Hospital Volunteering and Shadowing

[KlondikeDelight]

Hi everyone,

Is there a required amount of hours that we must volunteer? I have around 90 volunteering hours but is that not enough?

I also have around 300 shadowing hours in a hospital (through a summer program), would this make up for me not making the volunteering quota?

Also on a somewhat related note if an activity involved a 50-50 split between shadowing and research and I have to pick one category (for example I pick research) how do I communicate that the activity involved shadowing as well?

Thank you!

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[deleted407021]

I cannot speak to the last question, but your volunteering is lacking. There is no set number of hours that you need, but most suggest at least 100 hours spread over 6 months to a year. That final point is most significant as commitment is something you need to show. One could theoretically get 100 hours of volunteering in one week, but that doesn't show long term commitment to an organization or cause. Volunteering may be clinical or non clinical, but you don't necessarily need to volunteer clinically; you only need exposure which could come from work, volunteering or research. Volunteering is important because it shows adcoms that you can be altruistic, or at least pretend to be.

300 hours of shadowing is more than enough, especially if it is with just one doctor. Between 50 and 100 hours spread around a variety of specialties is what is recommended.

 

[KlondikeDelight]

So does that mean that there is no "hospital volunteering" requirement? I just realized that I did not specify that I meant hospital volunteering in my initial question...sorry!

In that case would the hours I have from volunteering with refugees throughout undergrad (~270+ all 4 years) fulfill my volunteering requirement?

 

[deleted407021]

Yes and yes. You just need clinical exposure and the work with refugees has you more than covered for non clinical. Get some clinical experience somewhere; it doesn't have to be a hospital.

 

[KlondikeDelight]

Okay so does that mean that my volunteering hours are not lacking?

Also I thought you said I have more than enough clinical experience through shadowing a physician? I have many other shadowing experiences (4 more 25-50 hours each), but I just mentioned by largest. Sorry I just don't understand whether or not shadowing is clinical experience.

Thank you!

 

[Comeonhavefun]

I cannot speak to the last question, but your volunteering is lacking. There is no set number of hours that you need, but most suggest at least 100 hours spread over 6 months to a year. That final point is most significant as commitment is something you need to show. One could theoretically get 100 hours of volunteering in one week, but that doesn't show long term commitment to an organization or cause. Volunteering may be clinical or non clinical, but you don't necessarily need to volunteer clinically; you only need exposure which could come from work, volunteering or research. Volunteering is important because it shows adcoms that you can be altruistic, or at least pretend to be.

300 hours of shadowing is more than enough, especially if it is with just one doctor. Between 50 and 100 hours spread around a variety of specialties is what is recommended.

Honestly 40 hours of more of shadowing seems good enough now. Volunteer seems to be 200 hours required over a year and research at least 200 hours spread over a year. Shadowing is so you know how a doctor's day is like, volunteer is to show compassion/like helping people, and research is about your interest in medicine and science. This seems to be the basic requirement now compared to 20 years ago when volunteering and shadowing with research being an option.

Also non-clinical and clinical seems to not make a difference. Just that it is volunteer work.

 

[deleted407021]

Honestly 40 hours of more of shadowing seems good enough now. Volunteer seems to be 200 hours required over a year and research at least 200 hours spread over a year. Shadowing is so you know how a doctor's day is like, volunteer is to show compassion/like helping people, and research is about your interest in medicine and science. This seems to be the basic requirement now compared to 20 years ago when volunteering and shadowing with research being an option.

Aye. I myself will have over 600 hours of clinical and maybe 200 non clinical (tutoring). Perhaps a bit of research. Exceeding the bare minimum is a good thing.

 

[KlondikeDelight]

Honestly 40 hours of more of shadowing seems good enough now. Volunteer seems to be 200 hours required over a year and research at least 200 hours spread over a year. Shadowing is so you know how a doctor's day is like, volunteer is to show compassion/like helping people, and research is about your interest in medicine and science. This seems to be the basic requirement now compared to 20 years ago when volunteering and shadowing with research being an option.

Also non-clinical and clinical seems to not make a difference. Just that it is volunteer work.

Okay so I am all covered! Thank you!

 

[Comeonhavefun]

Aye. I myself will have over 600 hours of clinical and maybe 200 non clinical (tutoring). Perhaps a bit of research. Exceeding the bare minimum is a good thing.

I think research now takes precedent over everything. 200 hours of research might be a low estimate, but volunteering seems like 200 hours is fine. Volunteer work is required but isn't really critiqued. Whether it is the zoo, hospital, or Goodwill it is all looked at the same unless you have no social skills and cannot explain it in an interview. Shadowing seems like it is just something to have on your app now that is required. Med schools now just say hey you will figure it out in your 2nd or 3rd year of med school.

You will be grilled on your research in interviews.

(My posts aren't based on top 10 schools. They are based on the average MD school.)

 

[KlondikeDelight]

I think research now takes precedent over everything. 200 hours of research might be a low estimate, but volunteering seems like 200 hours is fine. Volunteer work is required but isn't really critiqued. Whether it is the zoo, hospital, or Goodwill it is all looked at the same unless you have no social skills and cannot explain it in an interview. Shadowing seems like it is just something to have on your app now that is required. Med schools now just say hey you will figure it out in your 2nd or 3rd year of med school.

You will be grilled on your research in interviews.

(My posts aren't based on top 10 schools. They are based on the average MD school.)

What does "grilled" on research mean? I understand my research and I can talk about it but I am certainly not able to talk about it like my PI. I can communicate it effectively to my peers and professors is this enough?

 

[Comeonhavefun]

What does "grilled" on research mean? I understand my research and I can talk about it but I am certainly not able to talk about it like my PI. I can communicate it effectively to my peers and professors is this enough?

Expect multiple questions on it., which is standard. Just like expect multiple questions on ethics or if you have any D/Fs on your record there will be multiple questions about that.

 

[KlondikeDelight]

Expect multiple questions on it., which is standard. Just like expect multiple questions on ethics or if you have any D/Fs on your record there will be multiple questions about that.

Thank you!

 

[familyaerospace]

You will be grilled on your research in interviews.

Not necessarily. I have been on 7 medical school interviews... my research has never been mentioned. I have thousands of hours, designed my own project and have publications plus a letter from my PI and a committee member.

I WISH they had asked about my research!