Is better to volunteer at teaching hospital or a non-teaching hospital

[Gallivant]

Which one would have a more favorable environment for a premed eager to shadow and get the most experience?

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[huskydock]

Doesn't seem to me that it would matter a lot. You definitely may observe more interesting cases at a teaching hospital, but other than that, clinical volunteering is clinical volunteering. Go wherever you know you'd get the most valuable experience (how much can a volunteer do? Shadowing opportunities? time commitment? Leadership opportunities?)

Personally, I got the BEST hands-on clinical volunteering experience at a non-teaching hospital, whereas my university's teaching hospital volunteering totally sucks and consists mostly of wandering the halls and filing papers.

 

[Gallivant]

Ya I'm just trying to decide between USC hospital (teaching) and Northridge ( trauma 2 hospital NON- teaching).