How many hospital volunteer hours?

[philios]

Hey,
I had a quick question and was wondering if anyone could help from experience. I currently volunteer on patient floors at a local hospital and last year I did about 60-70 hours in the ER. I really love what I do but honestly I dont have time for this with everything else going on, and next semester Im hoping to study abroad (currently a sophomore). That being said, I was wondering if there was a general consensus as to what a "solid amount" of hours was that would look good on an application? Im definately not using this as a resume booster but did it instead for the experience, however I was wondering if most applicants have a certain amount of hours and what is considered a solid 'norm' ? THANKS!

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[DropkickMurphy]

Hey,
I had a quick question and was wondering if anyone could help from experience. I currently volunteer on patient floors at a local hospital and last year I did about 60-70 hours in the ER. I really love what I do but honestly I dont have time for this with everything else going on, and next semester Im hoping to study abroad (currently a sophomore). That being said, I was wondering if there was a general consensus as to what a "solid amount" of hours was that would look good on an application? Im definately not using this as a resume booster but did it instead for the experience, however I was wondering if most applicants have a certain amount of hours and what is considered a solid 'norm' ? THANKS!

Quality over quantity.

 

[Auron]

according to msar, 500 hours are recommended. But you generally want to have the upper hand over other applicants so 2000 hours should be your minimum.

 

[Disinence2]

0 hospital volunteer hours right here....and i have multiple acceptances..

If u spend 500 hours doing something unique, (starting own club, getting CNA cert and WORKING at hospital) for example.. thats much more important

 

[Dr. Josh]

0 hospital volunteer hours right here....and i have multiple acceptances..

If u spend 500 hours doing something unique, (starting own club, getting CNA cert and WORKING at hospital) for example.. thats much more important

Wow, where were you accepted? You must have had other unique qualities. I never heard of anyone being accepted without clinical exposure. Oh I suppose you got paid working with patients, you just didn't volunteer?

 

[PugMD]

I wouldn't focus on attaining a certain amt. of hours - but on getting enough experience to really understand how things work and see yourself doing something similar. You need to be prepared to discuss the ins and outs during your interviews.

Geez - 500 hours is an eternity unless you are doing something exciting where you are truly involved...

 

[Dr. Josh]

I wouldn't focus on attaining a certain amt. of hours - but on getting enough experience to really understand how things work and see yourself doing something similar. You need to be prepared to discuss the ins and outs during your interviews.

Geez - 500 hours is an eternity unless you are doing something exciting where you are truly involved...

Yes 500 hrs seems crazy unless it's over a really long period of time. What about those of us who decided on medicine rather late in the process?

 

[montessori2md]

Admissions rep at GWU said last month that G-dub wants to see 3-4 different hands-on clinical experiences, and that hands-on need not be procedures, could be just registration, giving directions, etc, but that they don't favor lots of shadowing right now. She also said #of hours was not a significant factor (going back to that quality/quantity thing).

I think your ER + hospital time experience is fine. If you go overseas, you should try to see something medical wherever you go -when I went to MX, I was able to pick up a medical terminology class at a language center, you might be able to visit a hospital/drs office where you are, even if just for a day. Usually the people in charge of overseas programs are really helpful with that sort of request (eg, and academically related request as opposed to the I hate my housing, because when I come home drunk and raid her fridge, my host family complains, sort of request)

 

[NervousNed]

500 hours??????????????????? YOU KIDDIN ME? dang thats a lot i did 100 hours total and it was good enough

 

[philios]

yeahh....I definately do not have time to accumulate 500 hours over the next 3 semesters (that I will be in the US for college). Ill maybe hit 200, but with everything going on (Im involved in a bunch of extracurriculars) thats just not possible. I do really enjoy it however, and value it for the experience and for getting my feet wet in the field.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

You're telling me you can't spare 9 or 10 hrs a week?

that I will be in the US for college

So I'm guessing you're a foreigner who is unable to work.....what are you doing with your spare time?

 

[Falco2525]

Hey,
I had a quick question and was wondering if anyone could help from experience. I currently volunteer on patient floors at a local hospital and last year I did about 60-70 hours in the ER. I really love what I do but honestly I dont have time for this with everything else going on, and next semester Im hoping to study abroad (currently a sophomore). That being said, I was wondering if there was a general consensus as to what a "solid amount" of hours was that would look good on an application? Im definately not using this as a resume booster but did it instead for the experience, however I was wondering if most applicants have a certain amount of hours and what is considered a solid 'norm' ? THANKS!

you did a decent amount...I did not volunteer at all...I did shadow one physician for 80 hours and another for 80 hours

 

[Disinence2]

Wow, where were you accepted? You must have had other unique qualities. I never heard of anyone being accepted without clinical exposure. Oh I suppose you got paid working with patients, you just didn't volunteer?

Pretty much! I mean think about it, if your getting paid then your ACTUALY doing something. Taking part in the patient care. Most volunteers just pass out food or do paperwork completely unrelated.


Hospital volunteering DOES NOT EQUAL clinical experience, if u asked me

And no matter how many hours you put in, somone else has more, doing something better and more relivent.

 

[countrygirl]

0 hours, 7 acceptances.

 

[Dr. Josh]

you did a decent amount...I did not volunteer at all...I did shadow one physician for 80 hours and another for 80 hours

do they ask you to differentiate the hours of volunteer work and shadowing? I volunteered as a research assistant for the same doc (maybe I'll shadow more than one) that I shadowed and plan to shadow during school break; I've also volunteered clinically in the same dept. How do i differentiate which hours were for each? Sometimes I did all in the same day?

 

[Dr. Josh]

0 hours, 7 acceptances.

wow! I didn't think that was possible. You must have amazing stats!

 

[spreebee]

Wow, where were you accepted? You must have had other unique qualities. I never heard of anyone being accepted without clinical exposure. Oh I suppose you got paid working with patients, you just didn't volunteer?

I had multiple acceptances to and didn't have any VOLUNTEER or CLINICAL work.

 

[philios]

You're telling me you can't spare 9 or 10 hrs a week?


So I'm guessing you're a foreigner who is unable to work.....what are you doing with your spare time?

Um yea dude can you read? Try reading my first post where I say Im planning on studying abroad. Way to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts, youll make a great doctor someday. In addition to volunteering 4-5 hours a week now, im class president which keeps me very busy, Im on my local Rescue Squad, Im pledging a fraternity which keeps me busy 6+ hours a day, along with taking very difficult classes (ochem2 + ochem lab).

 

[bwonger06]

if you go oversees on a medical missionary... how would you count the volunteer hours? would the whole time you spend their count as the hours. (two weeks(14) at 24hrs/day= 336!)