Museum Volunteering Yay or Nay?

[tusan2000]

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Hi all, looking at a possible reapplication since this cycle is looking to be a bust. I have been advised that one area I can improve upon is in my nonclinical volunteering.

I was wondering if I could accomplish this by volunteering in a museum (e.g. as a docent)? Particularly attractive to me since I do love history and teaching and could tie it into the other teaching and mentorship activities on my app (e.g. teaching elementary schoolers, mentoring low-income high school robotics team).

Or would it be better for me to do something such as food bank volunteering which is more directly related to serving the needy (incidentally, lack of this was a criticism of my app and why I have been advised to improve my nonclinical volunteering)?

Also, I know someone is going to comment that I should do stuff that I want to do and not because it might look good to adcoms. I would love to do that but following that philosophy for the last 5 1/2 years only got me disappointment. My time and finances are wearing thin. So, just tell it to me straight. If something like foodbank volunteering would be more beneficial to do in the next 2-3 months before my app goes in again, I will do that.

 

[anon2]

To paraphrase the various adcoms around here: nonclinical volunteering is

1. service to others less fortunate than yourself
2. that specifically takes you out of your comfort zone.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Sorry to be blunt, but no. This isn't relevant experience for medical school. The tried and true options like food banks are tried and true for a reason

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

Being a docent or working in a museum is an academic competency. Being a docent is more than just being a "tour guide"; you are teaching people about the themes of various artworks or exhibits. As you point out, working in a museum is a great opportunity to teach young students, and many museum workers develop curricula. Ooo, dinosaurs!

Service orientation activities immerse you in a community in a way that you are not a subject matter expert. Humble yourself to learn about what others in our community struggle with: food distribution, shelter volunteering, job/tax preparation, legal support, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. If this was a clear point of criticism for your profile before, follow the advice. You must learn if you want to be in a career where people are always hurting and aren't necessarily glad to see you. If you don't want to do food pantry work, there are many other options you can immerse yourself in. But don't be shocked when the first week of medical school gives you a chance to work at a food pantry for the rest of the semester.

Later in your life, maybe you'll work at a history of medicine museum. It's still teaching; a lot of doctors don't know this history until they are much more comfortable in their careers.

P,S. If you have been trying to apply to medical school for the last five years and only now are you receiving advice about your lack of service orientation activities... what have you been doing? Are you sure medicine is what you want to do? In medicine, you will be asked to do many things you don't want to do or think are a complete waste of time; do you really want to spend more money only to question the culture of service you want to enter?