Patient Exposure/Volunteer Hours - Accurate Advice from MD?

[banana_phone]

Hi all,

Last weekend I met a physician through a family friend who was eager to help me on my path towards medical school. He's helped hundreds gain MD acceptance, and expressed his desire to help me, as well. I'm finishing up the last two semesters of my DIY post-bacc for application next cycle, 2016/2017. Will take the MCAT April 2016. AMCAS cGPA 3.85, sGPA 3.88.

He started going over my activities and expressed his concern about lack of patient exposure/volunteer hours. So far, I have ~150 hours of patient exposure/clinical experiences, with ~200 hours non-clinical. He suggested this wasn't enough, as the average applicant has ~200 clinical and 300+ additional non-clinical hours.

Should I be looking for additional volunteering opportunities? As a non-trad, my schedule is pretty full. I worked part-time during undergrad, worked full-time during my gap year w/ volunteering 4 hours/week, and work part-time doing my post-bacc. I volunteer 4 hrs/week in a local ER, and will begin volunteering in a cancer research lab starting this fall and will work as TA for a Genetics course. I plan to work full-time as a scribe during my application year. I thought this was on par, but with his comment, I am now worried I need to look for additional opportunities....

Thanks for your tips/thoughts/advice.

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[Goro]

You're fine! Most applicants have ~100 hrs of contact. Obviously, the more, the better.

Most doctors really aren't aware of what it takes for admissions nowadays.

 

[banana_phone]

Thanks @Goro . I was hoping you would chime in! Always value your perspective. I will take his advice and continue to accumulate hours as I volunteer over the next year, but won't stress it. Some days or conversations are just discouraging! I guess its part of this process to deal with that and move forward accordingly.

Thanks

 

[Goro]

Remember: marathon, not sprint!

Thanks @Goro . I was hoping you would chime in! Always value your perspective. I will take his advice and continue to accumulate hours as I volunteer over the next year, but won't stress it. Some days or conversations are just discouraging! I guess its part of this process to deal with that and move forward accordingly.

Thanks

 

[remzremz]

You're fine! Most applicants have ~100 hrs of contact. Obviously, the more, the better.

Most doctors really aren't aware of what it takes for admissions nowadays.

What is considered non-clinical vs. clinical work? I know that sounds like a very basic question but I'm often a bit confused. I assume volunteering in an ER would be clinical, correct? What would be an example of non-clinical? Thanks!

 

[remzremz]

I think LizzyM's rule is being close enough to smell a patient. An ER is clinical. Non clinical can be fundraising, soup kitchens, mentoring kids, etc.

Haha thanks! Do most MD schools require non-clinical work?

 

[gyngyn]

Haha thanks! Do most MD schools require non-clinical work?

It doesn't appear as a requirement, but we do expect it.

 

[Goro]

Concur. Schools expect you to show off your humanism and altruism.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

It doesn't appear as a requirement, but we do expect it.

 

[katespade99]

It doesn't appear as a requirement, but we do expect it.

Concur. Schools expect you to show off your humanism and altruism.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.

Hi @Goro @gyngyn, I start volunteering this month at a homeless shelter and am applying next June. I realize the typical length of service of accepted applicants is usually 1-2 years, so will 11 months look like box checking at this point?

I do have extensive clinical experience (4 years of nursing home work and 1.5 years of hospital volunteering).

 

[Goro]

1 hr/month for 11 months? Yes.

5-10 hrs /month for 11 months? Commendable!

Hi @Goro @gyngyn, I start volunteering this month at a homeless shelter and am applying next June. I realize the typical length of service of accepted applicants is usually 1-2 years, so will 11 months look like box checking at this point?

I do have extensive clinical experience (4 years of nursing home work and 1.5 years of hospital volunteering).

 

[katespade99]

1 hr/month for 11 months? Yes.

5-10 hrs /month for 11 months? Commendable!

Thank you! I was getting nervous because Tulane, Creighton, Georgetown, SLU and Loyola are top choices of mine. And everyone keeps talking about their emphasis on "non clinical volunteering."

 

[gyngyn]

If we have job experience that shows altruism can that sub for non clinical volunteering? I'll have non clinical volunteering experience as a refugee health literacy teacher but my longest altruistic activity is working as a special ed teacher.

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