Double counting volunteer experiences?

[Ferneezy]

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in the application, specifically the dentistry/shadowing experience, i have an item where i served both as an observer of dentistry and a volunteer of free labor...for which i checked both boxes.

since i self identified as a volunteer above is it bad form to cite the same experience in the ECs/volunteer/comm. service section?

 

[jeffity]

Here's my take...

The dental area is for admissions to see what experience/exposure you've had with dentistry.
The ECs are...ECs. What did you do besides study and a showcase of just how well-rounded you are.

Dental volunteering applies to both sections. You're not doubling-up; your answering the prompt. If they didn't want duplicate entries in ECs, they'd indicate that in the instructions. Like for work experience; they specifically tell you to not repeat items listed previously.

 

[UCSFx2017]

If it were at a private practice, I would not list it as volunteering. If it were at a clinic or outreach event, it should count as both shadowing and volunteering.

It does not matter if the labor were offered free by you. It is whether or not the organization or practice itself is non-profit/volunteer. I could offer my labor for free to Bain Capital through an unpaid internship but it would not be considered volunteering in the context of AADSAS. You should never self-identify yourself. That's pretty sneaky if you're trying to play with semantics.

 

[JamieP]

in the application, specifically the dentistry/shadowing experience, i have an item where i served both as an observer of dentistry and a volunteer of free labor...for which i checked both boxes.

since i self identified as a volunteer above is it bad form to cite the same experience in the ECs/volunteer/comm. service section?

The way I figured they wanted it was to put the dental related EC in that one category and other non-dental related EC in the "Extracurricular / Volunteer / Community Service"

I think it would be bad form. Do you repeat yourself in your resume?

 

[jeffity]

If it were at a private practice, I would not list it as volunteering. If it were at a clinic or outreach event, it should count as both shadowing and volunteering.

It does not matter if the labor were offered free by you. It is whether or not the organization or practice itself is non-profit/volunteer. I could offer my labor for free to Bain Capital through an unpaid internship but it would not be considered volunteering in the context of AADSAS.

Good call. I've heard a rant or two from admissions folk about dentists getting free labor.

 

[Ferneezy]

good points. to be clear, the dental volunteering/shadowing is at a community clinic.

however i've given it some thought and decided i'll leave it as is (in the dentistry section) and drop it from the ECs section. i already have other things that will drown it out.

 

[RaeRae0903]

When I called last year to ask if I should put my dental hygiene experience in as work experience or dental shadowing they basically said it didn't matter - just pick a section and put it into one of them. I wasn't told to put it into both - just one or the other as long as the experience was listed somewhere on the application...the location didn't actually matter. Hope that helps a little. 🙂