Volunteer FAQs | St. David's Medical Center

Brief description of our program process:

Ambassadors for Community Health - Auxiliary at St. David’s Medical Center (A4CH) scholarship application process is an annual cycle. Scholarships are awarded for one year to qualifying students attending a Texas school. Recipients must re-apply for subsequent scholarships. Once an application is received, it is reviewed to insure it is complete. If the requirements are not met and/or the application is otherwise incomplete, it is NOT reviewed and the candidate notified.

We are a volunteer organization and have limited resources to apply to the number of applications we must process. We are unable to collate separately submitted materials. An incomplete application packet will result in the application being denied. Applicants are encouraged to begin the process early enough to ensure a completed application packet arrives by the designated due date.

Once it’s determined that there is a complete application packet, the committee reviews the applications in more detail focusing on the essay, financial need and volunteer service. Those candidates passing this secondary review are offered an interview, which is conducted in April by conference call. Notification of non-selection will be sent no later than June 1st.

Interview applicants will schedule their own phone interview online and receive instructions in their interview email. All interview times are CST and via phone.

Finalist must pass a background check to receive this scholarship. Authorization requests for background check and a release form are emailed to the final candidates and must be executed and returned immediately upon receipt. Scholarship recipients will receive an e-mail prior to the fall semester that details their responsibilities in securing and maintaining their scholarship.

Scholarship checks are mailed directly to the appropriate school each August for the fall semester and each January for the spring semester. It is the recipient’s responsibility to ensure that the A4CH Scholarship Committee is kept apprised of the most current contact information including postal mailing and email addresses, as well as, phone numbers.

Application and delivery

Is this application opportunity limited to students who have volunteered at St. David’s Medical Center in the past or is the application open to all students entering a health profession?

No, this is an open application opportunity; however, current and past St. David’s Medical Center volunteers are awarded additional consideration for their service.

I am a St. David's Medical Center employee; do I qualify to apply?

An employee who does not qualify for tuition reimbursement assistance may apply for this scholarship program.

I do not attend classes at the school site from which I must request a transcript, should I have the transcript mailed to you from the school?

No, your eligibility for our scholarship begins with submitting a complete application packet. All materials must be received together in one packet.

Full-time student

What is full time student status?

Full time status is determined by each educational institution. Check with the school’s admission office. Note: Full time status refers to the scholarship period not the application deadline. Applicants who have experienced an interruption in school attendance, may still be eligible to apply.

I graduated over a year ago and have been working full-time. I have been accepted to Medical School and will be attending in the fall, am I eligible to apply for this scholarship?

Yes, if you have an acceptance letter into medical school or a health professions program and will be entering school within the period of this scholarship, you are considered a full-time student if you meet your school’s definition as such. A gap in school attendance does not automatically disqualify you for this scholarship opportunity.

My school doesn’t qualify the Nurse Practitioner program as full–time. Do I still qualify since this is a healthcare field of study?

While schools may not qualify Nurse Practitioner (NP) candidates as full-time, for the purposes of this scholarship, this is a full-time course of study; clinical practice hours supplement classroom requirements. The applicant needs to clearly detail the numbers of clinical hours worked and explain the connection between those hours and the NP program. It is also helpful to submit any corroborating documentation that stipulates a requirement for clinical hours.

Acceptance into an appropriate program/degree plan

Would a college student majoring in Neuroscience be eligible if they are pursuing a bachelor's degree, or do they have to be in the master's or doctoral program upon application?

I am a senior in high school and have been accepted at a Texas school; planning to major in Biology, receiving a BA/BS degree, am I eligible for this scholarship?

Would I qualify for this scholarship if I am pursuing a Masters or PhD in nursing?

Do I qualify for this scholarship if I am pursuing a Masters in Occupational Therapy?

Do I qualify to apply for this scholarship if my acceptance letter says I must make appropriate grades in required pre-requisite courses before fall admission?

If I am enrolled in UT’s Alternate Entry Nursing program, do I qualify for this scholarship?

Is a copy of my acceptance letter adequate validation or must I submit the original?

This is my first semester in a qualifying program; do I need to submit both an acceptance letter and an official transcript?

My acceptance letter notes that I’ve been accepted into a program on a contingent basis beginning in the spring, do I qualify to apply for this scholarship?

I am interested in applying for the scholarship but the program has not been accredited yet. The program has applied for accreditation and will find out its status in March. Am I still eligible to apply now?

I am planning to apply for the volunteer scholarship. I’ve been accepted into a medical school, but at the moment I am waiting to hear from my first-choice school. May I include the acceptance letter I’ve received even though I may change which school I actually attend?

Scholarship eligibility period

If I am graduating within a semester of the scholarship period, am I eligible to apply?

Yes, scholarships are awarded by semester, fall and/or spring. The scholarship period extends from August through May. If you anticipate graduating in December, for example, you would qualify for one semester’s award (fall).

My program began in January and continues through December. Am I eligible for this scholarship for the school year (summer and fall)?

Yes, you are eligible to apply. Note that scholarship payments are made for the fall and spring semesters, so any award, in this situation, would be paid only for the fall semester.

Citizenship, residency & identification:

Is a photocopy of the first page (photo) of my passport sufficient to establish citizenship?

Yes, however, the photocopy must be in legible.

I am eligible to attend school on an F-1 Visa. Am I eligible to apply for this scholarship?

No. Eligible students must have legal, permanent resident status. The F-1 Visa does not provide permanent status.

Will my Texas Driver’s License establish my citizenship?

No, a driver’s license is not proof of citizenship.

My passport includes my full name, but my application and recommendation forms only include my first and last name. Will this be a problem?

This should not be a problem. Note: If you have recently married or had other occasion to change your name so that it appears differently on your identification than on your application, be sure that a clear connection can be established. You may be required to submit a copy of your marriage license.

If I am not a Texas resident, do I qualify for this scholarship?

The requirement is that the student attends a Texas school; you do not have to be a Texas resident.

Financial

Is the school year from August through May for the purpose of documenting finances and financial information?

I took out loans to fund most of my previous school year. Are there things that I should consider when completing the financial section?

Can I also include average cost of my rent (off-campus) per month since this is what a good portion of the loans I took out covered?

If I was not enrolled for the previous school year, should I provide information outside of that year to explain financial need?

My spouse has been supporting me while I attend school; I am currently an unemployed full-time student; do I need to provide a communal balance sheet or just a statement of support?

Is it still beneficial to apply if financial need is not an issue?

For the financial information, should everything be written out on the application or should copies of loans, scholarship and savings be provided?

Transcript

Does my official transcript need to be in a sealed envelope?

No, while we often receive transcripts in sealed envelopes within the application packet, we do not require it.

I received my BS degree several years ago and have been gaining experience and attending several other schools in the interim. I will obtain an EMT degree this spring and will enter medical school in the fall. What transcript should I submit?

Submit your most recent transcript; the one from the EMT school. While the other transcripts are not required, if you are able to submit those without financially burdening yourself, and then please do so to clarify this timeline.

I have been out of school for some time, would a printed copy of my unofficial transcript from the school suffice or would I need to order an official transcript from the school to be sent directly and separately to St David’s as part of my application?

No. An unofficial transcript is not acceptable. Furthermore, transcripts must be submitted with the application materials for your application package to be considered complete.

When I was accepted into the nursing program, I still had a few pre-requisite classes to complete. My acceptance letter states my enrollment is contingent on making an acceptable grade in my remaining pre-requisite classes. Would I need to include my official transcripts from my schools, which will include my pre-requisite course grades?

You must submit your most recent transcript, which should include your pre-requisite course grades. Otherwise, you will need to submit both your recent transcript and any transcript reflecting the required pre-requisite grades for admission.

Resume

The scholarship application indicates that a resume should include all health related work and volunteer experience for the past three years. I am a non-traditional student with relevant experiences, some occurring over three years ago. In addition, I graduated with a degree well outside the scope of medicine or a medically related field and worked in that field for a number of years. Should I include all of this experience on my resume or should I limit my experience to the previous three years?

The resume is a compilation of the experiences you want to share. While we ask for a minimum, if you wish to share more, that is your decision. The only caveat is if a page limit is specified, you observe that.

Should only health related work and volunteer experience be included?

Your resume should allow the committee to form a good picture of your education and experience. Specifically, what’s included is up to you; we have no requirement that your resume be limited to only medically related work and volunteer experience.

Is a CV format acceptable for the resume?

Yes.

References

Since references may take some time to acquire, it is a good idea to begin seeking those as early as possible.

What if I have been employed as a teaching assistant by a professor who earlier taught me in class, would a reference from this professor as an employer be appropriate?

I have been admitted to a qualifying program, but I’ve been out of school for some years, working full-time, so am unable to provide a reference from a current professor or advisory. Would one of my previous college professors be acceptable?

I am currently an employee here at St. David’s Rehabilitation Hospital otherwise eligible to apply for the scholarship. I have been out of school or a while, but have been accepted into a PT program. May my supervisor at St. David’s provide one of my reference letters?

Regarding the reference from a “community” member, could this be a local physician with whom I volunteered during a summer?

I took 2 years between undergrad and graduate school and have been working full time. Consequently, I do not have any current teachers, counselors or advisors for references nor a current transcript. What should I do?

This is the beginning of a new semester and current professors do not know students as well as previous ones. Could both references come from two past professors?

I have a few people in mind to provide references. However, I don’t want references to get stumped by medical experience questions. Would a church leader be answering questions related to my medical experiences?

I am not currently employed, but was wondering if a past employer could provide a “community” reference?

I just started a program and would like to ask a previous professor to provide a reference. Would that be a “community” or “faculty” reference?

Is there any way a TA (teacher’s assistant) could provide the current teacher, advisor or counselor?

I am re-applying for this scholarship. May I ask for letters of reference from the same resources I used previously?

Essay

What is the preferred type font for the essay?

The required essay font is 12pt Times New Roman.

Other

I do not know the number of hours I have volunteered in several of the experiences I am listing, how should I respond?

Providing documented hours is the best response. However, if volunteer hours are not specifically documented, then describe your volunteer experience and clearly indicate that you are providing a best guess estimate of the number of volunteer hours completed.

Is an applicant allowed to submit additional information; i.e., an additional reference?

While there is no specific prohibition in regard to supplying more information or corroboration than what is required, there are limited resources to expend on evaluating additional materials. There is no guarantee that additional materials will be reviewed or subsequently considered; neither will additional materials provide an edge over any other candidate.

What should I do if I realize something was omitted from my application packet?

Unfortunately, there is no good nor guaranteed remedy for this. If there is ample time to resubmit a complete packet, you are welcome to do that. An explanatory note should be included with the completely resubmitted packet. Of course, as long as you remain eligible, you may also re-apply in the next cycle.

Volunteer Scholarship Program FAQs