DP resident completes Orlando Health volunteer program, earns job

The Healthcare Career Opportunity Volunteer Program at Orlando Health’s Health Central and Horizon West hospital locations is creating unique opportunities for young participants to gain experience in a local hospital and give back to the community. 

Dr. Phillips resident Justin Clemento, 22, not only recently completed the program but also now is working full-time at the Orlando Health — Orlando Regional Medical Center in downtown Orlando.

Clemento said participating in the program is an amazing opportunity for anybody interested in being part of the health care field. 

“It provides a very unique opportunity to see the synergy required between each facet of the hospital that is necessary to thrive,” he said. “My biggest learning experience from the program was coming to understand that even though each position throughout the hospital is often very different, everyone is working together with the same goal in mind of providing the highest quality of care possible.”

PROGRAM POSSIBILITIES

Hayley Brown, director of guest and volunteer services at Health Central, is in her first year at the Ocoee hospital but has been with Orlando Health for 18 years. She started the program last August. 

The Healthcare Career Opportunity Volunteer Program features a rotation of assignments to build experience, culminating with a letter of recommendation and the opportunity to round with a physician for one day.

Participants gain experience in areas including critical care, cardiovascular services, community engagement, care management, and clinical engineering and imaging. 

“It’s exciting to offer this unique opportunity where the volunteers can spend time with our team members in different departments of the hospitals and get a taste of what it’s like to work in health care,” Health Central COO Joe Khayat said. “We’re focused on attracting top talent at Orlando Health to provide the best patient care, and it’s great to know that new hires could be graduates of the program.” 

In its first year, the program had 15 applicants, with 12 for Health Central and three for Horizon West. However, only 12 participants completed the program.

Photo by Annabelle Sikes

Clemento got involved in the program in September. 

“I heard about the amazing opportunity from a friend I volunteer with,” he said. “ I was eager to sign up to gain exposure to various health care professions in a way I previously thought impossible. My favorite part about the program was seeing the bigger picture of the hospital come into focus with each shift I took part in.”

Brown’s favorite part of the program is mentoring the volunteers, watching their growth and guiding them through their experiences. 

“Seeing their confidence and skills develop over time as they get more comfortable in the hospital is incredibly rewarding,” she said.

HAVING AN IMPACT

With the help of the experience Clemento gained through the program, he earned a full-time position as a nursing assistant in the progressive care unit at ORMC.

He now is in the process of applying to medical schools across Florida and the rest of the United States. 

Courtesy photo

“The medical field is made up of highly competent professionals working together who each specialize in a specific aspect of patient care,” he said. “I have a strong passion to be part of a team that works hand-in-hand to provide the highest level of care possible to ensure that patients are both healthy and happy. I aspire to be a physician who provides not only high-level medical care but also spiritual and mental care to ensure every patient feels heard and cared for. I feel strongly the lessons I have learned while being part of the program have laid a great foundation to reach those goals.”

Brown believes the program educates and inspires future health care professionals, fostering a pipeline of skilled and compassionate individuals who are committed to improving community health outcomes. 

“It provides them the opportunity to explore different areas of the hospital, allowing them to gain a better understanding of the health care system,” she said. “They can do this while giving back to the community and alleviating the workload on current health care workers.”

Brown is excited for the upcoming cohort in fall 2024/spring 2025, where 25 applicants will be accepted into the program. She looks forward to the possibility of expanding the program across all Orlando Health facilities in the future.

Those who wish to apply to the program must be at least 18 years old.

Applicants must be willing to make a commitment to volunteer for a total of 130 hours over a nine-month period between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. 

In addition, those interested must accurately complete the program application, provide three references, have a personal interview with a volunteer manager, and visit Orlando Health’s occupational health office for a tuberculosis test and drug screening, which are provided at no charge. 

The next application deadline is July 1.