Going to katrina disaster site over winter break

[masterMood]

So i checked my mailbox at my college, and found that I could go to the Katrina disaster site to help out for a week during winter break. Now I'm a freshmen, and my motives for this is to actually help people out (not New Orleans but a bordering town), get something unique on my resume, and to show that I care about people. From a purely med. school interviewer's perspective how would this viewed compared to other "normal" activities like volunteering at the campus . In a sense I feel kind of guilty saying that it would look good on my record, and it probably would, but also, it's something i would really like to do. I'm curious if this is something that will make me into a more well-rounded person comeby interview time (applying for early assurance programs next year as a sophomore), because i haven't done anything my first semester here at college (breaking in you know). But I do need to be competitive, and in doing so amass as much experience possible (shadowing docs, research, teaching, volunteering, etc). The only problem I see is that as a freshmen, I have absolutely no experience in research whatsoever, so that damages my chances into most if any summer research program as it is.

Also realize that this would cost me like 500 dollars to go there, and it's for one week.

Yo' input?

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[wolfram241]

So i checked my mailbox at my college, and found that I could go to the Katrina disaster site to help out for a week during winter break. Now I'm a freshmen, and my motives for this is to actually help people out (not New Orleans but a bordering town), get something unique on my resume, and to show that I care about people. From a purely med. school interviewer's perspective how would this viewed compared to other "normal" activities like volunteering at the campus . In a sense I feel kind of guilty saying that it would look good on my record, and it probably would, but also, it's something i would really like to do. I'm curious if this is something that will make me into a more well-rounded person comeby interview time (applying for early assurance programs next year as a sophomore), because i haven't done anything my first semester here at college (breaking in you know). But I do need to be competitive, and in doing so amass as much experience possible (shadowing docs, research, teaching, volunteering, etc). The only problem I see is that as a freshmen, I have absolutely no experience in research whatsoever, so that damages my chances into most if any summer research program as it is.

Also realize that this would cost me like 500 dollars to go there, and it's for one week.

Yo' input?

Go for it. BTW, what organization is running this? Your school?

 

[masterMood]

It's endorsed by both my college and a regional Christian-based volunteer association. But it's mostly from a Christian-based volunteer association.

 

[Chris127]

Just make sure you have a sure place of where you want to go, or what shelter you want to assist in. I live in BR, and we dont really see the effects of katrina, other than the horrid traffic problems from the influx of people. I helped out for the first couple weeks right after the hurricane, but I am not sure if those shelters are still around. A lot of people are starting to go back to NO, others are just settling down in Houston (about 25% of displaced indivudals. ) So just make sure you have a place you want to go once you get down here.

 

[masterMood]

yeah everything is going to be organized (we're going to stay at a local church, with food/beds/etc)

 

[drmota]

So i checked my mailbox at my college, and found that I could go to the Katrina disaster site to help out for a week during winter break. Now I'm a freshmen, and my motives for this is to actually help people out (not New Orleans but a bordering town), get something unique on my resume, and to show that I care about people. From a purely med. school interviewer's perspective how would this viewed compared to other "normal" activities like volunteering at the campus . In a sense I feel kind of guilty saying that it would look good on my record, and it probably would, but also, it's something i would really like to do. I'm curious if this is something that will make me into a more well-rounded person comeby interview time (applying for early assurance programs next year as a sophomore), because i haven't done anything my first semester here at college (breaking in you know). But I do need to be competitive, and in doing so amass as much experience possible (shadowing docs, research, teaching, volunteering, etc). The only problem I see is that as a freshmen, I have absolutely no experience in research whatsoever, so that damages my chances into most if any summer research program as it is.

Also realize that this would cost me like 500 dollars to go there, and it's for one week.

Yo' input?

you'll be a shoe in at Tulane. do it.
-mota

 

[masterMood]

Did Tulane happen to get damaged by Katrina? I'm not sure if it was in the city or not

 

[wolfram241]

Did Tulane happen to get damaged by Katrina? I'm not sure if it was in the city or not

Check your inbox.

 

[ti89]

Wow so your a freshman and you have 600 some posts. I think you started coming on SDN a bit early.

 

[masterMood]

i think your mom started coming on a bit early. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...all stupidity aside, i think this website is good for motivation and collaboration on ideas. I came on what last year? I don't think that's too early considering all the early assurance programs there are for medicine. So to your comment on coming to early on SDN, I have no reason to explain myself why I want to be an informed pre-med. Besides, what made you come to SDN in the first place? Are you saying that you came on 1,2,3,4 years in college after you began to realize you don't know what to do.

Anyways, I'd appreciate any comments about doing this over winter break (anyone with previous experience doing something like this, etc)

 

[andi_cvr]

I actually participated in very similar trip. We were originally supposed to go to New Orleans to help with clean up over fall break, but they weren't ready for volunteers yet. So we went to Vidor, TX to clean up after Rita instead. It was a great experience. I got to move a whole lot of trees and meet some awesome people. It also opens your eyes to alot of things you may not have ever experienced before. I really encourage you to go on the trip.

 

[masterMood]

Definitely going from NY to Mississippi will be a new experience.