do I need more ECs - volunteering, clinical shadowing, and community services

[Dukeassa]

First of all, thanks all for takign the time to read my post and sharing your thoughts.

already have ...
- 150 hours of clinical volunteerting across multiple departments - ER, nuclear medicine, and cath lab
- a decade old experience; 300 hours serving in-need children and orphans in a third-world country, where I'm originally from.
- as an undergraduate, did 300 hours of developmental biology research. Over 3000 hours (over 2 years) in cardiac stem cell research lab later as both a master's student and a paid employee.
- before college and decade ago, worked for 2 years in the management of a tour company; connected with many international companies for tour activities, which resulted in a great boom in the business. I don't know if it's relevant but I'll put this experience on the application for sure.

am currently ...
- a research associate/ tech in a cancer lab with over 1.5 years.
- an on-call volunteer with an international non-profit organization that fights child abuse and neglect. The thing with this is there's no formal way of collecting hours. You work from home and make flyers and posters. I can't even tell how many hours I should have.

tomorrow or next month....

- Next month, I'm quitting my cancer lab job to prepare for 2019 Spring MCAT.
- I am starting to shadow an attending anesthesiologist at a local children's hospital. according to the HR, I can do a max of 3 full days. so that will give me 24 hours at max. I'll also email other doctors here at the hospital for shadowing opportunities.
- I'll start a volunteer interpreter job at a local free clinic.

I'm also hoping to shadow a local DO physician in his private office in the next few months for the purpose of applying to DO schools since many require or prefer a letter from a DO physician.

Would multiple short like 20-40 hours of shadowing or clinical colunteering look bad on my application - DO and MD?

Thanks all for your time!!!

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[blanketstatement]

Be wary of including anything older than 4 years on your application. Although those experiences may be great and meaningful, adcoms want to see that you've been consistent (or progressing) in activities leading up to matriculation. It sounds like you have a lot of good experiences that have made you a well-rounded applicant but a few things that I would personally focus on if I were you:
1) More hands-on community service, something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Spending a lot of time with one organization might look better than having only 20-40 hours with multiple organizations IMHO.
2) Shadow more physicians across a variety of specialties, especially primary care.
3) Throughout this all, consider who will be willing to write you solid LORs.

Food for thought.

 

[LizzyM]

Be wary of including anything older than 4 years on your application. Although those experiences may be great and meaningful, adcoms want to see that you've been consistent (or progressing) in activities leading up to matriculation. It sounds like you have a lot of good experiences that have made you a well-rounded applicant but a few things that I would personally focus on if I were you:
1) More hands-on community service, something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Spending a lot of time with one organization might look better than having only 20-40 hours with multiple organizations IMHO.
2) Shadow more physicians across a variety of specialties, especially primary care.
<snip>.

This is not true! In particular, it is not true for non-trads over the age of 25.
The application may include up to 15 experiences including employment, volunteering, research, tutoring/teaching, publications, presentations, advocations, athletics, performing arts, etc.
You can combine multiple short stints of volunteering or leave them off the application in favor of longer-term activities.
You want to have something that shows that you have a servant's heart and that you not only want to help people but that you have acted on that impulse.
You want to have something that shows that you've been in a clinical setting and been face-to-face with patients.
You want to have something that shows that you have an idea of what a physician's work day/work week is like (shadowing is typical).

 

[Dukeassa]

Be wary of including anything older than 4 years on your application. Although those experiences may be great and meaningful, adcoms want to see that you've been consistent (or progressing) in activities leading up to matriculation. It sounds like you have a lot of good experiences that have made you a well-rounded applicant but a few things that I would personally focus on if I were you:
1) More hands-on community service, something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Spending a lot of time with one organization might look better than having only 20-40 hours with multiple organizations IMHO.
2) Shadow more physicians across a variety of specialties, especially primary care.
3) Throughout this all, consider who will be willing to write you solid LORs.

Food for thought.

Great! Thanks for your input

 

[Dukeassa]

This is not true! In particular, it is not true for non-trads over the age of 25.
The application may include up to 15 experiences including employment, volunteering, research, tutoring/teaching, publications, presentations, advocations, athletics, performing arts, etc.
You can combine multiple short stints of volunteering or leave them off the application in favor of longer-term activities.
You want to have something that shows that you have a servant's heart and that you not only want to help people but that you have acted on that impulse.
You want to have something that shows that you've been in a clinical setting and been face-to-face with patients.
You want to have something that shows that you have an idea of what a physician's work day/work week is like (shadowing is typical).

Thank you for your suggestions! What I am lacking at the moment is a letter from a physician talking about my characteristics and qualifications for becoming a doctor. I think the best way to get that is from shadowing and clinical exposures. Despite my clinical volunteer experiences, it was hard for me to stick with one physician since they were all different physicians each time I was there. I wonder if the admissions committee is aware that shadowing a physician is a rare opportunity and you almost have to have connections and on top of that, stay out of compliance with the hospital rules and regulations in order to accumulate a good chunk of hours.
I'm hoping to volunteer at that clinic for at least 6 months to accumulate significant amount.

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you for your suggestions! What I am lacking at the moment is a letter from a physician talking about my characteristics and qualifications for becoming a doctor. I think the best way to get that is from shadowing and clinical exposures. Despite my clinical volunteer experiences, it was hard for me to stick with one physician since they were all different physicians each time I was there. I wonder if the admissions committee is aware that shadowing a physician is a rare opportunity and you almost have to have connections and on top of that, stay out of compliance with the hospital rules and regulations in order to accumulate a good chunk of hours.
I'm hoping to volunteer at that clinic for at least 6 months to accumulate significant amount.

I don't know the requirements of every school but most allopathic schools don't expect a physician letter. DO schools do want you to have a letter from a DO but most other schools are satisfied with a committee letter or letters from 3 professors: 2 science & 1 non-science. I've also seen coaches, supervisors, and employers provide letters, particularly for non-trads.

 

[Goro]

I don't know the requirements of every school but most allopathic schools don't expect a physician letter. DO schools do want you to have a letter from a DO but most other schools are satisfied with a committee letter or letters from 3 professors: 2 science & 1 non-science. I've also seen coaches, supervisors, and employers provide letters, particularly for non-trads.

Just to clarify, while there are DO schools that require a DO LOR, most are happy with any clinician LOR, but are happier with a DO LOR. Not having one won't hurt, but having one will help.