Is an online volunteering experience alright?

[Ihave Nonamè]

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I've wanted to tutor disadvantaged/underrepresented students, but it doesnt fit into my schedule at all...

Upon looking elsewhere, the crisis text line caught my interest. This is a 4hr per week commitment wherein I would chat/text with individuals struggling with mental health, some of whom may feel on the verge of harming themselves. I do like to sit with and listen to people that are struggling. I think I would take a lot away from the experience (listening and advising skills). It does require a 30 hr training period from home. But of course, I wouldn't meet with supervisors that could speak on my behalf. I wouldn't speak with those struggling in person. It's all by way of text - they text and I message from my computer at home. Is this acceptable?

I will say that I am more passionate about tutoring URM and getting them into college... I feel quite strongly about this actually and wonder if I should somehow try to make the tutoring work (their school hours are during my classes and research!). However I do definitely care about the mental wellbeing of others.

 

[Bonne Nuit]

I've wanted to tutor disadvantaged/underrepresented students, but it doesnt fit into my schedule at all...

Upon looking elsewhere, the crisis text line caught my interest. This is a 4hr per week commitment wherein I would chat/text with individuals struggling with mental health, some of whom may feel on the verge of harming themselves. I do like to sit with and listen to people that are struggling. I think I would take a lot away from the experience (listening and advising skills). It does require a 30 hr training period from home. But of course, I wouldn't meet with supervisors that could speak on my behalf. I wouldn't speak with those struggling in person. It's all by way of text - they text and I message from my computer at home. Is this acceptable?

I will say that I am more passionate about tutoring URM and getting them into college... I feel quite strongly about this actually and wonder if I should somehow try to make the tutoring work (their school hours are during my classes and research!). However I do definitely care about the mental wellbeing of others.

If you wouldn’t be meeting with a supervisor, who will you put as your contact on AMCAS? Is there a way to prove you’ve served all the hours you claim? If not, that seems like a major issue.

In general, I think crisis/help lines are great volunteering opportunities, but you need to make sure someone can vouch for you.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

2) adcoms would expect college student are able to tutor. Even if to under represented, it is still in virtually all applicants ability and comfort zone and therefore it is at best a secondary EC

Are you saying here that I should find something different entirely from tutoring and helpline counseling?

 

[candbgirl]

Are you saying here that I should find something different entirely from tutoring and helpline counseling?

Get out of your comfort zone and off campus and find the unserved/underserved in your community. Find people that are different than you. Look for a homeless shelter, soup kitchen ,VA home, senior home, camp for disabled kids,a team of underprivileged kids who need a coach, etc.. There is need all over the place you just have to find it. If you can sit at a keyboard fours hours a week talking to clients of a crisis hotline, you can find something off campus for four hours. You just have to decide you want to do it. And as @gonnif said in #1 “online support would have minor impact for ADCOMS”. Find something else that will stretch your experiences in dealing with people very unlike you. You know, like many of the people you will be treating as a physician.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

Get out of your comfort zone and off campus and find the unserved/underserved in your community. Find people that are different than you. Look for a homeless shelter, soup kitchen ,VA home, senior home, camp for disabled kids,a team of underprivileged kids who need a coach, etc.. There is need all over the place you just have to find it. If you can sit at a keyboard fours hours a week talking to clients of a crisis hotline, you can find something off campus for four hours. You just have to decide you want to do it. And as @gonnif said in #1 “online support would have minor impact for ADCOMS”. Find something else that will stretch your experiences in dealing with people very unlike you. You know, like many of the people you will be treating as a physician.

Well the benefit to the helpline was that I could do it in the evenings and/or whenever I had a spare bit of time in my day. I do think that talking with suicidal individuals would push me out of my comfort zone.

It seems that everybody is volunteering with the homeless and that this wouldn't necessarily be more impressive to adcoms for that reason. It seems like the obvious pursuit, an experience that most pursue because it's expected...To add, I don't feel that working in a soup kitchen is meaningful enough - it doesn't create any lasting change.

With my race and orientation, "people unlike me" are straight, white individuals who I have plenty of experience with haha. But again, I do strongly want to see more black students in particular pursuing higher education and overall striving for more.

 

[Sky138]

Do what you think is right. It’s your story and you get to do what you want with it. If you think doing an online hotline will be good for your app, do it. If you don’t, then don’t. Only do what you truly believe in or else it’ll eventually come out as simply box checking. Just my 2 cents

 

[LizzyM]

In addition to doing the hotline, which you seem to feel passionate about, get some activity that has you working and collaborating with others. Soup kitchens are great for practicing team work.

Physicians need good communication skills but much of the communication is oral, not written, so teaching or tutoring is a good experience, too, if you can find a way to work with pre-teens, teens, or adults.

 

[Goro]

Well the benefit to the helpline was that I could do it in the evenings and/or whenever I had a spare bit of time in my day. I do think that talking with suicidal individuals would push me out of my comfort zone.

It seems that everybody is volunteering with the homeless and that this wouldn't necessarily be more impressive to adcoms for that reason. It seems like the obvious pursuit, an experience that most pursue because it's expected...To add, I don't feel that working in a soup kitchen is meaningful enough - it doesn't create any lasting change.

With my race and orientation, "people unlike me" are straight, white individuals who I have plenty of experience with haha. But again, I do strongly want to see more black students in particular pursuing higher education and overall striving for more.

Do what you love, and love what you do.

But it appears that you have made up your mind, and for whatever suggestions we make you are giving push back and excuses.

If this is the case, why are you asking for opinions?

 

[candbgirl]

Well the benefit to the helpline was that I could do it in the evenings and/or whenever I had a spare bit of time in my day. I do think that talking with suicidal individuals would push me out of my comfort zone.

It seems that everybody is volunteering with the homeless and that this wouldn't necessarily be more impressive to adcoms for that reason. It seems like the obvious pursuit, an experience that most pursue because it's expected...To add, I don't feel that working in a soup kitchen is meaningful enough - it doesn't create any lasting change.

With my race and orientation, "people unlike me" are straight, white individuals who I have plenty of experience with haha. But again, I do strongly want to see more black students in particular pursuing higher education and overall striving for more.

Then don’t do a soup kitchen. The suggestions were just suggestions. You asked, people answered and interestingly the answers were all pretty similar. Sorry you didn’t get the big okay to sit anonymously at your keyboard when convenient and count it on your med school application. But being a doctor isn’t always convenient and is rarely anonymous and you do have to come face to face with people like/unlike you if you want to make a “lasting change. “ You obviously are set on the online helpline. I’m not sure why you asked but if you are looking for lasting change I’m not sure how this activity will work out for you.

 

[endlessnic]

Having volunteered in Hospitals, in halfway houses working directly with ex-convicts and the homeless, and in psychiatric wards, nothing put me further out of my comfort zone than volunteering for a suicide hotline. When someone tells you they are about to end it all and you have to talk them through it...gets real very fast.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

Then don’t do a soup kitchen. The suggestions were just suggestions. You asked, people answered and interestingly the answers were all pretty similar. Sorry you didn’t get the big okay to sit anonymously at your keyboard when convenient and count it on your med school application. But being a doctor isn’t always convenient and is rarely anonymous and you do have to come face to face with people like/unlike you if you want to make a “lasting change. “ You obviously are set on the online helpline. I’m not sure why you asked but if you are looking for lasting change I’m not sure how this activity will work out for you.

I did specify multiple times that my greatest preference would be to tutor underrepresented minorities like myself. I do believe that is face to face. The only suggestion I turned down was the soup kitchen with the homeless.

 

[Sleepingdoc]

Do what you are passionate about...not just to check off something in your list..

 

[deleted993760]

Current CTL counselor and accepted MD applicant. It is an amazing organization, and I feel lucky to volunteer in a way that I get to help so many people every time I log on. Just because it is an online platform, does not mean it won't push you outside your comfort zone. Similar to endlessnic, it gets very real when you hear the challenging, traumatic, life-threatening life circumstances of texters and have nothing but your messages to help them through it. I spoke about my experiences extensively in my interviews, and it was received very positively. If you want more details, feel free to PM me.