Mentoring High School Students: Non-Clinical Volunteer?

[GrayArea]

Hello All!

I just took up a non-paid position with an organization in my community that assists underprivileged high school kids with college applications, tuition, etc.

My position will consist of being paired up with a pre-med high school kid and I will mentor him/her through the process of getting into college, picking out classes, etc. I will be working with this student for a year.

I am applying to medical schools in 2017, will this be considered non-clinical volunteer work? I am aware that both clinical and non-clinical are essential in applications.

I am currently volunteering at a hospice organization, am shadowing in a cardiology clinic, participating in some clinical trials for Alzheimer's, and now will be mentoring future pre-med students. Is this a strong non-paid background for applications?

Thanks for your input!

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[AbuAliIbnSina]

Yes, mentoring is considered non-clinical volunteering. You also mentioned you are volunteering at a hospice organization, that is clinical.

A good rule I follow to know if an experience is clinical or non-clinical is this: if you can smell the patient it is clinical experience.

And in regards to your last question--it is hard to say without specific hours you are putting in. It also depends on how you fare during interview, and what you can share about your experiences. People can have hundreds of hours of certain experience but if they can't talk about it then it's near useless.

Good luck!

 

[deleted407021]

Yes it's volunteering. If you get to work with the student at least one a week, that's even better.

Maybe include tutoring to broaden the activity and have more impact.

Mentoring and tutoring HS kids is very rewarding. I hope you enjoy it.

 

[Catalystik]

You also mentioned you are volunteering at a hospice organization, that is clinical.

Unless your primary purpose is housework, chores, and cooking, rather than patient interaction.

 

[GrayArea]

Yes it's volunteering. If you get to work with the student at least one a week, that's even better.

Maybe include tutoring to broaden the activity and have more impact.

Mentoring and tutoring HS kids is very rewarding. I hope you enjoy it.

Yes, I will be talking to them once a week

 

[GrayArea]

Unless your primary purpose is housework, chores, and cooking, rather than patient interaction.

Nope. My role is mainly to visit and interact with the patients.