Clinical Center says 'thank you' during National Volunteer Week

Episode # 95
Uploaded: April 17, 2012
Running Time: 02:13

CROWN: From America's Research Hospital, this is Clinical Center Radio.

It's National Volunteer Week April 15th through the 21st. Courtney Duncan, volunteer program coordinator, says the annual observance is a great opportunity to highlight the Clinical Center's volunteers who serve valuable roles throughout the research hospital.

DUNCAN: If I could say anything to the volunteers I have interacted with, I would just say thank you. I mean it seems so simple but the volunteers really come here out of a totally different motivation, you know. They're not motivated by a paycheck. They're motivated by doing something nice for somebody, learning a new skill, or just being part of this environment.

CROWN: There are more than 200 volunteers at the Clinical Center, America's research hospital. One of those volunteers is Shujaat Azim, a pre-med student who is a Patient Ambassador for Radiology and Imaging Services. Azim explains that he was kind of surprised at how much he fell in love with his volunteer work.

AZIM: I started out with the early shift and I didn't mind waking up early. And I am not an early person. I don't like to wake up in the morning. But I would be happy to wake up in the morning on the one day of the week that I was able to come to the Clinical Center.

CROWN: Duncan says it is important that volunteers value what they are doing and also feel valued.

DUNCAN: What I like most about being part of the volunteer program is really being able to connect people to something that they're interested in. You know, whether they just want to give back, whether they want to come and actually learn something because they may want to be a doctor one day. And being able to give them that little piece of exposure that could really benefit them in the future, is what I really enjoy doing.

AZIM: I honestly feel like I am actually making a difference.

CROWN: From America's Clinical Research Hospital, this has been CLINICAL CENTER RADIO. In Bethesda, Maryland, I'm Ellen Crown, at the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

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