BECOME A RAM VOLUNTEER
Our volunteer health clinics are made possible by a network of humanitarians like you.
SINCE 1985
Mobile Medical Clinics Volunteer Services
Volunteering at a Remote Area Medical Clinic is not your typical 9-to-5 day at the office. The days are long, and the work is tiring. But clinic after clinic, our healthcare volunteers bounce in with energy and smiles, ready to make all the patients and families feel better.
To make a RAM Clinic run smoothly, devoted volunteers with diverse backgrounds and interests unite for one mission: to prevent pain and alleviate suffering.
We hope to see you at a clinic as you become a part of a team that brings tens of thousands of Americans much needed health care and health services every year.
Clinic Logistics
Before You Arrive
From early mornings to travel accommodations, here’s what you need to know before you sign up.
Clinic Pace and Hours
RAM Clinics move fast. Volunteers arrive between 5:10 a.m. and 5:40 a.m. and treat hundres of patients until late afternoon. Breakfast and lunch are provided for all on-site volunteers.
Lodging and Travel
To maximize our patient impact, RAM cannot cover volunteer accommodations. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
Packing for the Clinic
Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and closed-toe shoes. Health professionals are not required to but can bring their own standard diagnostic tools (e.g., stethoscopes, loupes).
How It Works
Your journey to making an impact starts here. Follow these three steps to join the mission
Sign up
Register to become a RAM Volunteer in healthcare. Licensed medical providers will submit necessary documentation at this stage.
Choose a clinic
During the registration process, choose a clinic to attend, or choose to volunteer at the Remote Area Medical Headquarters.
Change lives
Join us in providing free, quality healthcare to communities in need. The impact you will make in a single weekend will be unforgettable.
Who We Need
Our clinics rely on thousands of dedicated volunteers. Find your role and help us deliver free care to those in need.
Licensed Professionals
Licensed professionals are the heartbeat of our clinics. We need your expertise to provide direct patient care.
Professional licensing laws vary state-to-state. Whether or not out-of-state providers can practice within a particular state varies.
- Dental: Dentists, Oral Surgeons, Dental Hygienists, and Dental Assistants.
- Vision: Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Optometric Techs, Ophthalmic Techs, and Opticians.
- Medical: Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers (PAs, NPs, FNPs, etc.) Specialists may be in need at certain clinics. If you are an interested medical specialist, please email [email protected] to learn more.
- Triage: RNs, LPNs, Paramedics, and AEMTs.
- Lodging: Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
Lodging and travel
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
Student Volunteers: Who Can Serve at a RAM Clinic?
Students pursuing healthcare careers are an important part of RAM’s future. Many of the professionals serving at our clinics 10 years from now are in training today.
We also know how valuable hands-on experience can be. RAM Clinics can offer meaningful exposure to patient care, teamwork, and the realities many underserved communities face.
At the same time, our clinics exist for one reason: to provide free, quality healthcare to our patients. Many people who come to RAM have gone years, sometimes decades, without care. We work hard to make each clinic as professional and comfortable as possible. Our first responsibility is always to the patient.
Undergraduate pre-health students
If you are a pre-med, pre-dental, pre-nursing, or pre-optometry undergraduate student, you may not provide patient care at a RAM Clinic.
You are still welcome to volunteer as General Support, which gives you the opportunity to see many other important parts of clinic operations.
Nursing students
RN and BSN students may work in Triage only if they have faculty supervision.
Requirements:
A licensed faculty member may bring up to five students
Students must be in the final half of their nursing program
Example: In a four-semester accelerated program, you must be in at least your third semester by the date of the clinic
Nursing schools are asked to commit to the full clinic weekend for a standard two-day event
To schedule, have your faculty supervisor contact [email protected] for authorization.
Medical students
MD, DO, PA, and NP students may work in the Medical Department only if they have faculty supervision.
Requirements:
A licensed faculty member may bring up to five students
Students must be in the third or fourth year of their program
Schools traveling long distances may bring up to 10 students
In those cases, five students may work in medical one day, and the other five may rotate in the next day
To schedule, have your faculty supervisor contact [email protected] for authorization.
Dental students
Dental students may work in the Dental Department only if they:
Have a licensed faculty supervisor
Are in their third year of dental school or beyond
To schedule, have your licensed faculty supervisor contact [email protected].
Optometry and ophthalmology students
Students in optometry or ophthalmology may work in the Vision Department only if they:
Have faculty supervision
Are in their third or fourth year of school
To schedule, have your faculty licensed practitioner contact [email protected].
LPN, EMT, CNA, and MA students
Because of high demand for experienced triage practitioners, we are not currently able to accept LPN, EMT, CNA, or MA students in the Triage Department.
Until you graduate, we encourage you to serve as a General Support Volunteer.
No faculty supervisor?
If you are unable to secure faculty supervision, we still encourage you to join us as a General Support Volunteer and serve in other areas of the clinic.
Lodging and travel
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
General Support Volunteers
General Support Volunteers help keep every RAM Clinic moving. Their work supports patients, providers, and clinic operations from start to finish.
Assignments vary and may include:
Registering patients as they arrive
Helping with traffic flow and directing patients where to go
Assisting in the mobile eye lab by making glasses, with training provided on site
Helping patients choose frames
Serving food to patients and volunteers
Supporting other clinic needs as they arise
Assignments are given on a first-come, first-served basis, so we cannot guarantee a specific role.
General Support is a great way to see how many moving parts come together to make a RAM Clinic possible. It is also an excellent option for volunteers who want to serve, learn, and be part of the clinic experience in a meaningful way.
Lodging and travel
Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
RAM Telehealth
Our telehealth program delivers high-quality care directly to Tennessee communities through self-sustaining mobile units. Patients receive triage and meet with an onsite Registered Nurse, who connects them with a remote volunteer physician through a secure video consultation.
With a nurse guiding the entire visit, patients and physicians experience a smoother process while addressing immediate health needs until a primary provider can be established.
Volunteer Opportunities At Headquarters
Our clinics could not take place without the hard work of our staff and volunteers at our headquarters in Rockford, Tennessee, just 15 minutes south of Knoxville. From filling out the right paperwork, to loading clinic equipment, restocking supplies, and maintaining vehicles, every task at the Remote Area Medical Headquarters is key to ensuring we provide free, quality clinics across the country year-after-year.
If you think Headquarters may be a good fit for you, give our Volunteer Coordinators a call at 865-579-2555, send an email to [email protected], or drop by to see HQ for yourself.
QUESTIONS ABOUT VOLUNTEERING?
Frequently Asked Questions
Register here. Remember your login credentials! You’ll need them to sign up for future clinics. Once you’ve filled out the form and chosen a clinic, RAM Staff will be in touch with more details. Here is a video tutorial to help you register.
Providers must have an active, valid license and be in good standing with their respective license board. Check with the RAM Volunteer Team about states that allow out-of-state providers.
RAM provides a turn-key clinic experience, so there is no need for most providers to bring their own equipment. Dental providers must bring their own loupes, and general medical providers are encouraged to bring their own stethoscopes. We recommend that volunteers in Triage bring a watch with a second hand. Specialists, please contact the RAM Volunteer Team at [email protected] for special requests.
RAM dispenses antibiotics and over-the-counter medications on site if available and provides script pads for additional needs. Narcotics are not on site.
RAM Clinic Leadership will take over and activate the appropriate response plan.
Hours may vary clinic by clinic. Most clinics start at 6:00 a.m. and continue into the afternoon. Any time commitment you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Due to the large volume of patients, RAM does not do endodontic work at clinics.
RAM works with our community partners to connect patients to follow-up care after the clinic. In most cases, follow-up care is not free, but providers may offer low-cost options.
RAM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that is funded by private donors, foundations, and grants. No government funding is used for clinic operations.
Ready to Serve?
Change Lives Today
Join thousands of volunteers bringing free, quality healthcare to communities in need.
