Community Service question

[GVL3]

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How do you answer questions on secondaries asking about community service when the only volunteering you've done is done is at hospitals. My slate was pretty full in college, working for my campus newspaper for four years, playing ultimate frisbee for our college team and tutoring (paid) along with volunteering at hospitals, so I just didn't have enough time to get into any community service.

Basically, do you just say you didn't participate in any and list the reasons why or do you try to use a hospital experience as a substitute (even though a question on Maryland's secondary asks for both clinical and community service)?

Advice would be appreciated!

 

[GVL3]

anyone?

 

[GiantGiantsFan]

volunteering at hospitals is definitely community service, if you ask me. i see no reason why you cannot spend the bulk of the essay talking about your work in hospitals. you could emphasize the dual purpose such experiences served: 1) they prepared you for life as a physician, and 2) they exposed to you the rewards of helping others. if they ask for both clinical and community volunteer work, throw in a short paragraph about things youve done in the community. surely, youve done a few voluntary activities directed towards general goodwill in the past four years, no? even if the activities were only a few hours or so each. think hard.

it could depend on the specific question. hope this helps.