Ramsey County’s Medical Reserve Corps (RCMRC) is looking for volunteers to support its continuing public health efforts to combat COVID-19. The RCMRC is a “countywide resource of health professionals and other volunteers” designed to help prepare for and respond to health-related emergencies in our communities. Experience in the healthcare sector is helpful, but not required. The RCMRC is currently looking for volunteers that “reflect the diversity of our community to fulfill a variety of roles.” Potential candidates to assist with the RCMRC’s COVID-19 efforts are:
- Doctors, nurses, physician’s assistants, EMTs and other health professionals with active licensure (and who are NOT considered high risk for COVID-19)
- Citizens with health or public health skills
- Those experienced with special needs populations
- Multilingual volunteers
- Community leaders
- Retirees
- Students
The RCMRC is also looking for volunteers that have a professional background in pediatrics and experience immunizing children six months of age and older.
All volunteers are required to undergo a background check (at not cost to them) and complete an RCMRC orientation. According to the RCMRC, “volunteers may be called at any time to assist,” but are not required to respond. Some of the roles and responsibilities that volunteers may be asked to take on, include:
- Working in mass dispensing or vaccination clinics
- Supporting epidemiologists in case or contact tracing investigations
- Serving as supplemental staff at a temporary offsite care facility
- Providing expert information to Ramsey County residents via telephone
To apply to become a volunteer with the RCMRC, please complete an online application at the Minnesota Responds Medical Reserve Corps website. Once you complete your application, a Ramsey County staff member will reach out to you with further instructions. Those that live outside Ramsey County and who wish to volunteer can use the same site to register with a Medical Reserve Corps unit in their county of residence. And finally, for inquiries about volunteering with the RCMRC, the application process, or other questions, please send an email to healthready@co.ramsey.mn.us.
