How many hours of volunteering have you done?

[Apparition]

In a hospital.

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[Pinkertinkle]

How many hours or how much I've learned?

 

[Apparition]

How many hours or how much I've learned?

both

 

[Potato!]

I have volunteered in my hospital's ER every week for the last year....2 hours a week. I probably have somewhere around 75 hours?

What does everyone think the minimum number of hours should be to put it as a relevant experience on AMCAS EC's? (I know it's quality, not quantity...but if I say I shadowed a doctor for 1 hour and learned a lot, I can't really put that down without people laughing at me.) My vote is you need at least 10 - 15 hours at something for it to 'count'. Anyone else have a vote?

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

bump.

i'm also curious how many hours others have done for their EC's and what people think is a relevant amount of time to count an EC.

 

[Potato!]

bump.

i'm also curious how many hours others have done for their EC's and what people think is a relevant amount of time to count an EC.

You need to throw in your opinion too stoleyerscrubz. I doubt that there is any one right amount of hours...so the more opinions we get, the closer we get to a consensus.

 

[freesolo]

i do 5-6 hours in the ER now that they let me help the triage nurse, and not just sit in the waiting room, be bugged by patients who want to know how long its gonna be every 2 sec. Its actually worthwile now, so i stay over my scheduled hours. You really shouldn't be sitting here counting your hours waiting for a certain number to come around than quit. There is no magic number, try to make the best of your experience. If you dont want to volunteer there find somewhere else that you think is worthwhile.

 

[ASDIC]

i am an EMT and we dont count the hours...last year i answered over 200 calls and this year 300 calls...the duration of a single call ranges from 1 hour to 6 hours (depending on the type)

 

[RaiderHeisman]

I tried to restrict my ECs to experiences that could be interview material.

As for hospital experience, I had 2 different ones. The first was as a freshman where I volunteered about 4 hours a week in a hospital and just ran little errands here and there. I chose not to list this as an EC due to lack of depth. However I did list my second experience during my junior and senior years where I volunteered 1 shift a week (2-3 in summers) as an EMT in the ER.

 

[Medikit]

I have volunteered in my hospital's ER every week for the last year....2 hours a week. I probably have somewhere around 75 hours?

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

I will be taking the MCAT in april 2005 and going through AMCAS that year.


-I will be starting an ER hospital volunteer program and plan to do about 100 hours over 6 months

You need to throw in your opinion too stoleyerscrubz. I doubt that there is any one right amount of hours...so the more opinions we get, the closer we get to a consensus.

 

[docjolly]

I loved volunteering.. I was semi-neurotic about volunteering in the Emergency Dept. close to my school..Twice a week (for at least four hours each shift) and almost every day over the four summers that I was there (for several hours) ..I had something over 1,000 volunteer hours by the end of my junior year and won a cute little award for my work

But that was simply me..I wouldn't suggest that anyone do that unless you truly love working in the Emergency Room..

 

[angstrom55]

I probably did 4 hours a week for 11 months at a hospital. I did three months each on oncology, outpatient surgery, main OR, and a tiny bit in sub-icu. Mainly followed LVN's and helped out patients. Tons of patient contact. As far as learning stuff.....eh. I did a 3 week stint in labor and delivery which by week three i literally wanted to kill myself b/c all i did was just stand there for four hours. Lots of people seem to have a postive experience with the ER....I should have tried that one.....

 

[Medikit]

I did 6 hours a week last summer for about 2 months, then sporatically for about 2 hours a week the next semester. I was going to work again this summer but I realized that I wasn't enjoying it and I was just doing it for med schools and that's not a good reason for doing something (nor will it be very inspiring to interviewers). So now I'm going to start volunteering for about 8 hours a week over the summer tutoring disadvantaged kids. I'm also looking into helping out at the children's clinic.

 

[bubbajones]

I know this is a really stupid question. But I go to SFA and it's in east texas. There arent alot of hospitals near by. I have 0 hours. What can I do?

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

if there are not any hospitals there will be clinics. Go there.

I know this is a really stupid question. But I go to SFA and it's in east texas. There arent alot of hospitals near by. I have 0 hours. What can I do?

 

[docmemi]

volunteered for 5 years, 2500+ hours.

 

[willthatsall]

Haha, 3 different docs, probably 50 hours total. Not much...

 

[mccordeiro]

isn't 50 hours a decent amount? at least enough to get a decent idea of what goes on in the hospital/clinic?

 

[Spitting Camel]

I probably did 4 hours a week for 11 months at a hospital. I did three months each on oncology, outpatient surgery, main OR, and a tiny bit in sub-icu. Mainly followed LVN's and helped out patients. Tons of patient contact. As far as learning stuff.....eh. I did a 3 week stint in labor and delivery which by week three i literally wanted to kill myself b/c all i did was just stand there for four hours. Lots of people seem to have a postive experience with the ER....I should have tried that one.....

OMG, were you a CCE at Hoag?????

 

[Spitting Camel]

I've done anywhere from 300-400 hours... I also helped run the program which was an additional 200 hours or so. I LOVE being in the Hospital!!!!!

 

[angstrom55]

OMG, were you a CCE at Hoag?????

yep...I'm a cce dropout.....hehe. Ah yes.....all those mandatory meetings....keeping your green polo tucked in......code browns! hehe I stopped beginning of last summer so I volunteered 2002-2003. r u still working there?

 

[Spitting Camel]

yep...I'm a cce dropout.....hehe. Ah yes.....all those mandatory meetings....keeping your green polo tucked in......code browns! hehe I stopped beginning of last summer so I volunteered 2002-2003. r u still working there?

I stopped working there at the end of last year. Do you go to UCI now?

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

far as ECs go.......
? University of Miami: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Observership
(Currently)
? The Lyrical Tip : studentorg : Using music to help with speech therapy/autism/remedial reading levels
Co-Founder Vice President 2004- term ends May 2005
? University of Miami Alternative Breaks
On Site leader ? 2002-2003 Bele Reve NO : Live in Hospice for AIDS/HIv patients
Executive Board (Fundraising Chairperson) 2003-2004
? Hecht Athletic center 2004/2005
Tutor in the ?Physical Sciences? and ?Biology?
? The Lois Pope LIFE Center
University of Miami: The Miami project to cure paralysis
? Category 5
Activities Committee Chairperson for 2002-2003
? Fun-day 2002, 2003
? Kessinich Center (UM)2004
? Editorial service of OBGYN papers (submitted) 2003/2004
? Maps- Just member  not much here 2003/2004/2005
? Anthropology Club, Change and Continuity (1yr) 2003
? Camp Boggy Creek ? Fun pal (camp counselor, Camp of children with illnesses ? my cause/group : epilepsy and autism) 2003


the low 3 gpa is..however..another story
dont do it! do ur work! dont let the cute sick kids drag you down!...but...they....are....so...cute.... :: straps on rubber nose and runs off the childerens hospital::: oHHHh PlaYtiMe!??

 

[UCLAstudent]

100 hours volunteering in the children's hospital and another 100 hours in a heart failure clinic.

 

[Potato!]

Medikit,

That is one of the strangest picture I've seen in a long time. Where did you find it, did it just happen to be on your computer? Props to you for finding a quality piece of artwork

 

[OSU ACTON]

x

 

[Medikit]

Medikit,

That is one of the strangest picture I've seen in a long time. Where did you find it, did it just happen to be on your computer? Props to you for finding a quality piece of artwork

I made it for a Lord of the Rings on the Go thread. But the exclamation at the end of your name reminded me of it.

 

[liverotcod]

About 350 hours over two years as an ER volunteer and a shadow. I learn something *almost* every time I go in. A lot of the learning is not medical in the technical sense, but rather observing (and participating in) the interactions among patients, their families, the medical staff, etc.

 

[dnelsen]

This thread asks how many hours you have volunteered and people are putting down shadowing. I don't think shadowing is the same as volunteering. Volunteering means someone else benefits from what you do, not just you

I've volunteered about 300 hours in two different county hospitals (much different than a private hospital). You wouldn't believe the stuff I've seen walk in off the street!

P.S. Are people putting their shadowing experiences in the EC section of their applications? I cannot find a decent category to put it under. I think I may simply include shadowing in my personal statement.

 

[scota]

Thrice.

 

[EggHead]

I volunteered for the local ambulance service as an EMT in undergraduate for three years (~1000 hours or more per year). I also volunteered for the local Rescue Squad while in graduate school for 4 years at about 1800 hours per year. Other times I was lucky enough to get jobs in surgery or in doctor's offices where I was paid.