Please use the contact information provided and DO NOT CONTACT the Pre-Health Advising Office. READ OVER THE INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY

Health Smarts While You Wait 
90 million Americans read at or below an 8th grade reading level, yet most medical information is communicated at a college level.  Therefore, many Americans cannot read health information, understand basic medical instructions and adhere to medication regimens.  Their health is at risk. 
 
The Health Smarts While You Wait program seeks to empower patients to take a more active role in their healthcare by helping them understand and apply basic health information.  Trained volunteers, usually in teams of two, visit patients in the waiting rooms of the many outpatient clinics and offer small-group and one-on-one instruction and materials to support their understanding in several areas:
1.       Nutrition basics and understanding the nutrition label
2.       Reading and understanding prescription labels
3.       Understanding over-the-counter medication labels and dosing
4.       Managing multiple medications
5.       Speaking up at the doctor’s office 
 
Volunteers must commit to one weekday shift for 6 months.  Volunteers enjoy speaking to people with diverse backgrounds, can create a shame-free environment, and can explain basic health information in an engaging way.  This program is well-suited for students with excellent public speaking skills and an interest in healthcare. Volunteers should be prepared to speak in front of groups of patients as large as 40 or as small as 2. Bilingual Spanish preferred, but not required.   
 
For more information visit: http://www.nym.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer-Opportunities/Health-Literacy-Volunteer.aspx 
 
To apply: http://www.nym.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer-Opportunities/How-to-apply-to-volunteer.aspx