Clinical volunteering started in high school; how does it factor?

[stayathomemom]

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I've searched for this but I can't find a solution.
The general rule is that if it was an activity that was continued into college, you can list it, but I'm not sure if this applies because my volunteering experiences are non-consecutive (gaps between gigs) and in three different hospitals.
I started in a swing-bed unit at age 14, did a lot more volunteering in a outpatient surgery center at ages 16-17, and in college did other clinical volunteering. (I am currently doing more clinical volunteering in yet another hospital system.) I had direct patient interaction in all of these roles. I don't "need" the hours from the high school experiences, but I think it would add to the breadth of my experiences as it appears to the admissions committee. I can't remember the # of hours or start/stop dates anyway. This was way back in the day when we had paper logs for all of this.
If nothing else, I can talk about it in my PS.
Thoughts?

 

[Catalystik]

I've searched for this but I can't find a solution.
The general rule is that if it was an activity that was continued into college, you can list it, but I'm not sure if this applies because my volunteering experiences are non-consecutive (gaps between gigs) and in three different hospitals.
I started in a swing-bed unit at age 14, did a lot more volunteering in a outpatient surgery center at ages 16-17, and in college did other clinical volunteering. (I am currently doing more clinical volunteering in yet another hospital system.) I had direct patient interaction in all of these roles. I don't "need" the hours from the high school experiences, but I think it would add to the breadth of my experiences as it appears to the admissions committee. I can't remember the # of hours or start/stop dates anyway. This was way back in the day when we had paper logs for all of this.
If nothing else, I can talk about it in my PS.
Thoughts?

Best to mention the age 14 and age 16-17 clinical experiences in your PS as part of your "journey to medicine.".

 

[stayathomemom]

Best to mention the age 14 and age 16-17 clinical experiences in your PS as part of your "journey to medicine.".

Thank you so much, that's what I thought might be the case.

 

[Catalystik]

Thank you so much, that's what I thought might be the case.

Without solid dates and a contact to validate the experiences, you're better off not using the Activities section, anyway, even if the experiences had been contiguous with the college years and in a single institution.

 

[stayathomemom]

Without solid dates and a contact to validate the experiences, you're better off not using the Activities section, anyway, even if the experiences had been contiguous with the college years and in a single institution.

This makes me a bit nervous. I'm an older non-trad, and for many of my college-era experiences, I'm not sure there will even be a contact available. It's been 15-20 years for some of them. I certainly have more recent experiences, but my college ones are important to me, too (work history as I supported myself through college, leadership positions in clubs, etc). Are all of these experiences off the table now?

 

[Catalystik]

This makes me a bit nervous. I'm an older non-trad, and for many of my college-era experiences, I'm not sure there will even be a contact available. It's been 15-20 years for some of them. I certainly have more recent experiences, but my college ones are important to me, too (work history as I supported myself through college, leadership positions in clubs, etc). Are all of these experiences off the table now?

In your case, you might consider making grouped entries with minimal description, like Collegiate Experiences, Collegiate Employment, or whatever. Use yourself as the Contact if no more-objective person is possible (though employment records should be verifiable through a pay office). You should emphasize more recent experiences more, providing greater detail, but can at least provide the "flavor" of your college years.

 

[stayathomemom]

In your case, you might consider making grouped entries with minimal description, like Collegiate Experiences, Collegiate Employment, or whatever. Use yourself as the Contact if no more-objective person is possible (though employment records should be verifiable through a pay office). You should emphasize more recent experiences more, providing greater detail, but can at least provide the "flavor" of your college years.

Thank you again!