Become a Volunteer
2023 Events
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Feb 17 - Mini Health Fair at Benjamin Gaither Center
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Apr 03 - Red Cross Blood Drive at CCACC
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May 12 - Free Immunization Drive, Preventive Health Month at CCACC
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Jun 09 - Charity Golf Cup at Richland Golf Club
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Oct 07 - Annual Health Fair at CCACC
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Clinical Support for Pre-Med Track Students*
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Internship for Mental Health Professionals*
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Summer High School Intern (support administrative tasks and outreach events)**
* require at least one-year commitment
** full for the year
Healthcare Professional Volunteer Opportunities
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MD
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RN
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Pharmacist
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EMT
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Pre-Med Student
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Mental Health Professional
Internship Opportunities
Almost everyone who works at Pan Asian is a volunteer. Some just want to give back to the community, some believe in PAVHC's purpose and think it's worthwhile, and some have a desire to help others. Regardless of why, PAVHC's volunteers are passionate about what they do.
While Pan Asian focuses on serving the Asian community, the challenges they face and the solutions that can be offered are similar and applicable to other ethnic groups. Among other things, Pan Asian helps patients surmount language barriers. A common language is crucial to communication and ultimately influences the quality of care a patient receives. If you're motivated and believe in our purpose, PAVHC invites you to join our volunteer team and help in any way possible.
Volunteering at Pan Asian provides the following benefits:
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It's a unique opportunity to work with physicians and health staff members who want to bridge the cultural gaps that exist in American medicine.
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It's a great opportunity to gain clinical experience for those interested in entering the medical field.
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It's a great environment to enhance one's Chinese language skills.
There are no minimum hours. Any amount of time that you volunteer is appreciated and has a profound impact on Pan Asian's operations. After all, you'll be part of a team that's providing quality health care to those who are unwilling or unable to seek alternative health care services, or who believe they have nowhere else to turn.
Pan Asian: A Tradition of Volunteerism
Over 120,000 Asian Americans reside in Montgomery County, representing 13% of its population[1]. Many of these residents are low-income and lack health insurance. Although the county government and community organizations provide health and social services, many Asian American residents can't access them due to language barriers and cultural differences.
Good communication determines the quality of care a patient receives. A doctor who can't understand what a patient is saying won't be able to effectively diagnose symptoms or prescribe treatment. A patient who can't understand what a doctor is saying may end up agreeing to undergo unnecessary or inappropriate tests and procedures. For these reasons, helping patients surmount the language barrier is a critical component of health care.
The Pan Asian Volunteer Health Clinic (PAVHC, or Pan Asian) fulfills this need by providing primary health care, case management, referral services, and educational and outreach services to these disadvantaged residents. While our services are available to all Montgomery County residents, Pan Asian was conceived to serve Asian- and Pacific-American ethnic populations. Our clinic is staffed by bilingual volunteer workers and physicians of various ethnic groups.
Since its inception in 2003 as a mobile clinic and during its steady growth into a fully-equipped medical center that now serves the entire county, Pan Asian has undergone many changes. But what hasn't changed is our ongoing pledge to do our utmost to provide quality health care to anyone who needs it.
Pan Asian is staffed by members of the Health and Human Services Division of the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC). It is one of 12 community clinics managed by Primary Care Coalition, as part of its Montgomery Cares network.
[1] data published by Maryland Vital Statistics Administration, 2007.