Seems a lot harder to find any place to volunteer that isn't outpatient. Will it really hurt that bad if I just volunteer at 2-3 different outpatient facilities?
How important is volunteering in an acute/inpatient setting?
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It depends on the programs you're applying to. Some require that you have inpatient/hospital observation hours.
It's also important to have diversity in your observation hours (not just outpatient ortho). You want to have observation hours in several settings (ortho, neuro, women's health, wound care, pediatrics, etc.)
Ultimately, check with the schools you are applying to.
It's also important to have diversity in your observation hours (not just outpatient ortho). You want to have observation hours in several settings (ortho, neuro, women's health, wound care, pediatrics, etc.)
Ultimately, check with the schools you are applying to.
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a lot of hospitals have summer programs. apply now!
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You definitely want to volunteer in at least two different settings. Acute care looks great on your application. Go to volunteer services at your hospital and see what opportunities they have. I've been volunteering for a year and a half and I have about 150 total hours. It's been a great experience.
Kevin
Kevin
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x2. Some schools realize you may have a passion or strong interest in a certain aspect of PT, and are OK with this. They know you'll get a well rounded education in their program but also want to make sure you are doing what you love.
My classmates and I were just discussing this after interviews. We definitely agreed that applying with varying experiences is one of the most important things. Not only for the hours, but the experience will definitely show through in how you discuss the field of PT in interviews. OP ortho is such a small part of the profession and it's definitely obvious when interviewees don't have any experience outside of it.
So, to answer your question, it won't hurt you....but doing more will definitely HELP you.
So, to answer your question, it won't hurt you....but doing more will definitely HELP you.
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I agree 100% with this. I literally had no clue about anything inpatient-related until I started doing my inpatient hours and it was a serious eye-opener to an entirely different part of the field.
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I'm having an incredibly hard time finding anything but outpatient locations that will accept volunteers to shadow. Every hospital I've contacted in my area either doesn't take volunteers for PT, or only takes volunteers in their PT department for clerical services and doesn't offer any kind of shadowing. Some of the schools I want to apply to require hours in two different settings, does anyone have suggestions on other places to look for volunteer hours?
I think that it is certainly something that can boost your credentials but is not the end all. I only had hours in the ortho settings and got accepted into multiple schools. I refuse to believe that any school would not accept someone because they do not have any acute experience; if your a strong canidate then they will want you. I would certainly take advantage of any oppurtunity if it presented itself and if not, focus on strengthening your resume in other aspects.
Also, there were a couple of interviews where I was asked about acute care in some fashion. My response was that I believed that ortho is probably what I would want to focus on but was open minded and thought it was certainly possible that I would prefer practicing acute or even nuero, cardio, pulmonary, ect. once I was exposed to them.
Also, there were a couple of interviews where I was asked about acute care in some fashion. My response was that I believed that ortho is probably what I would want to focus on but was open minded and thought it was certainly possible that I would prefer practicing acute or even nuero, cardio, pulmonary, ect. once I was exposed to them.
I did most of my inpatient hours at a nursing home and a sub-acute rehab hospital. I did get a few hospital acute care hours. I found that it was easier not to go through volunteer departments in some cases and just contact the PT department directly. I also found one of my inpatient connections through one of the PTs I was shadowing at a outpatient clinic. She had gone to school with the lead PT at the rehab hospital. It doesn't hurt to ask if they know anybody.
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Actually, I believe OP ortho comprises about half of the profession.
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Interestingly enough, in my area it's harder and harder to find inpatient locations that will let you shadow. The majority of my hours were outpatient ortho and manual therapy, though I had 25 subacute rehab/neuro. I had no inpatient hours because no local hospitals would take shadow students. Ultimately, like other posters have mentioned, it depends on the schools to which you are applying. Variety in shadowing is important, but it's not the end-all for applications, especially if you're strong in other areas.
Like CherokeeWahine said, it depends a lot on the programs to which you are applying. I did all of my hours at a SNF/Sub-acute facility which was adequate for my program, but this facility was also the first and only place that was happy to take me. I tried to get a variety, but it was hard to find opportunities. Other programs will expect a variety of settings.
Before finding that place, I tried all the clinics, SNFs and hospitals in my area and eventually had to venture to another county. Since it was flexible and I could set my own hours, I didn't mind commuting out of town to do it a couple of days a week. Try a nearby town!
I also got the impression at the interview that having a lot of hours mattered a little bit more than the variety, but again, that was just for my program.
Good luck!
Before finding that place, I tried all the clinics, SNFs and hospitals in my area and eventually had to venture to another county. Since it was flexible and I could set my own hours, I didn't mind commuting out of town to do it a couple of days a week. Try a nearby town!
I also got the impression at the interview that having a lot of hours mattered a little bit more than the variety, but again, that was just for my program.
Good luck!
