Medical Will I be screened out for low non-clinical hours?

[GoSpursGo]

My advisor at my grad program just told me that my app will not be looked at favorably, and most likely screened out, by the schools that favor service and "giving back" because of my low non-clinical volunteer hours (~150). This grinds my gears because service is a passion of mine and one of the main talking points of my application. I informed her that I am in my second year as a full-time science teacher within an inner-city title one school (will be starting third during the cycle) and she said since it's paid it will not be looked at the same..... please tell me either I or she is "tripping" as my kids would say... My dream school has a heavy focus on service and my teaching experience and kids mean more to me than racking up "hours" to check a box. Will I be screened out?

I think it just depends on the strength of the rest of your application. While that would be a relatively low number, it doesn't make sense to discuss a number in a vacuum because in reality it exists in context.

Keep in mind that you're going to be way busier once you start med school, so if you're too busy to "check a box" then unless the rest of your app is outstanding, you run the risk of being ranked lower than those applicants who are able to rack up the hours. Not making a judgement about you personally, just being honest.

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[GoSpursGo]

Thank you, I appreciate your honesty and feedback. In terms of hours, that is the only category I'm deficient in. I have clinical experience (2 years MA and 9 months scribing) that total to ~2800 hours, 270 shadowing hours, and a good amount of other experiences. I was just worried that a service-based school would look less favorable on my app for lack of non-clinical volunteering. I could have done tutoring but felt teaching was a better way to show my commitment to giving back.

Yeah, my initial reaction is that altogether those ECs look good. I feel like it would be awfully nitpicky to ding you for not having enough volunteering for the less fortunate when you actively work with the less fortunate on a daily basis. But that's just me.

 

[Goro]

Even in the age of COVID, in the mean time you can work on your nonclinical volunteering. Venues include scribing, food banks, COVID screening or contact tracing, Meals on Wheels, election poll working (normally done by seniors) and whatever your local houses of worship can suggest.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I think it would likely be school-specific how nitpicky they were, but why chance it. Take some time to volunteer at the places @Goro mentioned, get the hours, and have zero holes in your app. You want to get in the first time...a lack of a few hundred hours of volunteer is easy to fix.