Changing volunteer locations... does it look bad?

[2failornot2fail]

I currently volunteer at a hospital that's 30 minutes away from my university. Transportation is somewhat of a hassle-- the bus that takes me there runs every hour so I always end up being an hour early. Then coming back there is no bus, so I have to uber or have a parent pick me up. It's just too much of an inconvenience. So, i want to apply to my local hospital which is a 10 minute walk.

I've been at this hospital for 6 months, completing 100 hours. I love the environment, but it's just too time consuming. If I continue at my local hospital instead, would it look bad when applying to medical schools?

And yes, I hate that I'm treating volunteering as a thing to check off my list as much as y'all do. I enjoy it, but med school is also in mind.

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[hubbsbubbs]

I doubt it will make any difference whether you change locations or not.

If you're doing the same activity at both hospitals, group them into one entry on the work/activities section.

 

[enchantediris]

I currently volunteer at a hospital that's 30 minutes away from my university. Transportation is somewhat of a hassle-- the bus that takes me there runs every hour so I always end up being an hour early. Then coming back there is no bus, so I have to uber or have a parent pick me up. It's just too much of an inconvenience. So, i want to apply to my local hospital which is a 10 minute walk.

I've been at this hospital for 6 months, completing 100 hours. I love the environment, but it's just too time consuming. If I continue at my local hospital instead, would it look bad when applying to medical schools?

And yes, I hate that I'm treating volunteering as a thing to check off my list as much as y'all do. I enjoy it, but med school is also in mind.

I did the same thing (switching from a hospital that was ~30 min away by public transport vs. a 20 min walk) and my second volunteering experience ended up being one of my most meaningful activities! I don't think it would look bad at all... If I had to guess, most people wouldn't blink twice.

 

[Catalystik]

I currently volunteer at a hospital that's 30 minutes away from my university. Transportation is somewhat of a hassle-- the bus that takes me there runs every hour so I always end up being an hour early. Then coming back there is no bus, so I have to uber or have a parent pick me up. It's just too much of an inconvenience. So, i want to apply to my local hospital which is a 10 minute walk.

I've been at this hospital for 6 months, completing 100 hours. I love the environment, but it's just too time consuming. If I continue at my local hospital instead, would it look bad when applying to medical schools?

It won't "look bad."

 

[2failornot2fail]

It won't "look bad."

I guess I mean, would they question my commitment? I feel like explaining the transportation issue (in an interview) would sound like whining, but I also don't want adcoms to think I can't commit to an activity.

 

[Catalystik]

I guess I mean, would they question my commitment? I feel like explaining the transportation issue (in an interview) would sound like whining, but I also don't want adcoms to think I can't commit to an activity.

Six months is a decent period of time (and more than a school term). Hopefully, you'll show at least a year of longevity with the next opportunity, or with some other experience in which you are involved.

I would be astonished if anyone asked at an interview why you left, but if they did, the explanation you've given is sufficient.

 

[Planes2Doc]

I doubt it will make any difference whether you change locations or not.

If you're doing the same activity at both hospitals, group them into one entry on the work/activities section.

This is the best advice. Plus, as long as you continue the same type of volunteering (regardless of location), it will be fine. This is the best approach to take, since your grades and MCAT are the most important thing you can have. I'm not sure (and neither is anyone else) if you were able to study on the shifts at the previous location or not, but that's always a good perk. If you are able to study at the further location versus being busy at the closer one, it might be worth the commute.

Anyway, as far as what ADCOMs would see, it will have no impact.

 

[2failornot2fail]

This is the best advice. Plus, as long as you continue the same type of volunteering (regardless of location), it will be fine. This is the best approach to take, since your grades and MCAT are the most important thing you can have. I'm not sure (and neither is anyone else) if you were able to study on the shifts at the previous location or not, but that's always a good perk. If you are able to study at the further location versus being busy at the closer one, it might be worth the commute.

Anyway, as far as what ADCOMs would see, it will have no impact.

Actually, no I wasn't allowed to study at the farther location, but I can at the closer one.

 

[2failornot2fail]

Six months is a decent period of time (and more than a school term). Hopefully, you'll show at least a year of longevity with the next opportunity, or with some other experience in which you are involved.

I would be astonished if anyone asked at an interview why you left, but if they did, the explanation you've given is sufficient.

Yeah, I hope I'll stay for a year, too. I was honestly planning on a year at this hospital, but transportation blah blah is making it too difficult. I also can't study here, but at the new one I can. Obviously if I'm focused on the task at hand, I won't study, but sometimes I'm left doing literally nothing for an hour or two.

 

[Catalystik]

Yeah, I hope I'll stay for a year, too. I was honestly planning on a year at this hospital, but transportation blah blah is making it too difficult. I also can't study here, but at the new one I can. Obviously if I'm focused on the task at hand, I won't study, but sometimes I'm left doing literally nothing for an hour or two.

During your planning keep in mind that it might take awhile before you are allowed to volunteer, considering the requirements for vaccine and/or titer proof, HIPAA re-training, OSHA, orientation, etc.

 

[2failornot2fail]

During your planning keep in mind that it might take awhile before you are allowed to volunteer, considering the requirements for vaccine and/or titer proof, HIPAA re-training, OSHA, orientation, etc.

Yeah, I'll have about a month and a half of nothing, which makes me nervous. The problem is that I can't sign on for only a month; minimum is six months. So I either need to stay here for another six months or take the month and a half time off and then volunteer at the closer one. Will this be a problem?

 

[Planes2Doc]

Actually, no I wasn't allowed to study at the farther location, but I can at the closer one.

Great!

 

[Catalystik]

Yeah, I'll have about a month and a half of nothing, which makes me nervous. The problem is that I can't sign on for only a month; minimum is six months. So I either need to stay here for another six months or take the month and a half time off and then volunteer at the closer one. Will this be a problem?

No, it's just 1.5 months off.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Yeah, I'll have about a month and a half of nothing, which makes me nervous. The problem is that I can't sign on for only a month; minimum is six months. So I either need to stay here for another six months or take the month and a half time off and then volunteer at the closer one. Will this be a problem?

A one and a half month gap should not be an issue. I'm sure that applicants take longer breaks, and people take vacations all the time. For instance, if someone took a 3 week vacation during the summer, it would not be necessary to mention it. An applicant wouldn't mention every sick day either. If the break was a few months or over a year, then you'd probably want to mention it.

 

[Mad Jack]

I currently volunteer at a hospital that's 30 minutes away from my university. Transportation is somewhat of a hassle-- the bus that takes me there runs every hour so I always end up being an hour early. Then coming back there is no bus, so I have to uber or have a parent pick me up. It's just too much of an inconvenience. So, i want to apply to my local hospital which is a 10 minute walk.

I've been at this hospital for 6 months, completing 100 hours. I love the environment, but it's just too time consuming. If I continue at my local hospital instead, would it look bad when applying to medical schools?

And yes, I hate that I'm treating volunteering as a thing to check off my list as much as y'all do. I enjoy it, but med school is also in mind.

No one will care. It will be about as consequential during the selection process as your favorite flavor of hot sauce or which shoe you tend to put on first in the morning.

 

[2failornot2fail]

No one will care. It will be about as consequential during the selection process as your favorite flavor of hot sauce or which shoe you tend to put on first in the morning.

Thanks, I just didn't want them to think I'm not committed to this or something.