San Diego Medical Reserve Corps

Logo for San Diego Medical Reserve Corps

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The San Diego Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a community-based group of local medical and health workers who can serve as volunteers during a local health emergency.

What is the Mission of the MRC?

The mission of the San Diego County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is to enhance San Diego County's ability to respond to public health emergencies or disasters with a team of trained health professionals. The MRC accomplishes this by:

  • Recruiting, pre-credentialing and training health care professionals
  • Involving volunteers in response drills and exercises
  • Linking MRC members with local public health initiatives and education campaigns for ongoing community engagement

Why Join the MRC?

Joining the MRC provides you with an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in your community by lending your expertise and assistance at a time when it is most needed. You can make a difference!

Pre-credentialing volunteers prior to an event allows San Diego to be better prepared to respond quickly and efficiently during a time of disaster. Volunteers perform duties that match their backgrounds, skills, and expertise. Volunteers are alerted when a need is identified and they may choose to respond based on their availability.

Who Can Volunteer?

A wide range of licensed medical and/or mental health professionals including:

  • Physicians and physician assistants
  • Nurses (includes nurse practitioners, registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and certified nurse assistants)
  • Psychologists, counselors and other mental health professionals
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
  • Paramedics and emergency medical technicians
  • Dentists
  • Veterinarians
  • Other health professionals and non-medical volunteers

MRC is sponsored locally by Public Health Services of the County Health and Human Services Agency. MRC volunteers are registered with the California Disaster Service Worker Volunteer Program. This program provides volunteers with Workers' Compensation if they are injured performing disaster service work and provides statutory immunity from liability. Volunteers must be officially deployed by the Medical Operations Center to be eligible for DSW coverage.

Since 2001, the San Diego MRC has partnered with the San Diego County Medical Society, Health Center Partners, the Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties, the American Red Cross, and others to register close to 1600 volunteers. More volunteers are always needed. A large-scale disaster or disease outbreak would require the help of thousands of local health professionals.

Volunteer Training

Volunteers will complete the minimum orientation before becoming active in the organization. After that, there is no weekly requirement of time for volunteers. We encourage all volunteers to participate in training, drill and exercise opportunities. Opportunities are available for leadership roles and additional training.

Ready to Volunteer?

If you are interested in joining MRC visit California Disaster Healthcare Volunteers, and select San Diego MRC as your organization during registration.