How do I classify my volunteering?

[tbddoc]

I have two volunteer experiences but I'm not sure what to classify them as.

The first is an elementary tutor in local underserved communities by my college, and I have about 100 hours in that, although I'm not sure if I should include driving time. If I were to include driving time it would be closer to 120-130 hours.

The second is a hospice volunteer, and usually I just sit in a chair and talk to the patient or keep them company. I technically can't "smell the patient" if I were to go by that general rule of thumb. Hopefully I'll get to 100 hours there (including driving, as the volunteer coordinator includes it) before applying.

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[Pile O' Nephritis]

#1 is Teaching/Tutoring/Mentoring

#2 is Non-Clinical Volunteering

EDIT: Other people more knowledgeable than me are saying Clinical Volunteering for #2

 

[Goro]

I consider volunteering in hospice to be clinical. And a very admirable activity as well. Very few of us are willing to get up close to our mortality

 

[LizzyM]

Smell is relative. The patient need not smell -- I'm only saying that you be in close proximity to them and not stocking shelves in the basement while the hospitalized patients are upstairs in their beds.

I'd say teaching/tutoring and clinical volunteering but I tend to be generous with the non-clinical volunteering category and would give you that for tutoring elementary school kids if it is unpaid and in a low income area where no one could afford to pay for tutoring.

 

[Catalystik]

I have two volunteer experiences but I'm not sure what to classify them as.

The first is an elementary tutor in local underserved communities by my college, and I have about 100 hours in that, although I'm not sure if I should include driving time. If I were to include driving time it would be closer to 120-130 hours.

The second is a hospice volunteer, and usually I just sit in a chair and talk to the patient or keep them company. I technically can't "smell the patient" if I were to go by that general rule of thumb. Hopefully I'll get to 100 hours there (including driving, as the volunteer coordinator includes it) before applying.

Don’t include driving time on the AMCAS application unless you break in down in the description.

 

[tbddoc]

Smell is relative. The patient need not smell -- I'm only saying that you be in close proximity to them and not stocking shelves in the basement while the hospitalized patients are upstairs in their beds.

I'd say teaching/tutoring and clinical volunteering but I tend to be generous with the non-clinical volunteering category and would give you that for tutoring elementary school kids if it is unpaid and in a low income area where no one could afford to pay for tutoring.

Yes, the tutoring is in a lower-income area for kids who usually have English as a second language and who would otherwise be unable to afford tutoring. It's a partnership my college has with the public schools in our county. I've gotten a lot of people saying tutoring but a lot of people saying I could put it down as nonclinical volunteering, so I haven't yet figured out which one to put.

 

[tbddoc]

Don’t include driving time on the AMCAS application unless you break in down in the description.

Ooo okay. For the hospice volunteering program they do include driving time in the total time spent volunteering, since you're assigned a patient anywhere in the county and you drive from your home, so commute times could take over an hour one way. Would it still not be included or need to be discussed in the discussion, and if so do the actual hours need to be broken down or just mentioned that the hours included driving time? Thank you!

 

[Catalystik]

Ooo okay. For the hospice volunteering program they do include driving time in the total time spent volunteering, since you're assigned a patient anywhere in the county and you drive from your home, so commute times could take over an hour one way. Would it still not be included or need to be discussed in the discussion, and if so do the actual hours need to be broken down or just mentioned that the hours included driving time? Thank you!

I would want to know the time you spent face-to-face with those you serve. Be as honest and transparent as you can in your description. Inflating those hours will not serve you well. I understand that you may not have kept a log breaking down those times, in which case you can offer a good-faith estimated percent of the time that represents travel.

 

[candbgirl]

Ooo okay. For the hospice volunteering program they do include driving time in the total time spent volunteering, since you're assigned a patient anywhere in the county and you drive from your home, so commute times could take over an hour one way. Would it still not be included or need to be discussed in the discussion, and if so do the actual hours need to be broken down or just mentioned that the hours included driving time? Thank you!

So how long do you visit or sit or interact with the hospice patient? If you are including 2 hours of driving and an hour of actual face to face contact, perhaps you need to,ask for places closer to home. I would find it frustrating to spend twice as much time in my car as with my patient.
And don’t use driving time for the tutoring gigs.
IMO, Using driving time is inflating your hours.

Good luck.

 

[tbddoc]

So how long do you visit or sit or interact with the hospice patient? If you are including 2 hours of driving and an hour of actual face to face contact, perhaps you need to,ask for places closer to home. I would find it frustrating to spend twice as much time in my car as with my patient.
And don’t use driving time for the tutoring gigs.
IMO, Using driving time is inflating your hours.

Good luck.

Gotcha! I spend 2-3 hours with the patient, and between 1-2 hours driving round trip, if that clarifies anything. Regardless, it's completely worth it for me - it's frustrating to drive as I hate driving but unfortunately there are limited options for locations, and I have already developed relationships with those I visit.

Thank you!

 

[LunaOri]

Volunteer hours are only those hours spent actually volunteering. Driving time does not count.