Puentes de Salud engages over 500 active student and faculty volunteers from eleven colleges and universities across the Philadelphia region. Our interdisciplinary volunteer network includes individuals from medicine, nursing, public health, law, education, and the visual arts, each contributing to our mission of supporting the health and wellness of Philadelphia’s Latine immigrant community.
Volunteers gain firsthand experience in community-based care through supervised roles across our programs. All opportunities require an application process.
Visiting or walk-in volunteers
High school students (non-clinic related)
Student research proposals
Volunteers seeking short-term class projects or papers
Open to undergraduate, post-bacc, graduate, medical, and professional students.
Positions are limited and highly competitive. Early application is strongly encouraged.
Priority is given to applicants who have previously volunteered with Puentes and meet required qualifications.
Missed the deadline? Email the volunteer coordinators: volunteer@puentesdesalud.org.
f you are a licensed Physician or Physician Assistant, please email Dr. Daphne Owen: daphne.owen@puentesdesalud.org.
If you are a licensed Nurse, Medical Assistant, or Phlebotomist, please email Annette Silva: annette.silva@puentesdesalud.org
If you are a licensed Nurse Practitioner, please email Sharon Katzenbach: sharon.katzenbach@puentesdesalud.org
If you are a licensed Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner or Certified Nurse-Midwife, please email Dacey Stratton: dacey.stratton@puentesdesalud.org
If you are a licensed Social Worker interested in Medical Case Management, please email Pablo Abrante: pablo.abrante@puentesdesalud.org
If you are a professional in a related field and would like to volunteer, please email
volunteer@puentesdesalud.org
Note: All providers must hold an active license in the state of Pennsylvania and must also have malpractice insurance that covers their volunteer activities.
Supports clinic operations by creating and organizing patient charts, documenting vital signs and visit information, and ensuring patient records are complete and accurate. Volunteers assist with patient flow throughout the clinic and provide administrative support to clinic leadership and staff as needed to facilitate efficient clinic operations and high-quality patient care. May be asked to fill in for Clinical I – Intake/Vitals as needed.
Eligibility: Available to undergraduate, graduate, or gap-year students. Must have Professional Spanish proficiency.
Responsible for obtaining patient intake information, including the chief concern for the visit, and measuring vital signs such as height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and temperature as indicated. Volunteers identify and promptly communicate abnormal or concerning findings to the appropriate clinical staff. Additional responsibilities include processing visit payments, issuing receipts and change, and maintaining accurate payment records in an Excel spreadsheet.
Eligibility: Only available to medical students (MD/DO). Must have Professional Spanish proficiency.
Provides Spanish-English medical interpretation during patient encounters to facilitate effective communication between patients and healthcare providers. Requires advanced medical Spanish proficiency and professionalism in a clinical setting. Interpreters gain exposure to a wide range of specialties, including internal medicine and its subspecialties, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, neurology, and other fields, while supporting
patient-centered care.
Eligibility: Available to undergraduate, graduate, or gap-year students. Must have advanced MEDICAL Spanish proficiency.
Provides third- and fourth-year medical students with the opportunity to participate in direct patient care under the supervision of a physician preceptor. Volunteers conduct patient interviews, obtain relevant medical histories, develop assessments and management plans, and present their findings to the supervising provider.
Eligibility: Third- and fourth-year medical (MD/DO) students who speak Spanish fluently and have completed their 3rd-year Internal Medicine clerkship
Supports Puentes de Salud’s Food Pharmacy program, which addresses food insecurity by providing culturally appropriate food to members of the Latine community. Volunteers screen patients for food insecurity using standardized assessment questions, assist clients in selecting food items, collect and document client information, and help track inventory and program utilization. Volunteers also connect clients with additional community resources as appropriate. This role requires strong Spanish language proficiency, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, attention to detail, and a compassionate, respectful approach to serving individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
Eligibility: Available to Junior and Senior undergraduate, graduate, or gap-year students. Volunteers do not need medical training or experience. Must have advanced Spanish proficiency.
For specific questions, please contact susana.rodriguez@puentesdesalud.org
Help improve health literacy and empower patients through education. Health Education Volunteers deliver brief, interactive presentations in Spanish to patients in the waiting room on topics such as nutrition, vaccines, chronic disease prevention, and women’s health. Using physician-approved slide decks, volunteers present 15–20 minute sessions that make important health information accessible and easy to understand.
This flexible role offers a meaningful opportunity to promote public health, support preventive care, and directly impact the well-being of our Spanish-speaking community. Volunteers may also assist with updating existing educational materials and developing new presentations.
Eligibility: Available to undergraduate, graduate, or gap-year students. Advanced Spanish proficiency, commit to 1 presentation per month.
For specific questions, please contact charlas@puentesdesalud.org
Serve as patient navigators for patients with complex medical needs that cannot be fully addressed in the clinic. Volunteers assist patients with applications for emergency health insurance, facilitate referrals and appointments with Philadelphia Health Centers and specialty providers, including the Center for Surgical Health, and maintain communication with patients to ensure continuity of care.
Responsibilities include identifying barriers to care for Spanish-speaking patients with complex medical needs, conducting regular follow-up with patients by phone or in person, and helping patients navigate their medical conditions and treatment plans. Volunteers participate in bi-weekly meetings to review patient cases, discuss complex care initiatives, and communicate concerns to the Complex Care Coordinators and volunteer providers.
Eligibility: Available to undergraduate, graduate, or gap-year students. Advanced Spanish proficiency. Available 5-10 hours a week. Flexibility is required; most work will be done remotely over the phone, but volunteers will need to accommodate patients’ schedules and occasionally come to the clinic for in-person needs.
For specific questions, please contact complexcareteam@puentesdesalud.org
Puentes de Salud has a robust leadership team for student volunteers who have continuously demonstrated commitment and dedication to the Puentes de Salud community. Student coordinators help oversee and run key programs and play a vital role in daily operations.
We offer several volunteer positions across our education programs. Further details on each role can be found in the application when positions are available. Please check our Facebook or Instagram pages (link) for updates on active education volunteer roles. We generally recruit new education volunteers in August/September, January, and late spring.
Eligibility: Individuals who are committed to growing as educators. Demonstrated experience working with young people in informal and/or formal settings. Spanish language fluency is useful but not required for most roles.
Schedule: Schedules vary by program, but hours generally take place in the after-school time frame from 3-6pm on weekday afternoons, in person and/or on Zoom.
For further questions regarding education volunteer or partnership opportunities, please reach out to Itzxul Moreno, our Director of Education, Strategy, and Learning, at itzxul.moreno@puentesdesalud.org
Puentes Hacia el Futuro (Grados 4-8) – Jessica Castellón, jessica.castellon@puentesdesalud.org
Lanzando Líderes (Grados 9-12) – Lucía Navarro, lucia.navarro@puentesdesalud.org
Every month, Puentes de Salud’s Satellite Distribution Program partners with community-based organizations across South Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, Upper Darby, and North Philadelphia to bring culturally appropriate food directly into neighborhoods where families live. This model expands access beyond our onsite Food Pharmacy by reaching households that may face barriers to traveling to our Wellness Center. Occasionally, we rely on volunteer drivers to support direct, home-based deliveries for community members with additional access or safety needs. If you are interested in being contacted when these opportunities arise, please reach out to Sofia Paredes at 484-202-0682.
Eligibility: This role is open to any adult who has access to a reliable vehicle, as well as current registration and insurance. Volunteers should be comfortable driving in the Philadelphia area and surrounding neighborhoods, and have a strong sense of responsibility, punctuality, and respect for client privacy.
Schedule: There is no set volunteer schedule for this role. Opportunities arise on an as-needed basis, typically on weekends in the late morning or early afternoon. Volunteers who express interest will be contacted when support is needed and can opt in based on their availability.
