Student FAQs
What is this initiative?
We are health professions students (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, etc.) and volunteers from the community who want to help health care providers in the Pittsburgh area with temporary urgent household needs while they perform essential clinical duties during COVID-19.
Who is organizing?
We are a group of medical students from the Ross University School of Medicine looking for ways to link various parts of our student community to those healthcare families who are seeking help. However, this is NOT an official RUSM activity.
Will I be monetarily compensated for my time?
No, this program is voluntary and compensation is not to be expected, as we want to lessen the burden on those in the front lines of healthcare in the setting of COVID-19.
What if I get paired with a family and their requests are outside of my comfort zone or the hours are too much for me to handle at this moment?
We have intentionally placed you in pods of 3-5 volunteers to serve 1 healthcare family in order to minimize the burden on each volunteer. However, if you are facing difficulties or requests that are beyond your scope, please reach out to the volunteer coordinators at pittcsvolunteer@gmail.com and we will work with you and the family to come up with a plan that works for everyone. We value your health and well-being at the utmost.
What will the pairings look like?
As we expect the time needs of families to be larger than any individual volunteer could/should manage on their own, we hope to create small “pods” of 3-5 volunteers that will work together to fill the scheduling needs of 1 healthcare family in your geographic area. After you and families fill out the intake form, we will work to create these groups based on matching characteristics and location and will send an introduction email to the family and the volunteer group. It will then be the responsibility of the family to let the volunteers know their time requirements and the students to coordinate to best cover the requested shifts.
What is the time commitment needed?
Any time you are able to contribute is incredibly appreciated. There is no minimum or maximum time limits for volunteering. Our families will surely appreciate any and all help that you can provide them. With this being said, please remember to take care of yourself during this time!
Get Involved
Make Your Mark
Volunteer Your Time
Make A True Change
This is one of the simplest ways to help out our cause. We believe the best way for our initiatives to be successful is for the community to actively get involved. This is an easy and efficient way of contributing to the great work we do at Pittsburgh COVIDsitters. Get in touch with any questions about how you can Volunteer Your Time today.
Make a Donation
Help Us Soar
Want to join our efforts but not sure where to start? Do you have PPE you’d like to share with local healthcare facilities? Make a donation and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to lend your support. It’s a great way to contribute to our cause, and every little bit counts towards paving the path for a better tomorrow. Get in touch with us today for more details about how you can help.