Good Volunteering/Shadowing

[beckhunter116]

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Hello All. So I am really interested when people say I have "good EC/Vol/Shadowing" how many hours are they really talking about. I know quantity isn't everything, so if you all want to give a small description about the hours that would be great.

I try to look at everyone's MDapps that are with there screenname, but some people are pretty vague with there description.

 

[robynrich]

Hello All. So I am really interested when people say I have "good EC/Vol/Shadowing" how many hours are they really talking about. I know quantity isn't everything, so if you all want to give a small description about the hours that would be great.

I try to look at everyone's MDapps that are with there screenname, but some people are pretty vague with there description.

I did about three weeks of full-time shadowing (forty hours a week). It was a hospital program where we were selected for the program and all got paid for the shadowing. In my case, I hope that ADCOMS don't necessarily love that I had a lot of hours, but that I got to see a lot of specialties (about fifteen).

 

[cliquesh]

Most volunteering jobs are not really worth it, at least from my experience. But I'd recommend being an HIV consoler, I thought it was a lot of fun and it gave me a ton of patient interaction. You usually have to take a 4 day educational program and work once or twice a week.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Here's my $.02, do what you're passionate about and will enjoy doing. When you're doing your Volunteer/Shadow time ask questions and make observations about the true state of healthcare, where you see yourself plugging into the system, etc. Again just my $.02.😀

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Don't do something because your passionate about it. Do something that will expose you to health care. Go to a busy trauma ER and volunteer. Do **** work. Work hard. And get to see some real medicine. You'll know in a hurry if you really want to do this.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Ok, my point here was to do something that the OP will enjoy and be able to glean valuable experience from. Most ERs don't allow for you to do more than to watch or do busy work as the OP has already found out, Trauma Centers included. Anyway, once again this is my $.02 based on experience from working in a Trauma Center and also being a Medic.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I also worked in a trauma center, as a volunteer and an employee. You have to create your own opportunities. Once they get to know you and trust you, they'll let you do more.

For me, I started showing up late nights on the weekend for my volunteer shift. None of the administrative people are around, and it is much more laid back. I worked my ass off, and they loved me for it. That's the key though. Don't be a douchebag volunteer that just wants to gawk at the trauma stats and get in the way. Make yourself useful.

Eventually, I got an e-mail from the volunteer coordinator, asking me if I was coming in at these late hours. I said yes. She told me "well, if its okay with them, its okay with me"

After doing that for a while, they offered me a job.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

I also worked in a trauma center, as a volunteer and an employee. You have to create your own opportunities. Once they get to know you and trust you, they'll let you do more.

For me, I started showing up late nights on the weekend for my volunteer shift. None of the administrative people are around, and it is much more laid back. I worked my ass off, and they loved me for it. That's the key though. Don't be a douchebag volunteer that just wants to gawk at the trauma stats and get in the way. Make yourself useful.

Eventually, I got an e-mail from the volunteer coordinator, asking me if I was coming in at these late hours. I said yes. She told me "well, if its okay with them, its okay with me"

After doing that for a while, they offered me a job.

I'm glad that you were able to get this to work for you. Yes, I absolutely agree that if given the chance you do have to create your own opportunities, and hopefully the OP will have the medical certification to go with being able to get a job in the ER if that's his goal. As you and I both know, medicine is becoming more and more regulated in regards to HIPPA and certification (sadly due to the legal issues now as well). That's not an excuse, I believe we both agree the OP just needs to create his own opportunities or find that area that will work well for him for the experience he wants.

 

[NPEMTIV]

Don't do something because your passionate about it. Do something that will expose you to health care. Go to a busy trauma ER and volunteer. Do **** work. Work hard. And get to see some real medicine. You'll know in a hurry if you really want to do this.

I disagree. Follow your passions. You'll get the exposure. The difference is if you're passionate about it you'll be more willing to put in the long hours, do the hard work, and you'll shine more for it. ER isn't the only field that sees 'real medicine'. Whatever fields have interested you in the past, spend some time volunteering in them. Show a genuine interest and you'll be happier, and impress more people.

 

[beckhunter116]

I am already volunteering at a low-income health clinic in a major metropolitan area. I love what I am doing and they are allowing me to do more and more each week as I progess. It is a very hands on experience. And I have previous volunteering that is more related to social services b/c when I was younger I planned on going to grad school for psychology.

I was more posting because I was curious how many hours of volunteering/shadowing that they had.

I had wanted to get into the ER at a local hospital and they had no openings for volunteering or jobs. They regulate what time you could come in and were very strict. It's wonderful you were able to find the situation you had. I am so glad that I had to look for other positions though because the clinic is very good about letting me ask questions, observe procedures, and run simple tests. It's probably because they have some med-students, and PA-students so they are very good about teaching things.

 

[DannMann99]

Don't do something because your passionate about it. Do something that will expose you to health care. Go to a busy trauma ER and volunteer. Do **** work. Work hard. And get to see some real medicine. You'll know in a hurry if you really want to do this.

This coming from the guy with a bottle up his ass and a plastic hip... 👎

You guys working on Immuno stuff down in the GA?
Here in PA im a little tired of hearing about stuff i cant see.