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Hospital volunteering: Big vs. Small
- Thread starter Moxess
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Yes, I would only volunteer in the ER. You will see a little bit of everything and will not be stapling papers for your whole shift like other departments. "close-knit volunteer group", I have never experienced this phenomenon. As long as you are outgoing, with a good attitude, and express to others (nurses, PAs, Doctors, Techs) that you actually want to learn you will do fine. I volunteered in the ER on saturday night and got to put stitches in someone. I have been there ~120 hours volunteering so don't expect anybody to put their butt on the line for you until you get to know them very well. good luck. 
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I've volunteered in both types.
The big hospital is far more structured and sort of keeps me away from patients more.. they don't want me to be a liability and get them sued. In the ~4 weeks I've been volunteering, I've touched a patient exactly once, and it was just to slide her further up in bed so she could get comfortable. Patients here are often with insurance and few expenses were spared.
At the small hospital, things were often slow and we had no really interesting or important cases (the major trauma center was just down the street at the major academic hospital). I'd get hands on with patients often. Patients here are often without insurance or otherwise in a low socioeconomic class. Treatment given by doctors was often creative, out of consideration for the patients' ability to pay.
Easy answer: volunteer at both. If you can only choose one, go with the one you see yourself working at in the future. You'll get experience at the major academic hospital during medical school and residency.
The big hospital is far more structured and sort of keeps me away from patients more.. they don't want me to be a liability and get them sued. In the ~4 weeks I've been volunteering, I've touched a patient exactly once, and it was just to slide her further up in bed so she could get comfortable. Patients here are often with insurance and few expenses were spared.
At the small hospital, things were often slow and we had no really interesting or important cases (the major trauma center was just down the street at the major academic hospital). I'd get hands on with patients often. Patients here are often without insurance or otherwise in a low socioeconomic class. Treatment given by doctors was often creative, out of consideration for the patients' ability to pay.
Easy answer: volunteer at both. If you can only choose one, go with the one you see yourself working at in the future. You'll get experience at the major academic hospital during medical school and residency.
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Read my words: S M A L L!!!!!
I don't know what it is with pre-meds that they all like volunteering at the big hospital where they're relegated to observer status watching paint dry on the walls. At the smaller hospitals, because they don't have many volunteers and probably smaller staffs, you get to do things you'd never do at the big hospitals. At the clinic I volunteer at, I take vitals, clean wounds, bandage wounds after the doctor has seen them, go over charts with the nurses so they can explain things to me, talk to the patients in their rooms if I want. At the big hospital, I'd be making charts and changing sheets all day.
Also, at the small hospital, since there aren't many of us, I'm on the first-name basis with the doctors (well, they call me by the first name. I always call them Dr. so and so) and they let me shadow from time to time. It's great because I get my volunteering and my shadowing in in one shift instead of having to find someone to shadow at another time.
I don't know what it is with pre-meds that they all like volunteering at the big hospital where they're relegated to observer status watching paint dry on the walls. At the smaller hospitals, because they don't have many volunteers and probably smaller staffs, you get to do things you'd never do at the big hospitals. At the clinic I volunteer at, I take vitals, clean wounds, bandage wounds after the doctor has seen them, go over charts with the nurses so they can explain things to me, talk to the patients in their rooms if I want. At the big hospital, I'd be making charts and changing sheets all day.
Also, at the small hospital, since there aren't many of us, I'm on the first-name basis with the doctors (well, they call me by the first name. I always call them Dr. so and so) and they let me shadow from time to time. It's great because I get my volunteering and my shadowing in in one shift instead of having to find someone to shadow at another time.
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I volunteer in a small hospital and get to do tons. At the same time we do not see much trauma so alot of what I do is not extremely exciting. Just humble yourself and be friendly. If they ask you to run samples to the lab, do it. If they ask you to clean a room, do it. You have to get on their good side if you want to get some real volunteer work. When they call in a trauma over the radio get ready to go to the trauma room as soon as they are wheeling them in just to watch. You don't necessarily have to ask for permission, just do it.
