Can being a resident assistant make up for little volunteerism ?

[MrBen14]

As far as volunteering is concerned, I have very little.

I have around 20 hours in a nursing home in the memory care wing, 20 hours with hospice, random other stints, and 20+ hours at a food pantry.

I know this something that hinders my application and I have been trying to address it in my personal statement. I have been focusing what I was able to gain for my experience albeit short. I was a resident assistant during my undergrad for 3 years and was curious if I could mold this in a way to show my human side. Say, building community amongst different groups of students or acting as a mentor to my residents that need guidance.

I am looking for some help in developing this further, any thoguhts.

Thanks!

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[Catalystik]

As far as volunteering is concerned, I have very little.

I have around 20 hours in a nursing home in the memory care wing, 20 hours with hospice, random other stints, and 20+ hours at a food pantry.

I know this something that hinders my application and I have been trying to address it in my personal statement. I have been focusing what I was able to gain for my experience albeit short. I was a resident assistant during my undergrad for 3 years and was curious if I could mold this in a way to show my human side. Say, building community amongst different groups of students or acting as a mentor to my residents that need guidance.

I am looking for some help in developing this further, any thoguhts.

Thanks!

There are good things that being a Resident Assistant will add to your application, but from your description so far, by no stretch will it compensate for sparse clinical experience or community service.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I think the only way it could replace volunteering is if you weren't paid for it, i.e. it was done on a volunteer basis. You could then could that as community volunteering. If it was your job, you're going to need to gain some volunteer experience.

 

[MrBen14]

I think the only way it could replace volunteering is if you weren't paid for it, i.e. it was done on a volunteer basis. You could then could that as community volunteering. If it was your job, you're going to need to gain some volunteer experience.

is there a golden hour mark i should aim for?

 

[MrBen14]

There are good things that being a Resident Assistant will add to your application, but from your description so far, by no stretch will it compensate for sparse clinical experience or community service.

I have plenty of clinical experience, over 500 hours as a scribe.

I have been recently volunteering at the food pantry, but I feel like if I get a bunch of hours now I will look like I was just trying to get them in to check a box off.. as I plan to apply this summer.. ugh!

 

[takeurmeds02]

I have plenty of clinical experience, over 500 hours as a scribe.

I have been recently volunteering at the food pantry, but I feel like if I get a bunch of hours now I will look like I was just trying to get them in to check a box off.. as I plan to apply this summer.. ugh!

I suppose it wouldn't hurt, huh?

 

[MrBen14]

I suppose it wouldn't hurt, huh?

very true. I know I can probably get 50 + hours in May before the I apply....

 

[f4reignbeauty]

Remember, it's not always about the quantity...rather the quality of the experience. How will that experience make you a better doctor?

 

[NeuResurgens]

I have plenty of clinical experience, over 500 hours as a scribe.

I have been recently volunteering at the food pantry, but I feel like if I get a bunch of hours now I will look like I was just trying to get them in to check a box off.. as I plan to apply this summer.. ugh!

I think that's a good activity and you could get a lot of hours doing that. It's not when you started, but your interest in the activity that counts. If you can explain why its meaningful to you then you're fine. I think 100-200 hours for volunteering is a great goal, although I'm not sure what the "gold standard" is.

 

[MrBen14]

I think that's a good activity and you could get a lot of hours doing that. It's not when you started, but your interest in the activity that counts. If you can explain why its meaningful to you then you're fine. I think 100-200 hours for volunteering is a great goal, although I'm not sure what the "gold standard" is.

Thank you for your feedback!

 

[Catalystik]

I have plenty of clinical experience, over 500 hours as a scribe.

Thank you for the added, reassuring information. You have the clinical experience expectation well covered in that case. It isn't necessary to have volunteer clinical activity when you acquire patient experience through employment. Do you have any dedicated physician shadowing?

I have been recently volunteering at the food pantry, but I feel like if I get a bunch of hours now I will look like I was just trying to get them in to check a box off.. as I plan to apply this summer.. ugh!

How would you feel about spinning the memory care and hospice activities toward nonmedical community service?

 

[MrBen14]

Thank you for the added, reassuring information. You have the clinical experience expectation well covered in that case. It isn't necessary to have volunteer clinical activity when you acquire patient experience through employment. Do you have any dedicated physician shadowing?

How would you feel about spinning the memory care and hospice activities toward nonmedical community service?

I've done a fair amount of shadowing, 60 hours in the ER. 10 hrs with a cardiologist. 20 hours at a surgery center, and 10 hours with a home care physician.

And if you think my clinical experience is sufficient, then I dont have a problem gearing the hospice and memory care in a nonmedical direction.

 

[Catalystik]

I've done a fair amount of shadowing, 60 hours in the ER. 10 hrs with a cardiologist. 20 hours at a surgery center, and 10 hours with a home care physician.

And if you think my clinical experience is sufficient, then I dont have a problem gearing the hospice and memory care in a nonmedical direction.

The shadowing looks good. Your clinical experience is more than sufficient. If you'd be listing 60+ hours of nonmedical community service (add more if you can by June), I think you'll be OK, especially if you tease all the positives out of the RA activity (eg, Leadership, mentoring, employment requiring trust and responsibility, etc.) and describe them well you should be OK.

Is research in there somewhere, too?

 

[AllopathicApplicant]

I was an RA in college. It helped me during my job interviews because I had some camaraderie with those interviewing me who had been RAs. Aside from that, I do not think it counts as volunteering because it usually involves payment/meal plans/free housing. It's not as altruistic as volunteering.

 

[MrBen14]

The shadowing looks good. Your clinical experience is more than sufficient. If you'd be listing 60+ hours of nonmedical community service (add more if you can by June), I think you'll be OK, especially if you tease all the positives out of the RA activity (eg, Leadership, mentoring, employment requiring trust and responsibility, etc.) and describe them well you should be OK.

Which should mostly fall into my personal statement?

 

[Catalystik]

Which should mostly fall into my personal statement?

I was referring to the Work/Activities section.

 

[Goro]

I great appreciate that you;ve been in hospice and a nursing home environment, but you still need more clinical volunteering hours.

As far as volunteering is concerned, I have very little.

I have around 20 hours in a nursing home in the memory care wing, 20 hours with hospice, random other stints, and 20+ hours at a food pantry.

I know this something that hinders my application and I have been trying to address it in my personal statement. I have been focusing what I was able to gain for my experience albeit short. I was a resident assistant during my undergrad for 3 years and was curious if I could mold this in a way to show my human side. Say, building community amongst different groups of students or acting as a mentor to my residents that need guidance.

I am looking for some help in developing this further, any thoguhts.

Thanks!

 

[MrBen14]

I was referring to the Work/Activities section.

Oh I see what you are saying, thanks for your feedback!

 

[MrBen14]

I great appreciate that you;ve been in hospice and a nursing home environment, but you still need more clinical volunteering hours.

How many hours would be a good range for clinical volunteering ?

 

[Goro]

>100.

How many hours would be a good range for clinical volunteering ?

 

[HCHopeful]

I great appreciate that you;ve been in hospice and a nursing home environment, but you still need more clinical volunteering hours.

@MrBen14

Not to intrude, but if the OP already has 500 hours of clinical experience through scribing, would it not be a better use of his/her time to partake in a bit of non-medical volunteering? If nothing else, it would add a bit of diversity to the application as well as fulfill the lack of volunteering.

To answer your original question, OP, I don't believe being an RA makes up for a lack of volunteering. That doesn't mean it doesn't add anything to your application, it just doesn't cover volunteering. Have you been involved in any groups on campus that volunteer? Honor societies, peer education groups, tutoring for free, or coaching?

 

[Goro]

Ahh, didn't see that. OP, Concur with the below.

@MrBen14

Not to intrude, but if the OP already has 500 hours of clinical experience through scribing, would it not be a better use of his/her time to partake in a bit of non-medical volunteering? If nothing else, it would add a bit of diversity to the application as well as fulfill the lack of volunteering.

To answer your original question, OP, I don't believe being an RA makes up for a lack of volunteering. That doesn't mean it doesn't add anything to your application, it just doesn't cover volunteering. Have you been involved in any groups on campus that volunteer? Honor societies, peer education groups, tutoring for free, or coaching?

 

[Doug Underhill]

Applicant A has 100 hours of clinical volunteering at a hospice and 100 hours of non-clinical volunteering teaching children to read. Applicant B has 200 hours of clinical volunteering at the same hospice. Does Applicant A have a significant advantage over Applicant B in the admissions process, assuming all other factors are very similar?

 

[MrBen14]

@MrBen14

Not to intrude, but if the OP already has 500 hours of clinical experience through scribing, would it not be a better use of his/her time to partake in a bit of non-medical volunteering? If nothing else, it would add a bit of diversity to the application as well as fulfill the lack of volunteering.

To answer your original question, OP, I don't believe being an RA makes up for a lack of volunteering. That doesn't mean it doesn't add anything to your application, it just doesn't cover volunteering. Have you been involved in any groups on campus that volunteer? Honor societies, peer education groups, tutoring for free, or coaching?

The volueenteering I have done through clubs has been really sporadic. For example, through I have done feed my starving children a few times, a prairie restoration day with the biology club, food drives, arranging gift bags for low income households for christmas, and I think thats it off the top of my head.

Im not sure the total hours of these random activities though. Is it something I should add regardless of duration?

 

[Catalystik]

The volueenteering I have done through clubs has been really sporadic. For example, through I have done feed my starving children a few times, a prairie restoration day with the biology club, food drives, arranging gift bags for low income households for christmas, and I think thats it off the top of my head.

Im not sure the total hours of these random activities though. Is it something I should add regardless of duration?

Yes, especially since this is a weaker part of your application. Group it all in one space called, perhaps, Short-Term Community Volunteerism, or somesuch. You will have to give the Total Hours your best-faith estimate.

 

[MrBen14]

Yes, especially since this is a weaker part of your application. Group it all in one space called, perhaps, Short-Term Community Volunteerism, or somesuch. You will have to give the Total Hours your best-faith estimate.

Im not even sure how I would go about adding a reference for some of that stuff!

 

[Catalystik]

Im not even sure how I would go about adding a reference for some of that stuff!

Use the club(s) that sponsored your participation.