What kind of volunteering are you doing?

[corsair]

I'm curious what as to what different kinds of volunteering you all are doing. Are you in the ER? Community clinic? Research lab? Where are you getting exeperience and what is your goal?

I'll start, I volunteer at the International Center for Traditional Childbearing and will soon be a volunteer birthing coach for at need mothers.

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[Captain Fantastic]

Cardiology and cardiac surgery inpatient wards. My work is to address the patient's needs that the staff just doesn't have time to do. That can be any number of things. I also volunteer on an advisory board for my county commission and donate my time to various church things.

I have other research and patient care experiences, but I've been paid for those jobs.

 

[gerilc]

I currently volunteer at a local Children's Hospital's NICU unit as a snuggler. I only started there yesterday so I don't yet if I like it. But hey, it's babies, how can it go wrong?

Edited to add: I'm also currently looking into volunteering at a domestic violence shelter.

 

[Benna]

Some food for thought: I have a lot of experience working in various healthcare settings, but I've always been a paid employee, not a volunteer. I'm starting to think I should find a place to volunteer in addition to my job - it just seems like everyone thinks it's super important. What do you think?

 

[priam18]

Past volunteer experience:

1. Group therapy leader at a mental rehab center
2. Shadowed physical/occupational therapists at a geriatric rehabilitation center
3. Gave workshops and presentations to high school students and coast guard academy students on alcohol abuse and STDs.

Current volunteer experience:

1. Shadowing a neurologist at a VA hospital
2. Shadowing DO doctors as they practice OMM at a nearby hospital (I'm a DO-hopeful)

I've done some other stuff too, but those dont count as 'volunteer', I think

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Some food for thought: I have a lot of experience working in various healthcare settings, but I've always been a paid employee, not a volunteer. I'm starting to think I should find a place to volunteer in addition to my job - it just seems like everyone thinks it's super important. What do you think?

I was told volunteering looks good. If you have a lot of clinical experience don't feel the need to volunteer in healthcare. Do habitat for humanity or take a shift at the crisis hotline.

 

[c0in3d]

I volunteer at a hospital nearby. I do A LOT of filing but I get to follow RN's around and get a close up of how things work in different departments. I started off volunteering in the ER department and I'm supposed to be tossed over to OB/GYN this week to help with some backed up filing there. I am the nursing staff's boy toy. All in all I do have fun seeing things close up.

 

[Byronsgoat]

Hi. I think being altruistic with one's time is a good thing and admissions directors at medical schools will see it as such. However, volunteering is the path of least resistance for young medical school applicants in getting exposure to the field - that is, that they don't have time to work in the healthcare world.

I agree that if you have worked in the field, you don't need to volunteer - but it would be nice to demonstrate that you are a "good hearted" individual.

I believe that it is more important to ask "why" rather than "what" - when I interviewed it was easy for me to say that I volunteered at my local first aid squad, worked one night in the ER and worked part-time in a doctor's office because I needed the exposure to medicine to determine whether the move was right for me. Don't volunteer only to pad your application - do it for the right reason and it will be worthwhile.

 

[Haemulon]

I have done some volunteering with the child life department at a children's hospital. Have also contributing my time for various fund raisers and as a participant in community/hospital based disaster response drills. Its not a ton of stuff, but I have tried to stay involved in things some how. My health care exposure has come largely from my employment, although much of it has been laboratory based instead of patient care. That being said, I have done a lot of relevant things pertaining to patient care in my new position this past year.

 

[mshheaddoc]

I volunteer with the local MRC so I got to help out with flu clinics this year as well as if they need members to help with crisises in our area (such as the major ice storms) we get contacted to help with the local Red Cross (even nationally sometimes). But I haven't been able to help out recently with the Red Cross stuff due to my school schedule. I'd like to be more involved but our meetings have been postponed. Its a great organization if you are looking for something to volunteer for. There is usually one meeting/training a month. MRC (Medical Reserve Corp) and CERT has just been set up in the past few years across the nation (well at least in my area). I'm interested in the Mass Prophylaxis program they have going (which is why I participated in the flu clinics). As well as I tutor 5th and 6th graders usually 2 saturdays a month and private tutor one girl a few hours a week depending on my schedule.

I had volunteered in a hospital for about 60-70 hours about 2 years ago but I just haven't found a position that was worth it for me here. I have contacted a few hospitals and either my schedule doesn't fit or they don't call me back! I'm doing most of my clincal experience by shadowing a few doctors. I also am doing volunteer research with a professor at a local med school. I help her mostly with grants now and some web research during the school year due to my limited schedule but during the summer I do bench research stuff. Its been a great experience the past 2 years.

 

[montessori2md]

I'm volunteering in med/surg with a program designed to help elderly pts prepare for discharge (eg basic phys therapy, cognitive skills), but a lot of it is just taking care of things so that staff doesn't need to -getting pts to eat, take a walk, bringing them things they left at home, like toothbrushes, reading glasses, and just making sure they're ok. I think I'm really lucky to have found a program where I wasn't just pushing a wheelchair, delivering flowers, or filing papers, and I've found that I like working in geriatrics (apparently that's good if you're considering IM, as 50-65% of admits are over 65 at this hospital).

A lot of pts have yet to be diagnosed, and that's why they're on my floor -later they'll be transferred to a specialty floor (ortho, cardio, onc, renal), and a lot of them have multiple problems (you know, the diabetic with heart problems who came in with back pain), and have this barrage of specialistis coming in, and the pt has trouble keeping track of everyone, and are relieved just to sit and try to explain their day to me, in order to try to understand it themselves. It's been really helpful for me -the pts have this love/hate relationship with the hospital and the staff, and they've let me in on it, in a way I wouldn't see if RN or MD came after my name.

Met w/ an admissions rep from GWU who said they like to see 3-4 different ways we've had pt contact, so I'm currently working on volunteering at a clinic, will probably try to get some time in the ED, and will shadow at my primary care office. She said it wasn't about # of hours, but range of experience, and also they want it to be as "hands on" as possible (they place shadowing at the bottom of the list of useful activities, which I find annoying) but I'm sure other programs have other opinions.

 

[DR. NYC]

im just wondering, how many hours a week do you guys commit on your volunteering? I tend to volunteer 1 day per week for a total of about 4-8 for that day. Is that bad?

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I volunteer at an ED/Trauma center about 4-6 hours per week for just one night. I do it because I like being in the hospital atmosphere, helping the staff and patients out, and getting exposure to random clinical stuff during my work. However, I'm starting to get really bored and anxious while volunteering.

As I see the physicians work, it settles in more and more that I want to be a physician. However, as a volunteer you don't get any "real" clinical exposure. You'd have to be a med student, resident, or physician to get that. I just want to get this whole pre-med thing done with and this application process over with so that I can become a physician and volunteer my time at a free clinic so that I can make a real difference. As a regular volunteer, you really don't get to make that big of a difference, at least in the hospital setting.

 

[mshheaddoc]

As I see the physicians work, it settles in more and more that I want to be a physician. However, as a volunteer you don't get any "real" clinical exposure. You'd have to be a med student, resident, or physician to get that. I just want to get this whole pre-med thing done with and this application process over with so that I can become a physician and volunteer my time at a free clinic so that I can make a real difference. As a regular volunteer, you really don't get to make that big of a difference, at least in the hospital setting.

See and this is my point with shadowing vs. volunteering. Volunteering you are there for the hospital so you may get to see stuff but its not your primary position. Shadowing I get to see everything the doctor does as well as I get to learn about the patients conditions and see how medicine really works on a first hand basis. I find shadowing obviously a lot more interesting because I'm getting the same type of patient exposure as I would be in volunteering in a hospital for the most part. Volunteering at a hospital I was giving water to patients, helping with charts, and replenishing the storage room as well as the nurses station and making sure all the glove boxes were filled on the floor. Not any contact with doctors (or really even patients) one bit. But then schools want to see that you've been in a hospital setting and some claim that shadowing in on the bottom of the list for clinical exposure and it really doesn't make sense to me ...

 

[Lshapley]

I volunteer in the ER and before that I volunteered on a nursing rehab floor, both at the same major urban hospital.

The one thing that I do which helps pass the time and makes me feel more important, is I continually make rounds of the patients. Each patient is sure to see me a two or three times during my four hour shift. Most of the time they end up needing a pillow, blanket, use of the phone or water (if they are allowed). Sometimes too they are alone in the ER with no family. My mentality is that I am volunteering for the hospital staff, but for the patients. Obviously, what I can get for them isn't pain meds or treatment, but it seems to make a difference if even in a little way.

Of course I stock what needs to be stocked, but I am fortunate that this is usually handled by the other departments in the hospital.

Anyways, this method really maximizes my patient contact and has had the pleasant side effect of giving me excellent reviews over the past 8 months.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I agree that you have to make the most of your volunteer experience. I do feel that I am getting to see what it's like in medicine (and I've also done lots of shadowing which opened my eyes even further) as a volunteer, and that I can help the hospital with little things. But, I feel that I'd be much more valuable to patients as a practicing physician donating some of his time to help the under-served rather than a pre-med stocking, moving patients, etc.. I guess that sounds arrogant or maybe corny, but I really do want to volunteer my services as a physician to help others outside of the regular job-paying services.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

1. Shadowing a neurologist at a VA hospital
2. Shadowing DO doctors as they practice OMM at a nearby hospital (I'm a DO-hopeful)

Do med schools really consider shadowing volunteer experience? I can see it being clinical experience, but not volunteer experience.

 

[mshheaddoc]

Med schools consider shadowing as clinical experience ... (sorry didn't mean to confuse anyone with my rant above) although you are still volunteering your time in the altruistic mindset to learn about medicine ... at least that's my opinion That doesn't count for much though ...

 

[awk]

Volunteer at the Front Desk in an E.R. 4 hours a week (Blunt patient contact )

Also, I help out the Salvation Army in the evenings with the community dinner and bread distribution.

 

[acrunchyfrog]

I no longer volunteer in the medical field. I will run w/ my hometown ambulance unit when I'm visiting the fam, but it's not on a regular basis. I did that while in high school and the first couple years after high school, but now I work in the medical field full time, both in the ED and in wound care/ hyperbaric medicine.
Rather I volunteer with Search and Rescue in two counties. And as a deputy Coroner for the small county I live in now. I also lead a 12-week class on personal finance called Financial Peace University a couple times a year thru my church.

Not exactly a normal track, maybe, but then again they do want to see a well-rounded person. Right?

 

[Dianyla]

I'm volunteering as a Patient Advocate with Planned Parenthood, which basically entails holding patients hands during their abortion procedures.

 

[NY Musicologist]

I recently started as a patient care volunteer with a hospice. My time commitment tends to be about 3 hours per week, but the time (and tasks) vary depending on what's needed. I'm not permitted to do anything medically related--even bathing or feeding pts is off limits due to liability concerns--but simply spending time with the terminally ill is a valuable education in itself. I truly enjoy the work and would recommend it to (almost) anyone, but I do feel that I need to get some experience in a hospital or clinic setting for a broader understanding of medicine. I also need to do some shadowing.

I'm happy to answer questions about hospice via PM; also, SDN has a hospice and palliative care forum in the graduate area...

 

[Heinz57]

I volunteer at a hospice inpatient unit and in the ER. It's a Jekyll and Hyde experience. Hospice is awesome - I was scared at first. I spend my time visiting patients and their visitors and also answer phones and patients' call button requests. The Nurses with whom I work are incredible. Efficient and compassionate. Dying is an interesting stage of life - there is a lot to learn from people who see clearly because they have let down all pretences, and a lot to learn from those who have difficulty in letting go of their lives.

I hit the ground running in the ER. No night is the same. I help with charts, bring patients to their rooms, bring family to patients, run to the pharmacy, the lab, central supply, clean up spills, dispose of old food trays, find tape, pens, pins, tubes and do anything else that needs doing, but my favorite part is patient contact. You can't believe what a difference a warm blanket makes when you feel sick and vulnerable. Sorry - terribly corny - but true. I don't think anyone in the ER knows my name (just my face), but it's alright. I can be the leader or the workhorse. Whatever is needed.

Now if I could only get into a darned premed program!

 

[Heinz57]

I recently started as a patient care volunteer with a hospice. My time commitment tends to be about 3 hours per week, but the time (and tasks) vary depending on what's needed. I'm not permitted to do anything medically related--even bathing or feeding pts is off limits due to liability concerns--but simply spending time with the terminally ill is a valuable education in itself. I truly enjoy the work and would recommend it to (almost) anyone, but I do feel that I need to get some experience in a hospital or clinic setting for a broader understanding of medicine. I also need to do some shadowing.

I'm happy to answer questions about hospice via PM; also, SDN has a hospice and palliative care forum in the graduate area...

Oh - hey NY Musicologist! - just read that you volunteer at a Hospice, too. Not scary at all, is it. I am amazed at how I thought it would be and how it actually is. . .

 

[menaniac]

I recently started as a patient care volunteer with a hospice. My time commitment tends to be about 3 hours per week, but the time (and tasks) vary depending on what's needed. I'm not permitted to do anything medically related--even bathing or feeding pts is off limits due to liability concerns--but simply spending time with the terminally ill is a valuable education in itself. I truly enjoy the work and would recommend it to (almost) anyone, but I do feel that I need to get some experience in a hospital or clinic setting for a broader understanding of medicine. I also need to do some shadowing.

I'm happy to answer questions about hospice via PM; also, SDN has a hospice and palliative care forum in the graduate area...

Hey there! Its good to see all the hospice people chiming in! I've volunteered with my local hospice doing all kinds of things for 4 years now, and the experience has been great! It really gave me a leg up in my interviews because of all the various kinds of patient contact I'd had. I'd really recommend it as well for anyone looking for vol. experience.

 

[Pettie Baige]

can anybody answer my question regarding volunteering?
I've been thinking to volunteer at a local hospital here. I haven't tried yet so I have no clue how the general process goes..
like if I wanted to work in emergency department specifically.
what do I have to do??
any inputs would be appreciated!!!

 

[Sanriokilljoy]

Get in touch with the volunteer department at the hospital. Most likely they'll try to match your interests with their needs. Tell them what you're interested in yet still are willing to be placed anywhere; maybe later you can more around.

 

[LuckBALady]

I'm having a really difficult time finding someone to shadow and getting clinical volunteer experience at a hospital or clinic. when I contact the HR dept or volunteer coordinator..its always the same..HIPPA doesn't allow it or all we have is a spot in the gift shop. Should I take the gift shop opportuinity abd hope for something better to come along? Most of the doctors that I've contacted have been through the front desk or HR rep at the office and the answer is "they don't do shadowing or its not a good time". Does anyone have any suggestions about where to go next? I'm in the panhandle of FL . We have two hospitals in the area and neither are cooperative. I also live on a military base and my doc said the only way to shadow is if your a resident in medical school. I'm running out of options. I'm willing to travel to an area briefly to gain some medical experience.
I've been exposed to the medical field though my years as a Vet. tech and as a pharmacy tech., and having two children in the hospital that subsequently came back several times for complications when they were little. I've experienced the hospital setting plenty as a patient but NEVER from the medical aspect. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dianyla]

I'm having a really difficult time finding someone to shadow and getting clinical volunteer experience at a hospital or clinic. when I contact the HR dept or volunteer coordinator..its always the same..HIPPA doesn't allow it or all we have is a spot in the gift shop. Should I take the gift shop opportuinity abd hope for something better to come along? Most of the doctors that I've contacted have been through the front desk or HR rep at the office and the answer is "they don't do shadowing or its not a good time". Does anyone have any suggestions about where to go next?

Does your university have any sort of pre-med organization? They often have inroads into volunteer opportunities that you won't get just by cold-calling or knocking on doors.

Also, it is common for large bureaucratic hospitals to make it really hard for you to volunteer in meaningful ways. Look around for underserved health clinics that serve women, immigrants, homeless folk, etc. They are usually much more grateful and willing to let you have all sorts of direct patient interaction.

 

[LuckBALady]

Unfortunately the college that I ended up getting my degree from doesn't have a pre-medical advisor or committee. I'll look around the area to see if there is any type of underserved clinics. I doubt there are very many though. I live right outside of Destin, FL and there doesn't seem to be very many needy people in the area. I'm going to try calling the university where I started my degree, b/c they do have a pre-medical program and ask their advice. Thanks also for your input.

 

[LadyNikon]

I am at shock trauma in Maryland.

 

[NY Musicologist]

Hey there! Its good to see all the hospice people chiming in! I've volunteered with my local hospice doing all kinds of things for 4 years now, and the experience has been great! It really gave me a leg up in my interviews because of all the various kinds of patient contact I'd had. I'd really recommend it as well for anyone looking for vol. experience.

I wonder if a greater percentage of nontrads choose hospice as a volunteer activity than do the traditional-age students? I'm pretty sure it's not something I would have considered doing eight or ten years ago--or at least not something I would have had the courage to follow through with! Of the 40+ volunteers at my hospice, the youngest is around 25...