Is volunteering at one place enough

[DO_or_Die]

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Hello SDN,

I am a non traditional student (RN) who has gone pre med within the last year. My question related to volunteering is whether it is okay to pick one place and volunteer there, or if you need multiple things at once. I am going to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity 150-200 hours before I apply next summer. However, would it be better to do 100 hours at HFH and 100 hours at a soup kitchen, or can all of my hours be in one EC? I volunteer at kids camps in the summers and have been a volunteer medic at different events around the metroplex for several years, but this is my only "non clinical" volunteering. Thank you.

 

[freedoctor17]

Hello SDN,

I am a non traditional student (RN) who has gone pre med within the last year. My question related to volunteering is whether it is okay to pick one place and volunteer there, or if you need multiple things at once. I am going to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity 150-200 hours before I apply next summer. However, would it be better to do 100 hours at HFH and 100 hours at a soup kitchen, or can all of my hours be in one EC? I volunteer at kids camps in the summers and have been a volunteer medic at different events around the metroplex for several years, but this is my only "non clinical" volunteering. Thank you.

Either is fine, just try both and see which you like better.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

I always think it better to stick to a few things in the realms of extracurriculars that are important rather than spread oneself thin. It makes you seem more condensed vs all over the place and without an underlying theme. I actually posted about this a few days ago, if you want to find the thread.

So, if I were you, I'd pick one of these especially considering you are applying next year. I picked homeless shelter and made a point to find a division where I could work with a few people and gain rapport there. Try to go beyond "I volunteer at the soup kitchen" or "I volunteer for HFH" and strive for leadership: "I'm a shift leader at the soup kitchen" or "I organized a few builds with HFH." This will demonstrate true participation vs superficiality.

Finally, for non-clinical volunteering, SDN adcoms talk about how the most impressive non-clinical volunteer work is the one where you work with people less fortunate than yourself, economically, mentally, socially et cetera. So keep that in mind and ask yourself if you want to do something you are already passionate about for your non-clinical or go with something more in this vein I am referring to. If Habitat is a passion of yours you think, then go for it. If its just "something" then I would lean towards soup kitchen, me personally.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Did you do any non-clinical volunteering before you started doing the pre-med thing? You could count those too if you're worried about your work/activities section looking slim.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

Did you do any non-clinical volunteering before you started doing the pre-med thing? You could count those too if you're worried about your work/activities section looking slim.

And I would argue these activities would look more authentic since they were never done with the thought of application padding... all of the activities I'm doing are at least partly influenced for what med schools want to see when I apply. This is also fine, but I think extra brownie points for volunteering completely from one's own will.