Hospital volunteer w/lots of paid clinic experience

[umbrellalalala]

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Hi everyone! I need some advice. I have been working at a spine clinic for almost 6 years. Recently, I decided to try hospital volunteering, and while I don't mind re-stocking patient rooms, cleaning gurneys, getting patients blankets, etc, I'm just not sure if hospital volunteering is necessary for me. I currently work 40+ weeks in addition to a few volunteer activities (which I absolutely LOVE).

My question is this: do you think it would be wise to continue with hospital volunteering? The commitment is 64 hours (4 hrs/wk for 4 mo.), but I already have almost 6 years of clinical experience. I feel like putting down 64 hours of hospital volunteering amongst my thousands of hours of paid clinical experience would just look...for lack of a better word, weird...

Like I said, I don't mind doing hospital work, but I could be doing other volunteer activities. Keep in mind, I work a full time job and have three other volunteer activities. There are other volunteer activities I really want to do also. For example, I want to get involved in a local organization that works with women in abusive relationships, mainly because my mother was in an abusive relationship. Whereas, I don't really have a personal reason to volunteer at the hospital except for interest in how the hospital system works (I only have experience in an outpatient setting).

Opinions on whether I should keep at it or just stop?

 

[claduva94]

How much patient interaction does the volunteering include?

 

[YourMD]

Sounds like you have enough clinical volunteer experience and more importantly you have something meaningful to chat about during your interviews. I would find an experience that you enjoy and continue with that throughout your application season.

 

[umbrellalalala]

I would say... 1-2 hrs of patient contact for every 4 hrs. Contact is usually with patients being discharged or patients in the hallway waiting to be put in a room.

 

[claduva94]

In that case, if you already have substantial patient interaction, the return on volunteering is not worth it.

 

[umbrellalalala]

Thanks for the input, you two! I do have one more worry. All together, I think I only have 5 activities (total so far) to put on my AMCAS (for next year's application cycle). I know quality is stressed over quantity, but do you think having such a low number of activities will hurt me? I have worked for 6 years. I have done one activity for almost 2 years now. Another one for one year. And the others I would have done for one year by next app cycle.

 

[Lamel]

Hospital volunteering seems like a waste of time if you have that much clinical experience. Volunteer at some other places that truly need you.

 

[claduva94]

Thanks for the input, you two! I do have one more worry. All together, I think I only have 5 activities (total so far) to put on my AMCAS (for next year's application cycle). I know quality is stressed over quantity, but do you think having such a low number of activities will hurt me? I have worked for 6 years. I have done one activity for almost 2 years now. Another one for one year. And the others I would have done for one year by next app cycle.

I don't think it will hurt you if you have great experiences but I also think you may be overlooking activities. Anything since you started college is fair game, so it may be worth including a few small activities too.

 

[LizzyM]

If you can manage 4 hrs/wk for 4 mos it might be worth it to learn something about inpatient services given that your employment has been in an outpatient setting.

Five activities does appear very light. Not every experience needs to have a connection to medicine and it helps set you apart from other applicants.

 

[Catalystik]

Have you included your hobbies and artistic endeavors on that list of five activities?

 

[Planes2Doc]

You have plenty of clinical experience already. I might try to get an attractive round number of hospital volunteering hours, maybe 100? Then make sure you pick up some non-clinical volunteering to add a little bit of spice to your application. I think that abusive relationship commitment sounds good, especially since it's something your mother has experienced. Good luck!

 

[umbrellalalala]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I really appreciate it! I think for now I will try to find another hospital volunteer position that has a smaller commitment per week. I did not include everything from the start of college or any hobbies. I worked at a mailing company for a little over a year. I started out as a part time file clerk, but then worked my way up to a sales secretary. Should I add that to my application as well? I also dog-sit, but this is a pretty sporadic gig and maybe only happens about once every one or two months. I also neglected to include shadowing (I have no idea why)...so if all of this is okay to put on my application, I guess I do have more than 5 activities! As far as hobbies...I'm not sure they would be conducive to my application. Let's see...golf, karaoke (seriously), learning to cook easy and healthy meals...

 

[hoihaie]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I really appreciate it! I think for now I will try to find another hospital volunteer position that has a smaller commitment per week. I did not include everything from the start of college or any hobbies. I worked at a mailing company for a little over a year. I started out as a part time file clerk, but then worked my way up to a sales secretary. Should I add that to my application as well? I also dog-sit, but this is a pretty sporadic gig and maybe only happens about once every one or two months. I also neglected to include shadowing (I have no idea why)...so if all of this is okay to put on my application, I guess I do have more than 5 activities! As far as hobbies...I'm not sure they would be conducive to my application. Let's see...golf, karaoke (seriously), learning to cook easy and healthy meals...

any of those hobbies you can add so that your application paints you as an actual well rounded human being with interests outside of medicine