Americorp and Keeping Up with Clinical Experience

[AtlanticPacific]

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Hi Everyone,
I had recently received an Americorp program called City Year. After reading some posts about taking a gap year, the general recommendation seems to be to keep up with clinical volunteering/shadowing during your gap year if you plan on doing something medically unrelated.
I was wondering if anyone who was involved in an Americorp program, or City Year specifically, would be able to speak to this? I have heard that City Year Corp members may be expected to work some weekends which might make the process of finding/maintaining a clinical volunteer position difficult.

Thanks All!

-AtlanticPacific

 

[Karabo]

I'm not an ad com, but if you already have sufficient clinical experiences, I don't think you will be at a disadvantage doing city year. City year should actually help your app. Some schools when ask if you have done americorps or peace corps (I know Rochester does). Also, I have friends that did city year and worked part time jobs or volunteered at the same time. You should still be able to shadow or volunteer in free time.

 

[bumblebee13]

I did an AmeriCorps program in my gap year that was totally unrelated to medicine and I still got accepted to multiple med schools. City Year is an awesome program, you should definitely do it!

 

[AtlanticPacific]

I'm not an ad com, but if you already have sufficient clinical experiences, I don't think you will be at a disadvantage doing city year. City year should actually help your app. Some schools when ask if you have done americorps or peace corps (I know Rochester does). Also, I have friends that did city year and worked part time jobs or volunteered at the same time. You should still be able to shadow or volunteer in free time.

Thanks for the input!

 

[AtlanticPacific]

I did an AmeriCorps program in my gap year that was totally unrelated to medicine and I still got accepted to multiple med schools. City Year is an awesome program, you should definitely do it!

Thanks for the input bumblebee13! Do you think it would have been feasibly to volunteer at a hospital regularly (and possibly shadow occasionally) while serving as a corp member in City Year?

 

[bumblebee13]

Thanks for the input bumblebee13! Do you think it would have been feasibly to volunteer at a hospital regularly (and possibly shadow occasionally) while serving as a corp member in City Year?

Hmm.. I actually did a different program, but have a few friends who did City Year. From what they told me it's a very intense, rewarding year and you are quite busy the whole time. That being said, I'm sure you could find time to volunteer for 3 hrs weekly or bi-weekly. Any big internship position might be a challenge, but otherwise I'd say it's feasible. Good luck!