am I volunteering too much?

[alestrx9]

Hi everyone, this is probably a silly question, I used the search function but couldn't find anything about this, I was wondering if I may be volunteering too much? If there even is such a thing. I'm a post-bacc student (career changer) and I work and take classes part-time, taking about 2 science classes each semester. I work full time 35 hours a week but my job is very flexible so I mainly work weekends and at night, setting my own hours. I genuinely love volunteering so I took on a lot of volunteer experiences and now I'm worrying that I may be doing too much, even though I enjoy everything I'm doing. I volunteer at a hospital 6 hours a week, free clinic 5 hours/week, tutor kids for free 2-3 hours/week and 3-4 hours a week for an organization serving the developmentally disabled. This is about 18 hours a week of clinical and nonclinical volunteering, on top of working. It doesn't feel like too much right now but I'm worried it's going to be too much as the semester progresses. Any input is appreciated

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[Planes2Doc]

Hi everyone, this is probably a silly question, I used the search function but couldn't find anything about this, I was wondering if I may be volunteering too much? If there even is such a thing. I'm a post-bacc student (career changer) and I work and take classes part-time, taking about 2 science classes each semester. I work full time 35 hours a week but my job is very flexible so I mainly work weekends and at night, setting my own hours. I genuinely love volunteering so I took on a lot of volunteer experiences and now I'm worrying that I may be doing too much, even though I enjoy everything I'm doing. I volunteer at a hospital 6 hours a week, free clinic 5 hours/week, tutor kids for free 2-3 hours/week and 3-4 hours a week for an organization serving the developmentally disabled. This is about 18 hours a week of clinical and nonclinical volunteering, on top of working. It doesn't feel like too much right now but I'm worried it's going to be too much as the semester progresses. Any input is appreciated

You can never have too much for medical school admissions. As long as your grades and personal life aren't suffering, you are good. It's great that you enjoy the activities! If there is something that you feel you are only doing to appease the ADCOMs, then I suggest dropping it.

 

[cheechootrain]

As long as it isn't hindering other aspects of your application, then it is fine. You need to learn to train yourself to balance volunteering and other activities.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Oh and ask yourself the question, "Can I do everything I want to do now?" And by that, I mean all of those things that normal people enjoy that doesn't help with medical school admissions. Medical school is a whole different animal compared to college or post-bacc. Cherish the time you have now with family, friends, and yourself. You don't need countless hours of volunteering to show you're a good person, because by pursuing this field, you'll devote the rest of your life to helping others.

So if you can't do all the things you really want to do, then yes, you are volunteering too much.

 

[occams_razor]

That's a lot of volunteer hours each week but probably not too much since you are part time student. If you drop something you should still be fine since you are non-trad and working, there seems to be more leeway for nontrads

 

[FalconSlice]

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[FalconSlice]

Hi everyone, this is probably a silly question, I used the search function but couldn't find anything about this, I was wondering if I may be volunteering too much? If there even is such a thing. I'm a post-bacc student (career changer) and I work and take classes part-time, taking about 2 science classes each semester. I work full time 35 hours a week but my job is very flexible so I mainly work weekends and at night, setting my own hours. I genuinely love volunteering so I took on a lot of volunteer experiences and now I'm worrying that I may be doing too much, even though I enjoy everything I'm doing. I volunteer at a hospital 6 hours a week, free clinic 5 hours/week, tutor kids for free 2-3 hours/week and 3-4 hours a week for an organization serving the developmentally disabled. This is about 18 hours a week of clinical and nonclinical volunteering, on top of working. It doesn't feel like too much right now but I'm worried it's going to be too much as the semester progresses. Any input is appreciated

That's great! However, if it was me, I would try to get as many shadowing hours as i can. Just something to think about...

 

[Napoletana1007]

Hi everyone, this is probably a silly question, I used the search function but couldn't find anything about this, I was wondering if I may be volunteering too much? If there even is such a thing. I'm a post-bacc student (career changer) and I work and take classes part-time, taking about 2 science classes each semester. I work full time 35 hours a week but my job is very flexible so I mainly work weekends and at night, setting my own hours. I genuinely love volunteering so I took on a lot of volunteer experiences and now I'm worrying that I may be doing too much, even though I enjoy everything I'm doing. I volunteer at a hospital 6 hours a week, free clinic 5 hours/week, tutor kids for free 2-3 hours/week and 3-4 hours a week for an organization serving the developmentally disabled. This is about 18 hours a week of clinical and nonclinical volunteering, on top of working. It doesn't feel like too much right now but I'm worried it's going to be too much as the semester progresses. Any input is appreciated

Your schedule sounds exactly like mine! I'm nontrad, post bac, and I take 2 science classes a semester, three days a week at a university an hour away. I bartender at night full time and volunteer during the day (12-24 hr/week) at my hospital, hospice and working with disabled kids. No, you're not doing to much! You should be proud to be able to balance so much in your life and medical schools will see this as a great thing. It also shows that you enjoy helping others and are not doing the minimum "premed requirement".

 

[TxResident]

As long as it isn't hindering other aspects of your application, then it is fine. You need to learn to train yourself to balance volunteering and other activities.

OH YOU.

But the only time you're volunteering too much is when you're letting it get in the way of your grades/social life

 

[occams_razor]

That's great! However, if it was me, I would try to get as many shadowing hours as i can. Just something to think about...

this.. especially shadowing in primary care

 

[LaughingMan]

You need at least a billion hours of volutneering for medical school.

Ok jk, but in seriousness-if you enjoy it and it's fulfilling--then go for it and keep it up!

 

[amidoinitrite]

I actually had a decent amount of free time in med school, other than a hard month here or there. If you love volunteering do it. It will show on your interviews--especially if you can transfer that same amount of enthusiasm towards medicine.