How important is clinical volunteering

[kgamon8]

I'm entering my junior year. Right now I volunteer at the local cat shelter and in the summers at a summer camp for kids and adults with developmental disabilities and a non profit for introducing technology to adults and teaching kids to code. None of these are clinical at all but attracted me because the hospital volunteer opportunities I saw were mainly desk work or checking patients in. With what I'm doing I actually feel like I'm benefitting the community. (Seriously the cat shelter is so rewarding especially nursing injured cats and seeing them get a home!!)

I will be working in an HIV clinic in the fall, but I'm getting paid so this is clinical but not volunteering. So my question is should I just volunteer at the hospital anyways? I feel kind of elitist saying I want to put my time elsewhere but I actually get such satisfaction out of my other volunteering

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[mwsapphire]

You need some patient contact. Try working as a CNA or scribe for a summer, or doing a gap year with clinical work.

 

[reaction mechanisms]

Volunteering in the hospital (even if just working the information desk) can be rewarding as well. I've had many awe inspiring moments in the hospital.


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[Catalystik]

I'm entering my junior year. Right now I volunteer at the local cat shelter and in the summers at a summer camp for kids and adults with developmental disabilities and a non profit for introducing technology to adults and teaching kids to code. None of these are clinical at all but attracted me because the hospital volunteer opportunities I saw were mainly desk work or checking patients in. With what I'm doing I actually feel like I'm benefitting the community. (Seriously the cat shelter is so rewarding especially nursing injured cats and seeing them get a home!!)

I will be working in an HIV clinic in the fall, but I'm getting paid so this is clinical but not volunteering. So my question is should I just volunteer at the hospital anyways? I feel kind of elitist saying I want to put my time elsewhere but I actually get such satisfaction out of my other volunteering

If you have clinical employment where you interact with current patients, you don't need clinical volunteering. Do you know what role you'll have with your job at the HIV clinic?

 

[Goro]

I'm entering my junior year. Right now I volunteer at the local cat shelter and in the summers at a summer camp for kids and adults with developmental disabilities and a non profit for introducing technology to adults and teaching kids to code. None of these are clinical at all but attracted me because the hospital volunteer opportunities I saw were mainly desk work or checking patients in. With what I'm doing I actually feel like I'm benefitting the community. (Seriously the cat shelter is so rewarding especially nursing injured cats and seeing them get a home!!)

I will be working in an HIV clinic in the fall, but I'm getting paid so this is clinical but not volunteering. So my question is should I just volunteer at the hospital anyways? I feel kind of elitist saying I want to put my time elsewhere but I actually get such satisfaction out of my other volunteering

What we want for you to learn is what you're getting into and show us that you wan to be around sick people for the next 30-40 years. Whether this info is gained by you being employed or volunteering doesn't matter. In fact, I'd say that being employed is even better in your case, because you have already demonstrated your altruism and humanism!

 

[kgamon8]

If you have clinical employment where you interact with current patients, you don't need clinical volunteering. Do you know what role you'll have with your job at the HIV clinic?

Counseling and rapid HIV testing

 

[Catalystik]

Counseling and rapid HIV testing

Will you be working with folks known to have HIV, or more with those who want to be screened to be sure they're OK?

 

[DameJulie]

It is important. Clinical volunteering/employment is the most accessible way UGs can get patient interaction. Shaping your career expectations early and keep sharpening your inter-personal skills as well as learning medical/non-medical stuffs are highly rewarding in this experience.

As far as EC goes, I would place clinical experience the #1 priority. It doesn't have to be all 4 years in your UG, but long and depth enough that you are comfortable reflecting upon it.

I learned a lot from my clinical experience. Some of these rewards aren't seen in other ECs. Seriously, if you want to become a doctor, the Adcoms expect you to have some exposure and participation in the field, right?

 

[kgamon8]

Will you be working with folks known to have HIV, or more with those who want to be screened to be sure they're OK?

I will be doing screening. So the blood tests. I will likely not interact ith HIV positive patients

 

[LizzyM]

I will be doing screening. So the blood tests. I will likely not interact ith HIV positive patients

You assume no one will test positive?? Will you be delivering the results of the tests?

 

[kgamon8]

You assume no one will test positive?? Will you be delivering the results of the tests?

What I meant was that I will not interact with patients who are known to be HIV positive; not helping them with a treatment plan. I will be administering tests and delivering results.

 

[LizzyM]

What I meant was that I will not interact with patients who are known to be HIV positive; not helping them with a treatment plan. I will be administering tests and delivering results.

You may need to deliver bad news and that is a very emotionally powerful experience; I would in no way downplay the clinical importance of that interaction.

 

[kgamon8]

You may need to deliver bad news and that is a very emotionally powerful experience; I would in no way downplay the clinical importance of that interaction.

Hi LizzyM! I wanted to go back to this post because now along with the HIV test site, I also work at the front desk of the health center, helping check patients in and referring them to services and handling records and phone calls. I see all kinds of students and faculty and have had meaningful interactions with international students and students going to our weekly transgender clinic. Is this clinical experience or just working at the desk?

 

[LizzyM]

Hi LizzyM! I wanted to go back to this post because now along with the HIV test site, I also work at the front desk of the health center, helping check patients in and referring them to services and handling records and phone calls. I see all kinds of students and faculty and have had meaningful interactions with international students and students going to our weekly transgender clinic. Is this clinical experience or just working at the desk?

You are helping check in PATIENTS. I presume you are in their close proximity and interacting with them face-to-face. That meets my definition.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

I would say your volunteer experiences show that you are a caring person but might have admissions wondering why medicine and not XYZ? are you 100% sure you would be sitting behind a desk at a clinic or is this just what you think will happen? I would try and add something more "medicine-y" so you can put forth a good argument for why you want to be a physician and not a vet or something else.