How long do hospitals take to call you back?

[OttawaPremed88]

I sent in my application for volunteering about a month ago. They said jobs were first come, first serve. I went to speak to them about two weeks ago and told them I wouldn't be available for an interview during Christmas Break if they were going to grant me one, because I would be home, but I mainly went because I wanted an update on whats going on. She (the woman that was sitting at the table in front of the many applications) said she hadn't gotten my application yet and was working on them. Even if they do seem to have a lot of applications, should I go AGAIN and see whats going on, and ask them if they had maybe decided not to interview me? If I've been denied, I'd like to look somewhere else to volunteer and would like that update. BTW, keep in mind my references were awesome (well, I like to think so), and I don't think they'd deny me an interview because, i reiterate, they were really good references. Yet, will coming in for a second time and checking up on whats taking so long make me look like a unrealistic pushy jerk (which I may or may not be)? I don't really want to risk that, because the woman who spoke to me when I came in last time was really rubbing it in that I need to wait and not come waste their time.

In summary, the only issue is that I would like them to tell me if they decided I wasn't worthy of them calling me back, and they had rejected without giving me an update, so that I don't put all my eggs in one basket. But at the same time, I don't want to risk being denied a volunteer position because they thought I was pushy little premed punk.

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[OttawaPremed88]

Sure is dead in this thread.

 

[0Complications]

I think you should do two things.

1) Keep on them about the position. Obviously, not daily, but if the last time you were there or talked to them was two weeks ago then call them or go there again.

2) Start to call other hospitals in the area.


It's like applying to med school. You don't apply to just one at a time. You apply to a lot of them and see who bites.

Good luck!

 

[OttawaPremed88]

I think you should do two things.

1) Keep on them about the position. Obviously, not daily, but if the last time you were there or talked to them was two weeks ago then call them or go there again.

2) Start to call other hospitals in the area.


It's like applying to med school. You don't apply to just one at a time. You apply to a lot of them and see who bites.

Good luck!

Thanks. Will do!

 

[kypdurron5]

Lol! It took me the better part of 4 months between first contact and my first day of volunteering. This was due to several factors, but I was relatively proactive during the whole process. My only tip is to actually get your face in theirs- show them you're not just another piece of paper. Another way to go about it would be to circumvent the volunteer office and make contact with some nurse managers. You can let them know you're in the process of applying, and you're looking for which departments could use another volunteer. If you find one that is, you can then go back to the volunteer office and say you've already spoken with nurse manager X in department XYZ and they're willing to let you volunteer there. That gives them incentive to push your paperwork along since you no longer need them to place you. Every hospital will be a bit different, but those are some of my suggestions.

BTW- the same thing was true of me applying for a (real) job there. I submitted my application and gave up hope after a month or so. 3-4 months later I'm in the middle of my new plan (a CNA class) and I get a call for an interview. A few weeks later I had a fantastic hospital job. This story is the same for almost everyone in my department; the people who got interviews a few weeks earlier only succeeded because they called repeatedly and managed to talk to the right people (shift supervisor, department manager, etc.).

If you don't have any physician family members or friends of the family this whole clinical-EC thing can be awful. I started making a list of all the places I tried and failed to get a volunteer/shadowing position at. I would say that by the end the list was 10x bigger than my actual EC list. Just hang in there!

 

[Piyush]

Why is it so hard for ya guys to find a volunteer spot? Specially at a hospital, where there is always something to do...

I got my first volunteer spot in a couple of hours. I called in to the volunteer coordinator, told her I wanted to volunteer, and if I could come over to her office in a few minutes. I went there, and we talked. I had my immunization records filled up the next day by my doc, the two step TB test later that week, and I was volunteering the day after that.

Being pre-meds, you must have all realized that being like others just does not cut it, you have to be unique, not necessarily better, just unique. Thats the only way to stand out of the crowd. Take the initiative to call the volunteer coordinator, instead of the front desk secretary, and you might get through and through faster. Also, if you previously volunteered at a hospital, and want to try something else, try a different department, instead of different hospital...

If you blindly follow the system, you will waste a lot of time. Beat the system before the system beats you.

 

[kypdurron5]

Why is it so hard for ya guys to find a volunteer spot? Specially at a hospital, where there is always something to do...

I got my first volunteer spot in a couple of hours. I called in to the volunteer coordinator, told her I wanted to volunteer, and if I could come over to her office in a few minutes. I went there, and we talked. I had my immunization records filled up the next day by my doc, the two step TB test later that week, and I was volunteering the day after that.

Being pre-meds, you must have all realized that being like others just does not cut it, you have to be unique, not necessarily better, just unique. Thats the only way to stand out of the crowd. Take the initiative to call the volunteer coordinator, instead of the front desk secretary, and you might get through and through faster. Also, if you previously volunteered at a hospital, and want to try something else, try a different department, instead of different hospital...

If you blindly follow the system, you will waste a lot of time. Beat the system before the system beats you.

So you had a different experience....that's no reason to assume that neither I nor he are (were) not being proactive enough. My hospital has way more than enough volunteers, and on top of that volunteers aren't allowed to do ANYTHING. As a volunteer my duties were restricted to handing out ice, defrosting the freezer, and stocking certain shelves. I was expressly NOT allowed to help move patients, help with any patient care activities, or be involved in any meaningful clinical activity. This is despite the fact that I flashed my pre-med status every chance I got- the truth is that a pre-med volunteer with a bachelor's degree falls below ANY true employee with a GED and 2 week CNA course. This was simply how things were in my hospital- I'm sure your experience was different. However, the exception was the ED; if you can actually get into the ED (the #1 spot people want to volunteer) you'll see more simply due to your proximity. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find a tech or nurse who will let you help with some interesting things. It IS important to take initiative and try another department if the one you're in isn't working for you....but don't assume that you're going to have a great application-building experience just because you push hard for it.