NC Volunteering at Schools

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Edited for privacy, thank you for the help!

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[Mr.Smile12]

Service orientation involves helping to console individuals in distress in a humble role, not a hero or subject expert.

1) how does this differ from being a teachers aide? You are helping students acclimate to a learning environment, but that's not really community service for the definition we apply as an applicant.

2) I appreciate community building. Again, who are the individuals in distress?

Easiest thing: list as leadership. Adcoms may consider it differently to your advantage if they consider it community service. From my perspective, it does not show you going beyond your comfort zone.

 

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Edited for privacy!! Thanks for the help!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm not sure you have disclosed enough details to worry about getting doxxed, but do what you need to. I would be interested in other expert advice.

Remember there is more than one competency covered by each activity. Interpersonal skills are also on the list, and teaching children how to socialize with their peers is important work. Customer service also falls under interpersonal skills where you are helping serve their transactional needs. Building community requires interpersonal skills as well, and that is a desirable premed competency.

From my perspective, working with underserved or underresourced communities is related but different since it is not a competency; it is a passion. Your own descriptions show promise that you recognize the systems that limit progress towards equity in education and health. The question is how you advocate and represent the communities that you have served and why it is germane to your journey to medicine vs nursing or another profession. (Small hint to consider for your application.)

I emphasize the last point made here:

 

[chilly_md]

Would be ideal to supplement with more traditional non-clinical volunteering in the community. Something at the senior home could be an option, especially if it is assisted living.

You probably should get a drivers license. It would expand your options for volunteering, and you will need to get some experience driving before going to medical school. The school that accepts you may not have the best public transportation or it could be too expensive to live just a short distance from the campus.

 

[timeskip]

I'm not sure you have disclosed enough details to worry about getting doxxed, but do what you need to. I would be interested in other expert advice.

Remember there is more than one competency covered by each activity. Interpersonal skills are also on the list, and teaching children how to socialize with their peers is important work. Customer service also falls under interpersonal skills where you are helping serve their transactional needs. Building community requires interpersonal skills as well, and that is a desirable premed competency.

From my perspective, working with underserved or underresourced communities is related but different since it is not a competency; it is a passion. Your own descriptions show promise that you recognize the systems that limit progress towards equity in education and health. The question is how you advocate and represent the communities that you have served and why it is germane to your journey to medicine vs nursing or another profession. (Small hint to consider for your application.)

I emphasize the last point made here:

Thank you for the competency-focused perspective, as well as the last point about how these experiences are germane to my journey to being a physician specifically. Your advice has been really helpful!

Would be ideal to supplement with more traditional non-clinical volunteering in the community. Something at the senior home could be an option, especially if it is assisted living.

You probably should get a drivers license. It would expand your options for volunteering, and you will need to get some experience driving before going to medical school. The school that accepts you may not have the best public transportation or it could be too expensive to live just a short distance from the campus.

Got it. I've started looking at how I can contribute to Habitat for Humanity or the local food bank, since I've been interested in them, it's just been inconvenient schedule-wise (guess I have to push!). By "supplement", would you say it would be alright to consider either/both of the experiences I had described above (my reply to Mr.Smile12 being the most informative) nonclinical volunteering? And if so/not, if you have the time, could you share as to why?

And totally agree on the driver's license. I definitely am working on that this summer break, but I'm guessing "I was scared of the road as a teenager" doesn't qualify as a reason for lacking nonclinical volunteering hours to any adcom 😅 LOL. Will get that sorted out ASAP.

 

[chilly_md]

Got it. I've started looking at how I can contribute to Habitat for Humanity or the local food bank. By "supplement", would you say it would be alright to consider either/both of these experiences nonclinical volunteering? And if so/not, if you have the time, could you share as to why?

And totally agree on the driver's license. I definitely am working on that this summer break, but I'm guessing "I was scared of the road as a teenager" doesn't qualify as a reason for lacking nonclinical volunteering hours to any adcom 😅 LOL. Will defo get that sorted out ASAP.

The first one is leadership or it can maybe be classified as non-clinical volunteering if you are directly involved in watching kids and interacting with them. It is not what schools usually are looking for in terms of altruism. The 2nd, no. It seems more like leadership or just an interest you have on the side of making an inclusive social club.

 

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The first one is leadership or it can maybe be classified as non-clinical volunteering if you are directly involved in watching kids and interacting with them. It is not what schools usually are looking for in terms of altruism. The 2nd, no. It seems more like leadership or just an interest you have on the side of making an inclusive social club.

Yes, for the first one, I've always been an on-site volunteer for the program interacting with the kids/watching them as well as the other examples described in the replies above (cleaning the playground, etc). Is there a particular reason why this doesn't follow the traditional idea of altruism? To be clear, I have ample time before applying and will be joining a more traditional nonclinical volunteering opportunity; I'm asking because for my city, helping our disadvantaged schools are key to their function and the community. Why does that not fall under adcom committee's idea of altruism?

Got it for experience #2, thanks!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm asking because for my city, helping our disadvantaged schools are key to their function and the community. Why does that not fall under adcom committee's idea of altruism?

Just so you don't dox yourself:

It depends on the adcom. If the adcom were familiar with the needs of that specific city and school, it would fall under their mission to address social inequities in their specific state/geographic region. If you pick schools that have a great familiarity with your city and the needs of that specific community as addressed by various non-profits that they may work with), you demonstrate a fit with an aspect of their mission and enhance town-gown relations. ("What a better way to improve town-gown relationships than to have university students encourage K-6 kids to push themselves towards a college education!" ) In fact, all universities have service days and opportunities that really encourage their students to be visible mentors to disadvantaged students in schools nearby. I'm not saying you are not benefitting society, and I'm sure medical schools would love to make sure you continue this when you become a visible role model/mentor to aspiring young doctors in K-6 schools too. Basically, isn't that what we should be doing as professionals??? Inspire the next generation??? And dream about coming to our university to get there???

It would behoove you to network with the med schools closest to you or figure out whether students from their university are also involved with your city, and especially if your childhood was in this city. If you did this volunteering after you left the university (i.e., did it on your own and off-campus), then that will catch some attention.

It does sound like you are assisting a MSW student with her project so are you angling from a LOR from this student? Her advisor? Anyway, these are impressions that represent the questions screeners and reviewers will have.

Note that social justice advocacy is somehow not listed explicitly as a competency, but many medical schools feel that social justice must be taught in the classroom and experientially through clinical and community service opportunities.

Regardless, do not try to seek the most "unique" opportunities that you eschew "bread-and-butter" recognizable ones that are more likely shared among your future students. Being too unique could alienate you from your peers, and you don't want that to happen in medical school.

 

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Edited for privacy, thanks!

 

[candbgirl]

@skyplane ive been reading your posts for the last couple of days. I see that you are rather new to SDN. I’m not sure if you have taken the time to read other threads or get to know the experts here. The advice you received in this thread has come from two of the best advisors on SDN. They have been kind and have continually tried to advise you but you have seemingly tried to question everything they have said. I’m positive you are passionate about this volunteering you do. I’m also positive that you are extremely comfortable in what you are doing. And that’s wonderful. But it’s time to step back and consider how you can stretch your abilities and find experiences that are more inline with what med school ADCOMS are looking for in applicants in the category of Non Clinical volunteering. Medicine is a service profession. You should be using your time trying to get comfortable with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations when people are at their very worst. Get out of your comfort zone, get your hands dirty, start dealing with people very unlike yourself. Have you ever worked at a homeless shelter? How about a soup kitchen where whole families are starving? If these are too “tough” or too far out of your comfort zone find a VA home and go visit and talk to the residents. Talk about life stories , these people have stories to tell. And sometimes they just need someone to listen. Is doing this as much fun as playing legos or king of the mountain or whatever you are playing at your current site but it seems those kids are well take care of and there are lots of people who are unserved/underserved in communities throughout the communities we serve. Get comfortable now dealing with people unlike yourself. You will will be called on to help and assist and participate in events focused on those in great need as you move through college, med school, residency and life.

Of course , as with everything the advice you get here is only advice and you don’t have to follow it or believe it. Advisors here have years of experience and happily share their expertise and knowledge. Use what they share or don’t. It’s your application.

Good luck as you move forward.

 

[chilly_md]

Yes, for the first one, I've always been an on-site volunteer for the program interacting with the kids/watching them as well as the other examples described in the replies above (cleaning the playground, etc). Is there a particular reason why this doesn't follow the traditional idea of altruism? To be clear, I have ample time before applying and will be joining a more traditional nonclinical volunteering opportunity; I'm asking because for my city, helping our disadvantaged schools are key to their function and the community. Why does that not fall under adcom committee's idea of altruism?

Got it for experience #2, thanks!

Mr. Smile's answer sums up a good amount of it. Your state school/schools near the city are likely the only ones that have a better understanding of what community the school is in.

Even if you write about this as a most meaningful to try to elaborate, it still is not going to change the concept of the activity. You have written quite extensively about this throughout this thread and it still comes out that really, this is an activity that lets you be involved with local school children. You play some games with them and help clean up time to time. A lot of applicants go to local high schools or elementary schools to tutor them and help the teachers. It is not out of your comfort zone at all. It would need to be Teach for America where it is quite clear the background of the school and the level of investment you are required to have.

 

[timeskip]

The advice you received in this thread has come from two of the best advisors on SDN. They have been kind and have continually tried to advise you but you have seemingly tried to question everything they have said. I’m positive you are passionate about this volunteering you do. I’m also positive that you are extremely comfortable in what you are doing. And that’s wonderful. But it’s time to step back and consider how you can stretch your abilities and find experiences that are more inline with what med school ADCOMS are looking for in applicants in the category of Non Clinical volunteering.

I apologize that I questioned everything--- I am aware how great these advisors are, and wanted to make sure I represented my experiences right because I know their experience is invaluable. And I did, and as @chilly_md and @Mr.Smile12 pointed out, I'm still in my comfort zone, and I'm very grateful they took the time to explain to me how adcoms viewed ECs and premedical competencies. In case they read this, I'd like to say I really value their kindness/advice, and my questions were not because I didn't value their judgement, they were so that I could understand their advice to improve myself/my app rather than taking it face-value. Next time, I will try not to be so annoying about it!

And thank you for those ideas and the overall advice. Will look into soup kitchen & homeless shelter. Have a good one!

Mr. Smile's answer sums up a good amount of it. Your state school/schools near the city are likely the only ones that have a better understanding of what community the school is in.

Even if you write about this as a most meaningful to try to elaborate, it still is not going to change the concept of the activity. You have written quite extensively about this throughout this thread and it still comes out that really, this is an activity that lets you be involved with local school children. You play some games with them and help clean up time to time. A lot of applicants go to local high schools or elementary schools to tutor them and help the teachers. It is not out of your comfort zone at all. It would need to be Teach for America where it is quite clear the background of the school and the level of investment you are required to have.

Thank you for answering all my questions, this makes sense. Will push myself out of my comfort zone. Have a good day!