Approval Process

Most volunteering does NOT require prior approval!

Volunteering needs prior approval if it is:

  • Ongoing, continued, or substantial time commitments (Dr. Landoll's guideline is anything >5-10 hrs /week)

  • Occurring during the formal duty day (some flexibility for one-off events that don’t interfere with mandatory events)

  • Involves policy, political advocacy or anything or Capitol Hill

  • Anything involving patient care or that is “patient care like”

  • Anything that involves compensation

Prior approval for select volunteering activities (see above) is obtained through an Outside Activity Request (OAR)*. The first person who needs to approve your OAR is:

Dr. Landoll (ryan.landoll@usuhs.edu) if you are a medical student

Laura Baumann (laura.baumann@usuhs.edu) if you are a GEO student

COL Budinich (craig.budinich@usuhs.edu) if you are a GSN student

*NEW* Blanket Outside Activity Requests

Blanket Outside Activity Requests (OAR) can be obtained for activities that multiple students intend to participate in and traditionally required an OAR (e.g. patient care). To get a "blanket" OAR a student representative should provide Dr. Landoll with a brief description of the activity and time frame. If approved, a memo from the brigade will be obtained. This memo enables subsequent students who would like to participate in that activity to simply email Dr. Landoll to ensure good military and academic standing, thus bypassing the traditional OAR process.

*OAR form for Medical Students & Enlisted

Outside Activity Request.pdf

*OAR form for Civilians & Military Officers

Outside Activity Request (For Officers and Civilians) edits 7Jul21.pdf

COVID Considerations in selecting Volunteer Oppourtunities

During the COVID-19 pandemic, any activity that you engage in can increase your risk of exposure. However, following proper CDC guidelines (e.g., use of a cloth mask, physical distancing when possible, frequent hand washing) can significantly reduce these risks. As the science on COVID-19 evolves, so too, do these guidelines. Thus, you should expect that guidance may change, which can have an impact on the availability and safety of volunteering activities. Questions about COVID-19 exposure should be directed to Occupational Health at employeehealthquestions@usuhs.edu.

Generally speaking, volunteer activities which occur in the context of existing local, state, and federal health guidance, offer a relative risk that does not exceed the risks of exposure experienced in your daily lives. Individuals are expected to responsibly balance mitigating their public health risk with behaviors that sustain their overall well-being, including volunteerism. Students should understand that reporting COVID exposure or symptoms is part of their responsibility as military officers and should feel comfortable identifying any potential exposure that may occur in the context of volunteering to Occupational Health, their chain of command, and OSA, without retribution, in accordance with University guidance regarding COVID-19. Students are encouraged to consult with these resources if they have any questions or concerns.

-Dr. Ryan Landoll, Assitant Dean for Preclinical Sciences