Concerned about enough volunteer hours at hospital...

[iatros13]

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Thanks to everyone who has responded to my posts in the past. I am nearing the end of undergrad now and not everything has panned out as planned. I am hoping to get a little input again.

My gpa now is about 3.6. I have not calculated my sgpa, but I failed a chem class 20 years ago and have attained As and Bs in recent ones (we will see what ORGO II spits me out with in a few weeks)... So sgpa is maybe 3.3 - 3.5 ish range. I still have classes to take, etc. - so that stuff isn't final.

What I need help with is my volunteering... I am wondering if the fact that I have worked full time (in a position with a lot of responsibility) during the last 3 years while going to school makes any difference with regard to the number of hours I have racked up at the hospital.

I think I have around 65+ hours at the hospital. During that time, I started in the ER helping out and later became involved in a project of helping connect patients to the hospitals online records system - which involved a lot of patient interaction (and less towel folding... lol). That time has been sporadic over the last couple years. I took time off for knee surgery and again when my grandmother was dealing with cancer. I have had to put a lot into Orgo Chem and physiology, so I haven't been able to squeeze the time in there lately.

I have also been volunteering as a small group teacher for the 1st-3rd graders at my church - its only about 4 hours or so a month, but its been over 4 years, so I am around the 200 hour mark with that.

I have one more year until I will be applying. I am working on setting up some shadowing time. I will be taking classes this summer - with a 2 month break for MCAT study. I then have full time classes this Fall and next Spring... taking the MCAT in the Spring.

Every time I take off work for something else - it gets a little rougher here. My boss has been great in that he lets me leave a little early a couple times a week for class, but after 3 years its wearing a little thin. I know I need to get shadowing hours in - and I am working on getting that set up.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I just wonder if I need to freak out about not having enough hours at the hospital? I am not a lazy person - I am on the go all the time really. I am also not trying to whine about it. I just know that every new commitment takes me more away from studying and doing well in my classes.

Any input on what I need to do as far as shadowing? Is this something where 30 to 40 hours is enough? Are adcoms going to be looking for a lot more than that?

Does working full time and taking between 10 to 13 hours each semester make a difference when it comes to looking at how many hours are put into ECs?

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[Apollo1]

From what I recall seeing in different threads, non-trads' are expected to rack up a decent number of EC volunteering hours; this especially pertains to clinical exposure, as that is often what is lacking with a non-trad's experiences. As to how many hours you currently have and whether its enough, I'll leave that for others to answer.

 

[Goro]

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities.

Thanks to everyone who has responded to my posts in the past. I am nearing the end of undergrad now and not everything has panned out as planned. I am hoping to get a little input again.

My gpa now is about 3.6. I have not calculated my sgpa, but I failed a chem class 20 years ago and have attained As and Bs in recent ones (we will see what ORGO II spits me out with in a few weeks)... So sgpa is maybe 3.3 - 3.5 ish range. I still have classes to take, etc. - so that stuff isn't final.

What I need help with is my volunteering... I am wondering if the fact that I have worked full time (in a position with a lot of responsibility) during the last 3 years while going to school makes any difference with regard to the number of hours I have racked up at the hospital.

I think I have around 65+ hours at the hospital. During that time, I started in the ER helping out and later became involved in a project of helping connect patients to the hospitals online records system - which involved a lot of patient interaction (and less towel folding... lol). That time has been sporadic over the last couple years. I took time off for knee surgery and again when my grandmother was dealing with cancer. I have had to put a lot into Orgo Chem and physiology, so I haven't been able to squeeze the time in there lately.

I have also been volunteering as a small group teacher for the 1st-3rd graders at my church - its only about 4 hours or so a month, but its been over 4 years, so I am around the 200 hour mark with that.

I have one more year until I will be applying. I am working on setting up some shadowing time. I will be taking classes this summer - with a 2 month break for MCAT study. I then have full time classes this Fall and next Spring... taking the MCAT in the Spring.

Every time I take off work for something else - it gets a little rougher here. My boss has been great in that he lets me leave a little early a couple times a week for class, but after 3 years its wearing a little thin. I know I need to get shadowing hours in - and I am working on getting that set up.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I just wonder if I need to freak out about not having enough hours at the hospital? I am not a lazy person - I am on the go all the time really. I am also not trying to whine about it. I just know that every new commitment takes me more away from studying and doing well in my classes.

Any input on what I need to do as far as shadowing? Is this something where 30 to 40 hours is enough? Are adcoms going to be looking for a lot more than that?

Does working full time and taking between 10 to 13 hours each semester make a difference when it comes to looking at how many hours are put into ECs?

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[westsidestoryz]

Thanks to everyone who has responded to my posts in the past. I am nearing the end of undergrad now and not everything has panned out as planned. I am hoping to get a little input again.

My gpa now is about 3.6. I have not calculated my sgpa, but I failed a chem class 20 years ago and have attained As and Bs in recent ones (we will see what ORGO II spits me out with in a few weeks)... So sgpa is maybe 3.3 - 3.5 ish range. I still have classes to take, etc. - so that stuff isn't final.

What I need help with is my volunteering... I am wondering if the fact that I have worked full time (in a position with a lot of responsibility) during the last 3 years while going to school makes any difference with regard to the number of hours I have racked up at the hospital.

I think I have around 65+ hours at the hospital. During that time, I started in the ER helping out and later became involved in a project of helping connect patients to the hospitals online records system - which involved a lot of patient interaction (and less towel folding... lol). That time has been sporadic over the last couple years. I took time off for knee surgery and again when my grandmother was dealing with cancer. I have had to put a lot into Orgo Chem and physiology, so I haven't been able to squeeze the time in there lately.

I have also been volunteering as a small group teacher for the 1st-3rd graders at my church - its only about 4 hours or so a month, but its been over 4 years, so I am around the 200 hour mark with that.

I have one more year until I will be applying. I am working on setting up some shadowing time. I will be taking classes this summer - with a 2 month break for MCAT study. I then have full time classes this Fall and next Spring... taking the MCAT in the Spring.

Every time I take off work for something else - it gets a little rougher here. My boss has been great in that he lets me leave a little early a couple times a week for class, but after 3 years its wearing a little thin. I know I need to get shadowing hours in - and I am working on getting that set up.

Sorry for the long explanation, but I just wonder if I need to freak out about not having enough hours at the hospital? I am not a lazy person - I am on the go all the time really. I am also not trying to whine about it. I just know that every new commitment takes me more away from studying and doing well in my classes.

Any input on what I need to do as far as shadowing? Is this something where 30 to 40 hours is enough? Are adcoms going to be looking for a lot more than that?

Does working full time and taking between 10 to 13 hours each semester make a difference when it comes to looking at how many hours are put into ECs?

Thanks in advance for the input.

From what I'm reading and by talking with some med students, around 100-175 hours of volunteer would put you at a good spot. But they also mentioned that you should have a strong clinical research experience to go along with it. I'm aiming for 300 but that might be overkill (Shadowing a physician in a hospital is very competitive)

You should also look into medical scribes. They're an excellent way to learn and get money while you study.

 

[iatros13]

Thanks everyone for the input!

My biggest problem is I just don't seem to have any time. I know most everyone here can sympathize with that. lol. I am trying to get set up with shadowing and will hopefully be able to put in enough time to keep me competitive! I had hopes of 100's of volunteer hours - but life just keeps on going even when you are *trying* to accomplish certain things. I could put everything off another year to volunteer more once school is out - and I will continue my efforts when I am finished with school - because I will be out of school during my app year. But I just feel like it is silly to wait for that reason... I guess how the MCAT turns out might direct me too. If I bomb it I will have a year to study and volunteer! (Geez - I hope that doesn't happen)

I just have to find some contentment with knowing I have given a lot to this effort. And even if I did not reach my exact goal - the efforts and sacrifice I have made will show. (OrgoII has taught me this! lol! - I feel like I am heading for a C, short of a miracle. Well - actually, the C might BE the miracle!)

 

[westsidestoryz]

Thanks everyone for the input!

My biggest problem is I just don't seem to have any time. I know most everyone here can sympathize with that. lol. I am trying to get set up with shadowing and will hopefully be able to put in enough time to keep me competitive! I had hopes of 100's of volunteer hours - but life just keeps on going even when you are *trying* to accomplish certain things. I could put everything off another year to volunteer more once school is out - and I will continue my efforts when I am finished with school - because I will be out of school during my app year. But I just feel like it is silly to wait for that reason... I guess how the MCAT turns out might direct me too. If I bomb it I will have a year to study and volunteer! (Geez - I hope that doesn't happen)

I just have to find some contentment with knowing I have given a lot to this effort. And even if I did not reach my exact goal - the efforts and sacrifice I have made will show. (OrgoII has taught me this! lol! - I feel like I am heading for a C, short of a miracle. Well - actually, the C might BE the miracle!)

Keep fighting! You seem to give your all so you'll be fine! Just remember the end goal will oh so sweet....

 

[Law2Doc]

There is no magic number required, and you should be looking at it less about hours logged and more about experiences gleaned. In a lot of ways this requirement is extremely important for your own sense of knowing what you are getting yourself into, because it's not for everyone. But Don't expect Adcoms to accept the fact that you are working as an excuse to not get adequate clinical experience though. They will expect the same from you as from the traditional 20 yo applicant.

 

[iatros13]

Thanks Law - I get what you are saying. I hope it didn't come across as me trying to use it as an excuse. It is more like accepting a reality for me.

There just isn't enough time to accomplish as much as I would like to. My hope is that some adcoms might see the work I have done as an "EC" in the sense I was a busy go-getter and not just being too lazy to share more of my time to the benefit of others. I actually DO spend a lot of time / effort helping others - it just tends to be more on a one-on-one level and not things that would make sense to put on a list like this.

Although I did get to talk to a lot of patients with the last activity I was doing at the hospital, I am really hoping that shadowing will be more enlightening with regard to clinical experience. I know I will spend a lot of time in hospitals, but ultimately, my goal is to be in family practice and I hope to see more what that is like on a daily basis.