ECs, volunteering, research, clinical experience...where do I start?

[Ihave Nonamè]

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I have nothing. I currently work part time in a non-related field. I'm a CC student and will be for another year before transferring to a 4 year.

I need to start planning this all out. I want meaningful experiences that are seen as valuable by admissions committees.

It sounds like I need research, community volunteer hours, clinical volunteer hours and physician shadowing hours. I have many outside interests and hobbies but am not on any organized teams or clubs.

I assume I can't ask professors at CC about research positions... I'm particularly interested in fertility research and cancer research.

Any volunteer programs you'd recommend? Anything traveling overseas for a week to build schools or teach? Or should I find something more long term?...

Give me any advice you have. Thanks

 

[futuremdforme]

No travel - it's trying to buy your way into med school. It's also generally not very helpful for the people you are supposedly trying to help as it means they fail to build meaningful economies where they train and pay people to provide such services.

I would just find a hospital or other clinical volunteering gig that you can do 3-4 hours a week consistently. If you have to move for your college, that's fine, just find something new. Consistency is the key.

Then find research once you transfer.

And no matter what, focus on keeping your GPA up!

 

[physgal]

Start asking around for clinics that will allow you to help out without a ton of experience. Same for volunteer clinics. You don't need research and frankly research positions can be hard to come by. I was accepted to both MD and DO this cycle without research.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

If you want to be a doctor, med schools want to see you've been exposed to medicine. First and foremost, volunteer at a hospital to get clinical hours. Plan on at least 300 minimum before applying to school.

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

For sure get clinical and volunteer experience. At least one of those needs to be medically related and volunteering for underserved populations is very helpful for both your application and society. You don't need research...I too got accepted into both DO and MD schools without any research whatsoever. You don't need to do anything extreme like traveling overseas (but if that is a passion of yours go for it). Just volunteer somewhere and stick with it. School want to see that you are committed to serving others and they easily sniff out when people do service just because it looks good.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

Well, my GPA probably won't be the highest. I still have several classes to get through but don't think I can get into the high 3s.

I need to impress in other ways. Also, research just doesn't sound too bad to me...

 

[Goro]

I have nothing. I currently work part time in a non-related field. I'm a CC student and will be for another year before transferring to a 4 year.

I need to start planning this all out. I want meaningful experiences that are seen as valuable by admissions committees.

It sounds like I need research, community volunteer hours, clinical volunteer hours and physician shadowing hours. I have many outside interests and hobbies but am not on any organized teams or clubs.

I assume I can't ask professors at CC about research positions... I'm particularly interested in fertility research and cancer research.

Any volunteer programs you'd recommend? Anything traveling overseas for a week to build schools or teach? Or should I find something more long term?...

Give me any advice you have. Thanks

First off, the need for research is vastly overrated, except for the Top Schools. While it's nice that you learn about the scientific method, your primary concern, especially as a non-trad, is to get in shadowing, and patient contact experience. Do NOT go overseas! This is viewed as "medical tourism".

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.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you. And get off campus and out of your comfort zone!

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.