The San Francisco Free Clinic depends on volunteers to enhance and extend the services provided by our staff. 

Because we have a dual mission of caring for the uninsured and educating future medical practitioners, our volunteer program is a critical means of accomplishing both goals.

Many of our volunteers have been with us since the early years, and volunteer work at the clinic is extremely popular. We have a waiting list for some of our on-site positions and internships, but if you're interested in volunteering to help, please contact us about your skills and experience. 

Specialist Physicians

Our specialist physicians are an integral part of our volunteer community. 

These local physicians donate time and expertise in providing much-needed medical care to our uninsured patients, either by providing consultations in their private offices, or by seeing patients here at the clinic. 

If you are a specialist physician and are interested in volunteering, please contact Dr. Ian Nelligan our specialist liaison.

School-Aged (Middle and High School) Volunteers

High school and middle school volunteers also assist us as part of community service programs.

Volunteers help us with basic front- and back-office tasks, gaining exposure to what it's like to work in the healthcare field.
 
There is currently a waitlist for our school-aged volunteer program. If you'd like to be considered for this program, please contact Paula Martin, our clinic manager.

Back-Office Volunteers

We have a robust volunteer program of back-office medical assistants, who help with rooming patients, taking vital signs, and assisting with other back-office duties.

Many of our volunteers are pre-med or pre-nursing students, and they gain valuable clinical experience in volunteering with us. 

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer medical assistant, which requires a minimum commitment of 12 months, please complete this form and email it to Alex Flood-Bryzman, our volunteer coordinator.* 

* As of May 2024, we will be accepting applications for volunteers*

Medical Students and Residents

Since its founding, SFFC has provided great opportunities for physician trainees to learn primary care.

We regularly host fourth-year medical students from UCSF, Yale, and USC medical schools, as well as residents from local programs such as UCSF and CPMC. 

If you are a trainee interested in rotating through our clinic, please have your medical school or residency program inquire on your behalf with Paula Martin, our clinic manager.

Interpreters

A significant number of our patients speak languages other than English as their native tongue. Volunteer interpreters offer invaluable assistance in providing appropriate healthcare.

Interpreters in Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Russian, Mongolian, Thai, Portuguese, and Japanese are particularly in need.

If you are interested in volunteering as an in-person and/or phone interpreter, please look over our volunteer guidelines and contact us by email or phone (415-750-9894) for more information.