Research and Grants Volunteer Info

Why volunteer?

  • Gain experience with how to organize, write, and polish professional grants

  • Gain experience formulating research questions, designing chart reviews and surveys, and disseminating findings

  • Become familiarized with leaders of the clinical community in Champaign County and the Midwest

  • Learn about the challenges and mechanics of operating a free clinic

  • Directly expand medical services to the members of our community most in need

  • Have a quality volunteer opportunity that can be completed on your own time, in your own home, while still directly benefiting your community in a tangible, measurable way

Responsibilities

As a member of the Research and Grants team, you can focus on research, grants, or both!

Research roles

  • Assisting with the development of research projects, including performing literature reviews and preparing institutional review board submissions

  • Implementing research projects, including helping design chart reviews and surveys as well as analyzing data

  • Disseminating research findings, including abstract preparation and manuscript writing

Grants roles

  • Searching online for grant opportunities and adding relevant grants to grants team's database

  • Contributing to grant-writing, including proposals, budgets, and supplemental information

  • Meeting regularly via Zoom to update the team and plan future projects

What are we looking for in a volunteer?

We are seeking volunteers who are interested in learning more about the clinic, as a knowledge of the clinic is critical to contributing to the team. We will set up clinic tours and informative sessions in order to acquaint you with Avicenna. 

Research and Grants Team volunteers must possess the ability to respond to emails in a timely and professional manner. Most of our communications will take place via email, so you must be willing and able to communicate clearly via email as to what tasks you are willing to take on, updates on your work, and project deadlines.

Additional skills that are beneficial but not required include:

  • Experience with grant-writing, whether clinical or research-oriented

  • Interest in learning more about free clinic operations

  • Experience with budgeting

  • Desire to be involved with the team for a year or more

Interested in Volunteering?


Applications are now open for the spring 2022 semester! Deadline January 7, 2022. Submit here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7CIHRqwhq5clW0tyYPjaO4fVqHQ60MMTkSwg3uDckaAvKYg/viewform?usp=sf_link.

Volunteers will be expected to attend an orientation on Sunday January 23rd as well as monthly team meetings on Sunday February 27th, March 27th, and April 27th. These are tentatively scheduled for 4-5pm. Additionally, working groups will be expected to have at least one additional meeting monthly at a time that works best for all members of the working group. Work outside of these calls will be expected, on average 1-2 hours per week. There will also be opportunity to visit clinic on Sunday afternoons 1-4pm to meet members of the patient-facing teams and learn more about the clinic.