How important is it that I volunteer at the hospital this semester?

[steelersfan1243]

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I am currently a rising senior who intends to apply this upcoming Spring. As of right now the only clinical hours I have are EMT volunteering with my school's organization which I stopped this past fall semester since I had too many other responsibilities to uphold. I kept telling myself I was going to volunteer this upcoming semester however, looking at my current obligations:

Classes, research, Chemistry tutor, club founder and president, and a work study I honestly do not know how I can fit it into my schedule. I am taking my MCAT in October which is taking a majority of my time as well. Is it bad if I were to start volunteering this Spring semester instead? How bad is it for the lack of clinical hours, I mostly want to go to medical school for research purposes, can I play that heavily in my application? I only have 2o shadowing hours as well. Thanks for the help.

 

[ciestar]

How many hours do you have with EMT? Lack of clinical hours seems to be lethal on an application.

 

[steelersfan1243]

The thing about emt school volunteering is you do three 12 hr shifts a month, some taking even more, I have well over 500hrs technically but I honestly have an hour at most of real time emt work, so I don't even value my emt hours.

Also is there anywhere else I can do clinical other than a hospital? I am volunteering at my townships emt this spring, but hospital requires a lengthy application due next week so I doubt I can get it in time or be chosen from the pool since I can only volunteer weekends if that

 

[sunflower18]

You could try hospice or free clinic volunteering! I've heard good things about the amount of patient care you can get at those types of places. As for your question, I think it'd look better to volunteer the whole year instead of trying to cram a bunch of clinical experience into a single semester. But if it will cause your grades to drop, it's probably not worth it.

 

[steelersfan1243]

You could try hospice or free clinic volunteering! I've heard good things about the amount of patient care you can get at those types of places. As for your question, I think it'd look better to volunteer the whole year instead of trying to cram a bunch of clinical experience into a single semester. But if it will cause your grades to drop, it's probably not worth it.

Thanks for the advice. I did look into hospice care, but they required a car since the nearest patient was a 30 minute drive, which I did not have. Clinical volunteering sounds like it might work, I'll look into it now. I don't if its a matter of whether my grades will drop, I honestly just do not see how I can fit it into my schedule at all.

 

[Kochanie]

Thanks for the advice. I did look into hospice care, but they required a car since the nearest patient was a 30 minute drive, which I did not have. Clinical volunteering sounds like it might work, I'll look into it now. I don't if its a matter of whether my grades will drop, I honestly just do not see how I can fit it into my schedule at all.

Look into volunteering at a place where you can schedule yourself for shifts during breaks.

 

[steelersfan1243]

Look into volunteering at a place where you can schedule yourself for shifts during breaks.

That honestly would be perfect, are you familiar with any clinical volunteering positions like that? I was thinking free clinics might be like that, hence why I am interested.

 

[Kochanie]

That honestly would be perfect, are you familiar with any clinical volunteering positions like that? I was thinking free clinics might be like that, hence why I am interested.

Yup, the free clinic I volunteer is like that (translator/random assignments). Keep looking. 🙂

 

[chillinillinkillin007]

hours don't matter. what'd u get out of the experience. do YOU feel you have enough clinical exposure to dedicate your life to medicine?