Is it ok? Help!!

[813459]

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Is it ok to use hospice volunteering hrs acquired at an assisted living center working with residents as my only source of clinical volunteering hours? As in no hospital volunteering.

 

[vrazzles]

Yep.

 

[813459]

Yep.

I meant to say use those hours as all of my clinical volunteering. As in would it be ok to not have hospital volunteering?

 

[813459]

@Goro and @LizzyM what do you guys think?

 

[chemdoctor]

Not all clinical volunteering needs to be in a hospital... Hospice, assisted living, etc. is all fine!

 

[Goro]

Is it ok to use hospice volunteering hrs acquired at an assisted living center working with residents as my only source of clinical volunteering hours? As in no hospital volunteering.

I have immense respect for people who work in hospice. Very few of us like being confronted with reminders of our mortality.

 

[chemdoctor]

I have immense respect for people who work in hospice. Very few of us like being confronted with reminders of our mortality.

Let me tell you, it ain’t easy. Really shows a premed the “scary” part of medicine...

 

[LizzyM]

Do you have any clinical employment or is hospice your sole clinical exposure? Any shadowing? If you've shadowed, what areas of medical practice (inpatient/outpatient, primary care/specialty care/surgical services???) did you observe?

If hospice in a extended care facility was your sole clinical activity of any kind it would make me wonder if you really know about the practice of medicine.

 

[chemdoctor]

Do you have any clinical employment or is hospice your sole clinical exposure? Any shadowing? If you've shadowed, what areas of medical practice (inpatient/outpatient, primary care/specialty care/surgical services???) did you observe?

If hospice in a extended care facility was your sole clinical activity of any kind it would make me wonder if you really know about the practice of medicine.

So would an applicant need shadowing + hospice volunteering? Or something else? I just have shadowing + hospice volunteering

 

[LizzyM]

Shadowing in a setting where diagnosis and treatment takes place would be a minimum requirement in my book. That plus hospice might be sufficient. The two questions to be answered by one's AMCAS application in this regard are: 1) has the applicant had sufficient exposure to patients in clinical settings to know what is involved in the care of the sick/injured/dying? 2) has the applicant had sufficient exposure to the role of the physician in the provision of clinical care to be ready to take on the training required for the profession? (Once one has stepped on the treadmill that is medical school, it is very difficult and expensive to step off; it is very important to be sure that you are taking the right path for you.)

 

[chemdoctor]

Shadowing in a setting where diagnosis and treatment takes place would be a minimum requirement in my book. That plus hospice might be sufficient. The two questions to be answered by one's AMCAS application in this regard are: 1) has the applicant had sufficient exposure to patients in clinical settings to know what is involved in the care of the sick/injured/dying? 2) has the applicant had sufficient exposure to the role of the physician in the provision of clinical care to be ready to take on the training required for the profession? (Once one has stepped on the treadmill that is medical school, it is very difficult and expensive to step off; it is very important to be sure that you are taking the right path for you.)

Thanks Lizzy. I think I’m gonna stick with hospice and the shadowing I’ve got. Is primary care shadowing necessary? Also, I volunteered a little bit at a nursing home. Not sure if that counts as clinical experience

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks Lizzy. I think I’m gonna stick with hospice and the shadowing I’ve got. Is primary care shadowing necessary? Also, I volunteered a little bit at a nursing home. Not sure if that counts as clinical experience

There is debate as to whether nursing home volunteering counts as clinical or non-clinical. Are the people you interact with referred to as patients or residents? Are they in the process of receiving treatments ordered by a physician when you are interacting with them (e.g. having a physical therapy session) or are they going about their daily lives, eating meals, enjoying recreational activities?

Do you know that you may end up being a primary care provider? Do you have any idea what that entails? Why would you go into medical school without a clue as to what primary care providers do? If someone were to ask at an interview, what would you say? You don't have to answer me but you should be prepared for this question if you interview.