Advice on volunteering hours

[mcarder30]

I am currently a sophomore and have very few volunteering hours (maybe 14). As of now I’m mostly doing non-clinical volunteer hours. I am getting a lot of clinical experience by working in the emergency department as well as being a medic in the army. Considering my work experience should I need to focus a lot of, if any time, on clinical volunteering? Also how many hours minimum should i be trying to get when it comes to volunteering? And for the sake of not having to start another thread how much does military experience help while applying. Especially to programs such as USUHS? Thanks in advance for any responses.

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[curbsideconsult]

You don't need clinical AND non-clinical volunteer hours. You need clinical experience whether paid or unpaid AND service-to-the-needy. So, for example, if you were providing medical services to St. Teresa's orphanage for invalid children, then bam! you've got your clinical and volunteer experience in one. If you can't get something like that, then you can go for your clinical experience paid or unpaid and a separate service-to-the-needy activity elsewhere. It sounds like you're doing the latter and that's perfectly acceptable.

You have plenty of clinical experience. If you're currently a sophomore, you should have plenty of volunteering hours by the time your application season rolls around.

I believe military experience gives you a bit of a leg up in applications.

 

[Moko]

I would say that you should pursue both clinical and non clinical volunteering given that the overwhelming majority of applicants apply with both. Something like volunteering at a hospice or nursing home would provide a nice contrast to your current experiences imo. Folks without clinical volunteering do get in (usually folks in your situation who already have gotten significant paid clinical experience), but at a lower %. When the process is so competitive and you have time, why purposely apply with a box unchecked? Just my thoughts.

Also, being in the military is seen as a positive during admissions.

 

[theKingLT]

No, you don't need clinical volunteering. Continue with non-clinical volunteering and make sure you do some non-EM shadowing including primary care. Military experience will serve you well, especially at USUHS where they want to know for sure that the people coming in know what they're getting into.

 

[Catalystik]

I am currently a sophomore and have very few volunteering hours (maybe 14).
1) As of now I’m mostly doing non-clinical volunteer hours.
2) I am getting a lot of clinical experience by working in the emergency department as well as being a medic in the army.
3) Considering my work experience should I need to focus a lot of, if any time, on clinical volunteering?
4) Also how many hours minimum should i be trying to get when it comes to volunteering?
5) And for the sake of not having to start another thread how much does military experience help while applying.

1) Nonmedical volunteering is the place for you to focus your efforts.
2a) What is your role in the ED?
2b) Are you ex-active US military, currently in a reserve unit, or what?
3) No (depending on what your role is).
4) 3-4 hours per week, or so.
5) Depends on your answer to #2.

 

[LizzyM]

In my opinion, if you have a paid job providing clinical care, you do not need clinical volunteering (the real box is clinical experience, not clinical volunteering) and can focus your community service efforts in non-clinical volunteering. Of course, there is nothing wrong with listing clinical volunteering and some people will have some that precedes their clinical employment, but there is no reason to leave a 40 hr/wk clinical job (or even a 16 hr/wkclinical job) to do a volunteering gig in a clinical setting.

 

[Planes2Doc]

It sounds like you're going to have plenty of clinical experience. In that case, you should focus your time on non-clinical volunteering. Good luck!

 

[mcarder30]

In my opinion, if you have a paid job providing clinical care, you do not need clinical volunteering (the real box is clinical experience, not clinical volunteering) and can focus your community service efforts in non-clinical volunteering. Of course, there is nothing wrong with listing clinical volunteering and some people will have some that precedes their clinical employment, but there is no reason to leave a 40 hr/wk clinical job (or even a 16 hr/wkclinical job) to do a volunteering gig in a clinical setting.

Thank you so much for the advice. I was under the impression this is how it would be perceived and will continue building up my non-clinical volunteer hours!

 

[mcarder30]

2a) What is your role in the ED?
2b) Are you ex-active US military, currently in a reserve unit, or what?
5) Depends on your answer to #2.

I am currently working as a clinical assistant in the emergency department (basically a PCT). I was active duty until last June when I was honorably discharged. And that work experience included working as a medic with an MP battalion in various roles and then as a medic in an acute care clinic.

 

[Catalystik]

I am currently working as a clinical assistant in the emergency department (basically a PCT). I was active duty until last June when I was honorably discharged. And that work experience included working as a medic with an MP battalion in various roles and then as a medic in an acute care clinic.

You definitely don't need to worry about gaining volunteer clinical experience.

With your volunteer military experience on your record, you have gained a significant advantage in the med school application process, it has been said, "like adding 4-5 MCAT points." About 40% of all applicants to MD schools get accepted. About 60% of exmilitary get an MD acceptance.

BTW, if you think you'll hang around here much, you might like to apply for SDN's military badge. Directions here: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/uniformed-services-free-membership-upgrade.1289414/

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Doesn't military service as a medic count as both clinical and nonclinical volunteering? OP doesn't need any more clinical volunteering/experience; the medic stuff covers that. As for nonclinical volunteering: as a medic, 100 hours of outside nonclinical volunteering and 50 hours of shadowing, including primary care, should suffice to cover the bases there.

 

[Catalystik]

Doesn't military service as a medic count as both clinical and nonclinical volunteering? OP doesn't need any more clinical volunteering/experience; the medic stuff covers that. As for nonclinical volunteering: as a medic, 100 hours of outside nonclinical volunteering and 50 hours of shadowing, including primary care, should suffice to cover the bases there.

Physician shadowing is not considered to be a volunteer activity in any category.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

No, it is not, however, OP needs it for their medical school application.

 

[JDG9991]

I’m a Junior and have ~250 hours volunteering in a free clinic, 100 hours of EMT ambulance and Camp Fire patient contact time, ~50 hours of volunteering through California Care Force as EMT, 100 hours of being a type 1 diabetes youth camp counselor, ~150 hours of shadowing within Surgery and ER, and ~200 hours of working at care facilities for patients with severe cases of cerebral palsy .
I have been a learning assignment and helped teach intro biology laboratories, in the past I tutored molecular and cellular, now I tutor that and first semester ochem through campus tutoring. As for research I did ecological work for ~1 yr (no seriously involved), now I work with microRNA in Type 2 Diabetes research for the last year (attended conferences, presented data, posters etc.).