I applied in-person. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Sutter Health (San Francisco, CA) in May 2013
Interview
There is a first come first serve basis on applying for an initial orientation. Once you schedule an orientation and attend it, you can pick which campus hospital you wish to interview at. At the California campus, there was only a one-on-one interview. I was asked basic questions just so that the recruiter can know who I am and see what my goals are.
I applied online and they got back to me in 2 weeks. They sent me prior requirements before scheduling an interview and got back to me as soon as I sent it. I was able to schedule an in-person interview with Sutter Health.
Phone interview, only 5-10 minutes max. No in-person interview offered. After phone interview you'll be given documents for orientation that lasts 2 hours. Overall fairly easy. No experience needed as a volunteer.
They called me via phone and it took about 10 minutes. A couple days later I got paperwork emailed to me. It was a fairly easy hire compared to other experiences I have.