Pediatrics

Volunteers assist in several pediatrics-related areas at Mayo Clinic.

Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital

Under the direction of the Child Life staff, volunteers spend time with children in the playrooms. Varied shifts are offered mornings, evenings and weekends.

Volunteer group

• Saint Marys Hospital

Children's outpatient surgical waiting

Under the direction of the Child Life staff, volunteers spend time with children in the playrooms while the child and family wait for the child's surgical procedure. Morning shifts are offered.

Volunteer group

• Saint Marys Hospital

Mayo 16 (outpatient)

Volunteers engage children waiting in the lobby, either one-on-one or in small group activities. Your role is to present a friendly face and listening ear to patients and visitors.

Volunteer group

• Mayo Clinic Volunteer Services

Reach Out and Read

Volunteers read a variety of age-appropriate books to pediatric patients in the Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine waiting room in the Baldwin Building, Third Floor.

Providing a positive story-time experience helps promote literacy and a love of reading for these young children while they are waiting for their appointments.

Shift times are 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3 p.m. for the Mayo Clinic Volunteer Services and 3:30 to 5 p.m. for the Mayo Clinic Young Volunteers program, Monday through Friday.

Volunteer groups

• Mayo Clinic Volunteer Services
• Mayo Clinic Young Volunteers

Qualifications and physical requirements for all areas

• Friendly, welcoming and positive attitude
• Able and willing to refer patient questions about condition or medication directly to staff
• Able to treat diverse patients and their families with respect and empathy
• Emotionally able to interact with very ill children
• Available to listen if patient/family desires to talk
• Able to read, write and speak English
• Ability to stand and walk around