Is this non-clinical or clinical volunteering?

[ausernamegoeshere]

Hi everyone,

I really want to start working in an organization that partners with a Children's Hospital and sends volunteers to tutor kids who are missing school because they're undergoing time consuming treatments. My question is whether this would count as clinical volunteering or non-clinical; the children are patients, but I wouldn't be assisting in their treatment, just helping them with school work.

Thanks!

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[clocks123]

For most clinical opportunities you won't be assisting in treatment of patients unless you are an EMT or something. So yes, if you are interacting with the patients in the hospital, I would assume it would be clinical.

 

[LizzyM]

Are they patients?
Are you in close proximity to them?

If they were chronically ill children or children with disabilities who you were seeing in a school setting or a community center, then they would not be patients. If they are wearing wrist bands in a medical center then they are patients.

If you are making YouTube videos for them to watch, you are not in close proximity. If you are sitting along side them going over their assignments, then you are in close proximity.

It is likely that you will face children who look different from healthy kids, who behave differently than healthy kids, who experience treatment side effects during your sessions, who have a tutoring session interrupted for a clinical intervention, or who just aren't there one day when you expect to see them. That's some clinical exposures.

 

[ausernamegoeshere]

Got it, that's what I figured it'd count as.

The only reason I was asking was because I don't have any non-clinical volunteering right now and I'm not sure how much extra time I'll have in the near future. What's the general consensus regarding the importance of non-clinical volunteering? If I do this and am also volunteering at a hospital, how negatively will the lack of non-clinical affect me?

 

[frosted_flake]

That sounds like such a rewarding volunteer gig

 

[LizzyM]

Some adcoms like to see a willingness to be involved in community service that is not clinical. Others don't care. Either you have an interest in that direction or you don't. Tutor kids who aren't in the hospital (poor kids who can't afford tutors). Get involved in a community garden or a political campaign or a food pantry.... the key is to do it for years, as part of your life, not as a box to check.