Getting Volunteer Hours with Limited Availability

Started by Impulse1578
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
I

Impulse1578

Full Member
10+ Year Member
I am currently working on going back to school to get my DPT, taking some pre-requisite classes that I need before I can do so, as well as working a full time job during the week. I am trying to find volunteer opportunities to, but I am limited to the weekends and I am having a hard time finding volunteer opportunities. If anyone has any suggestions on ways or locations in the Dallas area where I could do volunteer hours, I would really appreciate it.
 
Did you check the rehab departments of hospitals? They're often operating 6 days/week and of course hospitals are 24/7/365. The bulk of my hours was done on weekends.
 
jblil said:
Did you check the rehab departments of hospitals? They're often operating 6 days/week and of course hospitals are 24/7/365. The bulk of my hours was done on weekends.
Click to expand...

Check there or call around to local PT clinics in your city/town! Some PT clinics are open on Saturdays! The one I worked for in South Texas was open 6 days/wk!
 
Hospitals will probably be your best bet. Therapists often work 7 on/7off. From there you can start making connections through your mentors, see if they know anyone that works weekends.
 
I shadow at a large hospital, and the hospital pt inpatient does not usually take observers or volunteers on the weekend, primarily because not many physical therapists work on the weekends. It may differ at other hospitals so I would check around at the hospitals. If not, I have seen a few outpatient centers that are open on Saturdays...to better accomodate some of their patients schedules. I have seen none open on Sunday. Also many outpatient centers are open until 8pm, some until 9pm to also better accomodate some patients. I do not live in Texas so it may be different there. Good luck.
 
I was able to get weekend hours in at an inpatient rehab hospital as well as a nursing home. Most places like those have PT 7 days a week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.