about volunteer work. I'm almost positive that you'll find something.
Now for some interesting information - you can get a paying job next summer through the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development's Summer Youth Employment Program. You would have to specifically request that you are placed at one of the hospitals and it would be the program that pays you, not the place you'd work at. This program usually opens for applications in February or March for jobs starting in June or July. This is the largest summer youth employment program in the country so you will want to keep track of when to apply. A link to their website is below. You can work through this program until you are 24 years old and it's just for the summer. You can gain valuable experience through this program and it's incredibly great as a first job.
Call the Dept. of Youth and Community Development soon, because they have a program that extends the Summer Youth Employment Program into the school year. It is called Work, Learn Grow which is a year round employment program. You live in a great city for opportunity ! Also ask them about the Train & Earn Program, and the Jobs Plus Program. College students can get an Internship through the department also. Also inquire about the Youth Jobs Program for Young New Yorkers. There is so much, my advice is to make a visit in person to the Department of Youth and Community Development and write down the names of all these programs and get information about them. They are all for your age group.
This department's Internships fall under the programs called Workforce Demonstration Project, the Alternative Engagement Program and The Pathway to Employment Program. I hope this isn't too much information, but you live in a city with lots of opportunity.
So, I would advise that you aim for volunteer work, and Internships offered to teens and employment programs through which you can get a paid temporary job to be introduced to the work that you are interested in. Put the effort and footwork in and you will obtain a wonderful experience. I hope this helps and I wish you the best !
NEW YORK CITY SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR 2026 https://www.nyc.gov/site/dycd/services/jobs-internships/summer-youth-employment-program-syep.page
You have such a wide choice to explore for volunteer work in New York City ! I would be happy to provide you with advice and information before you start exploring first hand.
To begin with, unless your high school knows of internships for teens, usually places in NYC do not offer Internships to your age group. Shadowing is not going to benefit you either and it's very difficult to be in a hugely busy NYC clinic or Hospital, be with the doctor while they're working with a patient and there are privacy issues with it, too. Shadowing does not give you experience nor does it go on your resume. For now, Volunteer work is what you'll want to obtain as that will be real experience as well as an addition on your resume. Internships are usually for college students in their Junior and Senior years or after they've graduated with their degree.
You may want to start trying for volunteer work at the larger hospitals that may have large volunteer programs. Try NYU, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Montefiore Hospital. That's just in Manhattan but you can make a list of hospitals and clinics in the other boroughs, too by searching online. You would call or visit these places at their Human Resources Office and ask about volunteer work. I'm almost positive that you'll find something.
Now for some interesting information - you can get a paying job next summer through the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development's Summer Youth Employment Program. You would have to specifically request that you are placed at one of the hospitals and it would be the program that pays you, not the place you'd work at. This program usually opens for applications in February or March for jobs starting in June or July. This is the largest summer youth employment program in the country so you will want to keep track of when to apply. A link to their website is below. You can work through this program until you are 24 years old and it's just for the summer. You can gain valuable experience through this program and it's incredibly great as a first job.
Call the Dept. of Youth and Community Development soon, because they have a program that extends the Summer Youth Employment Program into the school year. It is called Work, Learn Grow which is a year round employment program. You live in a great city for opportunity ! Also ask them about the Train & Earn Program, and the Jobs Plus Program. College students can get an Internship through the department also. Also inquire about the Youth Jobs Program for Young New Yorkers. There is so much, my advice is to make a visit in person to the Department of Youth and Community Development and write down the names of all these programs and get information about them. They are all for your age group.
This department's Internships fall under the programs called Workforce Demonstration Project, the Alternative Engagement Program and The Pathway to Employment Program. I hope this isn't too much information, but you live in a city with lots of opportunity.
So, I would advise that you aim for volunteer work, and Internships offered to teens and employment programs through which you can get a paid temporary job to be introduced to the work that you are interested in. Put the effort and footwork in and you will obtain a wonderful experience. I hope this helps and I wish you the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Cortina’s Answer
Hi Alijah! Hope this message finds you well. Many of the hospitals have volunteers as I recently encountered. The volunteers I noticed were assistng patients and visitors with directions and various other items as needed. I would reach out to the human resource department at hospitals such as Mount Sinai and/or Lenox to inquire about available opportunities. Best of luck to you in your journey!
Updated
Carol’s Answer
Hello Alijah,
I recommend that you that you apply at local hospitals, nursing home or Assisted living facilities. Every state has a workplace to get more information on volunteer work or internship. Also, I recommend that you search on Indeed, Zip Recruiter, and Career Builders. I hope this helps you. Good look with the search. Much Success.
Ms. Dummars,
I recommend that you that you apply at local hospitals, nursing home or Assisted living facilities. Every state has a workplace to get more information on volunteer work or internship. Also, I recommend that you search on Indeed, Zip Recruiter, and Career Builders. I hope this helps you. Good look with the search. Much Success.
Ms. Dummars,
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Alijah,
You find some options here:
https://www.ladderinternships.com/ladder-internships-blog/medical-internships-for-high-school-students-in-nyc
https://www.lumiere-education.com/post/10-nyc-hospital-internships-for-high-school-students
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
You find some options here:
https://www.ladderinternships.com/ladder-internships-blog/medical-internships-for-high-school-students-in-nyc
https://www.lumiere-education.com/post/10-nyc-hospital-internships-for-high-school-students
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Updated
Karyn’s Answer
Hi Alija, VA Hospitals are always in need of volunteers and have a wide range of what you can do and how you can contribute. If there is one in near you I would look there. Good luck in your search.