Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps

The Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a group of medical, public health, and other volunteers who are ready to serve Philadelphia during public health emergencies or other time of need. Volunteers are pre-identified, pre-trained and pre-credentialed to be ready to respond when an emergency happens.

Philadelphia MRC volunteers supplement existing public health, emergency, medical and behavioral health resources, which may become overwhelmed during a disaster. The Philadelphia MRC is part of a collaborative effort to help Philadelphia be more prepared for public health crises.

A large-scale public health emergency would require the help of thousands of health professionals. The Philadelphia MRC needs people who have medical, public health, behavioral health or other skills, such as:

• licensed, certified or retired health professionals including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health providers, EMTs, paramedics, dentists, veterinarians and respiratory care therapists
• medical, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other allied health professional students.
• non-medical personnel to fill key support positions, such as interpreters, chaplains and administrative professionals

Volunteers get:

• training in emergency preparedness and response
• opportunities to assist at vaccine clinics
• opportunities to participate in preparedness drills and exercises

Volunteers are asked to participate in one required and several optional trainings each year. We offer free continuing education credits through these trainings.