Picture this: You're sick. You have the chills, a stuffy nosy, a perpetual cough and you just want to sleep. You head into the Ritenour Building hoping that the doctors will have you back to feeling healthy again. Once you take your seat, a smiling face comes over to lead you to the room and while your vitals are taken, you realize you recognize the person as a student in your class.

This situation is actually quite possible because of the University Health Services Clinic Volunteer Program, which is offered to 15 students in the pre-medical field every year.

There are two parts to the program. In the fall, students take a two-credit bio-behavioral health class that focuses on several components.

"The course trains them to volunteer in clinic by teaching the students how to take vitals and learning about what is common at Ritenour," said Holli Kubalak, a UHS physician assistant who teaches the course. "It also emphasizes the importance of doctor-patient confidentiality."

Then in the spring, the volunteers work one day a week at the clinic for a four-hour block, she said. For the volunteer time, the students involved receive one credit.

Students get practical experience, which is required for many students hoping to attend medical, nurse practitioner or physician assistant school after graduation, Kubalak said. For that reason, many students involved with the program are seniors.

"UHS received a lot of requests to observe and volunteer in clinic, but they needed a way to keep things organized," she said.

While they are working, the volunteers check patients in and take vital signs, said Alycia Joseph (senior-nutrition), who is a volunteer. She also said they are allowed to observe various procedures.

The program's goal is to train students to work at health services and it provides assistance to clinical staff in primary care of patients, Kubalak said.

"The volunteers are a wonderful help in keeping the doctors on schedule and we love the student interaction," she said. "For the students, it gives them a lot of experience in direct-patient contact and it helps them to see how the health-care system works from beginning to end and see how everyone interacts."

It is advantageous for the students involved as well.

"Volunteering gives me experience in a health care setting. It allows me to work with patients one-on-one, but also lets me work with nurses and clinicians," said Susie Sieminski (senior-biochemistry and molecular biology).

The program also supplements coursework.

"I've really learned a lot of little things -- the things you just can't learn from a textbook or lecture," said Sieminski. "I'm applying entire chapters of the textbook from my physiology classes."

Joseph said her experience in the program has been "a lot of fun." Although volunteers are required to make only a two-semester commitment, she has stayed for four semesters.

Kubalak said it is a selective course, so students must apply. For those who are interested in applying for the 2006-2007 program, applications are available at the Ritenour Information Desk or online at www.sa.psu.edu/uhs/volunteer/clinicprogram.cfm.

The applications will be accepted until March 5. Then students are interviewed in March and April and students are notified in April or May so they can schedule the appropriate courses, said Kubalak.