no clinical volunteering, but have clinical experience

[teenyfish]

I don't have any clinical volunteering, but I do have about 3500 hours of clinical experience that I accumulated during undergrad - including medical assisting, and working as a direct support professional for individuals with developmental disabilities. As a medical assistant for a little less than a year, I worked with physicians and would like to think I understand what being a physician entails - but would the lack of clinical volunteering hurt me in the long run? I have about 25 shadowing hours, and I'm looking to get more as well.

I'm looking to apply next cycle - between my full time gig and the per diem DSP, studying for the MCAT and some non-clinical volunteering my time is pretty used up without going insane. Should I add 3-4 hours a week of clinical volunteering even so?

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[Siromas]

Yes. Clinical volunteering =/= clinical experience.

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[zurc2014]

Do it. I just sucked it up and did the clinical volunteering even though I have been working in healthcare for over a decade. Just knock it out. Goodluck

 

[ciestar]

Maybe I have a different take, but you have an insane amount of clinical experience so I don't feel you need clinical volunteering as well. Stick to nonclinical volunteering for the underserved! I feel that will better benefit you.

Just as an aside, I had no clinical volunteering at all. I had plenty of other clinical work plus hundreds of hours volunteering with the underserved. That didn't hurt me at all.

 

[MCATISEZ]

Maybe I have a different take, but you have an insane about of clinical experience so I don't feel you need clinical volunteering as well. Stick to nonclinical volunteering for the underserved! I feel that will better benefit you.

Just as an aside, I had no clinical volunteering at all. I had plenty of other clinical work plus hundreds of hours volunteering with the underserved. That didn't hurt me at all.

This.

 

[Goro]

I don't have any clinical volunteering, but I do have about 3500 hours of clinical experience that I accumulated during undergrad - including medical assisting, and working as a direct support professional for individuals with developmental disabilities. As a medical assistant for a little less than a year, I worked with physicians and would like to think I understand what being a physician entails - but would the lack of clinical volunteering hurt me in the long run? I have about 25 shadowing hours, and I'm looking to get more as well.

I'm looking to apply next cycle - between my full time gig and the per diem DSP, studying for the MCAT and some non-clinical volunteering my time is pretty used up without going insane. Should I add 3-4 hours a week of clinical volunteering even so?

100% perfect.

Save the volunteering for non-clinical stuff. You have proved that you know what you're getting into and that you want to be around patients.

 

[Tenk]

Your clinical exposure looks good. How much volunteering have you done? They like some sort of volunteering. Doesn't have to be clinical, in fact it is always better to volunteer doing something you enjoy, so when people ask about it you look excited instead of annoyed.

Applications must answer the following:
1) is this person smart enough to complete medical school? (Grades, MCAT)
2) is this person dedicated enough to complete medical school? (Academic history, letters of rec, research, etc)
3) does this person actually know what they are going into? (Volunteering and exposure)
4) is this person a good match for our school? (Location, personality, other social factors)
5) are there any red flags?

I'm sure there are other small things but if you are good on those five fronts you will most likely be fine. Good luck!

 

[Planes2Doc]

You can do whatever kind of volunteering you want. Whether it be clinical or non-clinical. But sorry, you gotta check the box!

 

[teenyfish]

Thanks everyone! I've been doing some non-clinical volunteering related to literacy and I really love it (I was raised by librarians after all!). I just feel like the clinical experiences I'm involved in would speak more to my suitability and passion for medicine than some clinical volunteering would. But I'll still contact the local volunteer office I've reached out to and see what they have open for volunteers, just in case.

 

[Govols22]

They want to see clinical experience to see that you know what your getting into and are committed to the field.

They want to see volunteering to see if you are altruistic and compassionate.

Clinical volunteering is like knocking two in one, but it isn't as necessary as some people make it out to be. Assuming you provide other forms of clinical experience and volunteering.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not sure why people think you need both. The clinical volunteering is to get you clinical exposure without needing to get certified or licensed for a healthcare job--it's probably the most common way premeds get clinical experience. If you have clinical experience that is paid or whatever, that satisfies that.

And even if you have clinical volunteering, that does not knock out the non-clinical volunteering stuff. So save the volunteering for that.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Thanks everyone! I've been doing some non-clinical volunteering related to literacy and I really love it (I was raised by librarians after all!). I just feel like the clinical experiences I'm involved in would speak more to my suitability and passion for medicine than some clinical volunteering would. But I'll still contact the local volunteer office I've reached out to and see what they have open for volunteers, just in case.

It's good you have the clinical experiences, but they aren't required to be so in-depth for medical school like they are for PA school. Medical schools start you at step 0 when you start your clinical skills classes, so there is no need to have any particular skills or anything beyond having just seen the clinical environment.

For whatever reasons, they want to see plenty of volunteer work. That should be your primary focus. Good luck!

Not sure why people think you need both. The clinical volunteering is to get you clinical exposure without needing to get certified or licensed for a healthcare job--it's probably the most common way premeds get clinical experience. If you have clinical experience that is paid or whatever, that satisfies that.

And even if you have clinical volunteering, that does not knock out the non-clinical volunteering stuff. So save the volunteering for that.

This is spot on. Clinical volunteering is the best because it kills multiple birds with one stone. You get clinical experience and volunteering all in one convenient package that goes pretty well with the pre-med school and MCAT study schedules. As I mentioned above, medical schools are not looking for applicants that have any particular clinical skill sets. I had nothing beyond clinical volunteering, and in no way felt behind those who worked as EMTs, CNAs, scribes, or other positions.

To have the greatest impact on your app, do exclusively non-clinical volunteering.

 

[septalridge]

Maybe I have a different take, but you have an insane amount of clinical experience so I don't feel you need clinical volunteering as well. Stick to nonclinical volunteering for the underserved! I feel that will better benefit you.

Just as an aside, I had no clinical volunteering at all. I had plenty of other clinical work plus hundreds of hours volunteering with the underserved. That didn't hurt me at all.

This advice makes good sense; you could probably find some opportunities in another sector of the health care field.

 

[westbill]

This advice makes good sense; you could probably find some opportunities in another sector of the health care field.

Yeah, it seems like volunteering represents some measure of a service orientation, so it would definitely make sense to do it.