Clinical Job vs Clinical volunteering

[satdixon]

Hey everyone! I had a question as to whether having a clinical job or clinical volunteering is better. I have clinical job planned for the fall, but was wondering if I should do clinical volunteering too as I have 100 hours of clinical volunteering from the past and 50 hours of shadowing. If I don't do clinical volunteering this fall, I will most likely do in the spring. Thank you all for the advice in advance!

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[JimKimSlim]

100 hours of clinical volunteering and 50 hours of shadowing should be enough in addition to the clinical job.

 

[Doctoscope]

I think usually a clinical job is better simply because you're given more responsibilities, so you have more to talk about/write about.

When I was onboarding at a children's hospital pre-COVID to volunteer, there was a lot of red tape, and what you were delegated to do was essentially just socially interacting with the patients. Of course this can lead to a lot of meaningful interactions, but a paid job will let you see the more "real" side of medicine as well (e.g. I now see first-hand just how much paperwork goes into primary care), simply because it is paid work.

 

[toastedbutter]

I think usually a clinical job is better simply because you're given more responsibilities, so you have more to talk about/write about.

When I was onboarding at a children's hospital pre-COVID to volunteer, there was a lot of red tape, and what you were delegated to do was essentially just socially interacting with the patients. Of course this can lead to a lot of meaningful interactions, but a paid job will let you see the more "real" side of medicine as well (e.g. I now see first-hand just how much paperwork goes into primary care), simply because it is paid work.

continuing with this idea, is it okay to apply with ~1000hrs of paid clinical job but zero clinical volunteering? I have non clinical volunteering but all my clinical is paid or shadowing only

 

[LizzyM]

continuing with this idea, is it okay to apply with ~1000hrs of paid clinical job but zero clinical volunteering? I have non clinical volunteering but all my clinical is paid or shadowing only

Clinical experience can be paid or unpaid. Volunteering can be clinical or non-clinical. Some applicants like to kill two birds with one stone and do clinical volunteering but some adcom members seem to more highly value those applicants who do non-clinical volunteering plus paid clinical employment.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Clinical experience can be paid or unpaid. Volunteering can be clinical or non-clinical. Some applicants like to kill two birds with one stone and do clinical volunteering but some adcom members seem to more highly value those applicants who do non-clinical volunteering plus paid clinical employment.

Could one just do both clinical volunteering one day of the week (say Saturday) then nonclinical volunteering (say Sunday) on another day?

 

[LizzyM]

Could one just do both clinical volunteering one day of the week (say Saturday) then nonclinical volunteering (say Sunday) on another day?

Sure. You need non-clinical volunteering and you need clinical experience. What you describes covers those two "requirements".

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hey everyone! I had a question as to whether having a clinical job or clinical volunteering is better. I have clinical job planned for the fall, but was wondering if I should do clinical volunteering too as I have 100 hours of clinical volunteering from the past and 50 hours of shadowing. If I don't do clinical volunteering this fall, I will most likely do in the spring. Thank you all for the advice in advance!

It sounds like you have clinical exposure covered. Do you have community service?

 

[satdixon]

It sounds like you have clinical exposure covered. Do you have community service?

Yes! I have around 1500 hours of non-clinical community service

 

[LindaAccepted]

Yes! I have around 1500 hours of non-clinical community service

Sounds like that's well covered too. I'd take the job.