Not Getting Much From Volunteering?

[podc]

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I’ve done more than a hundred hours of volunteering (both clinical and non-clinical) at this point, and that obviously isn’t enough, but I expected to at least have a good story or two to tell by now. I feel like with most volunteering roles, you get to interact with many patients, but almost never meaningfully or for a long time. I can make insights on my volunteering in general based on trends between the people I’ve interacted with, but there’s nothing specific I can point to. And it makes me hate myself a little because I’m of course volunteering to help people and not take advantage of their lives, but I can’t just walk into med school apps without a few good examples of how my volunteering was meaningful. I’m not sure if I can find any better roles either, because this is a sentiment shared by many of my friends doing other clinical and non-clinical things as well. Has anyone experienced this? How did you get past it?

 

[Round786]

Have you tried clinical employment? As a scribe, I get numerous experiences that I can talk about. An MA would have even more since they are hands-on.

 

[wysdoc]

When you write about it in your activity section of the application for med schools, you could instead focus on why your community has a need for this service and the kinds of people who can be helped with it. You won't always find that heartwarming story you are looking for.

 

[DarkBluMage]

I don’t remember mentioning a story in regards to volunteering when I applied or even feeling the need to. Volunteering experience doesn’t need a story. Why it is important to you and aiding your fellow human is the main point of volunteering.

 

[candbgirl]

So what exactly are you doing as a clinical volunteer?
How about nonclinical?

The problem could be that you just grabbed a couple of opportunities and it’s not what you are passionate about or even interested in. You might be just doing it to wrack up those hours. Perhaps if you thought about it, spent sometime reading what volunteer opportunities others are doing or looking for something you might like better you’d feel better. Maybe you just don’t like the idea of volunteering. Medicine is a service profession so you have to figure out how to show your altruism. You do this by serving the unserved/underserved in your community. Get out of your comfort zone and by seeing and working with people very unlike yourself. And maybe you have done this , that’s why I asked what e actly you are doing during your volunteer hours.

 

[LizzyM]

Was your service meaningful to those you've helped? How would they describe the little things you've done to make their lives easier or more comfortable?

Being an extra set of hands/legs helps staff, too, in that you relieve them of some of the tasks that they'd need to take on if you weren't there. That makes it possible for them to provide greater attention to patients that need the staff members' specialized skills.

 

[podc]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm interested in my volunteering roles on paper. For clinical, I'm a wayfinder for uninsured patients, and a non-clinical example is staffing events for an underrepresented population I'm a part of. I'd like to believe my attitude and presence in these roles made people feel more welcome. The problem, as you might imagine from these descriptions, is that by nature of these roles I'm not interacting with people for long periods of time. Probably two minutes max. And unfortunately, there's just not many opportunities out there. My university hospital swallowed up almost everything to do with healthcare in the area, and they have pretty strict rules on what undergrads can do. As for non-clinical, this is the only opportunity I can find within a 20 mile radius that involves my population. I'm pretty sure there's no alternatives here. I can look into clinical employment like scribing, but for the non-clinical part, I have to make do with what's available.

 

[LunaOri]

Try volunteering for a group other than “your population”.

 

[criteriaarmpit]

When you write about it in your activity section of the application for med schools, you could instead focus on why your community has a need for this service and the kinds of people who can be helped with it. You won't always find that heartwarming story you are looking for.

That's true

 

[mistafab]

I would just chalk it up to a life lesson. Sometimes, helping others doesn't mean you feel good or even feel appreciated. Sometimes you just give to others and get nothing back.

There's lots of physicians out there working jobs in underserved-oversick populations where the work is harder, the hours are longer, and the pay is lower. A lot of times, they don't get a thank you for this. That's okay. Life isn't always a pat on the back for you. You got your hours from it and hopefully learned something.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

... As for non-clinical, this is the only opportunity I can find within a 20 mile radius that involves my population. I'm pretty sure there's no alternatives here. I can look into clinical employment like scribing, but for the non-clinical part, I have to make do with what's available.

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Not everything needs to be health related. As pointed out, I don't know what you mean by "my population ".

Go to a house of worship (even/especially not your own) and ask what they do.

Go to the local courthouse or jail and figure out what help is needed there. Help your local volunteer fire department. The local VFW or veterans lodge.

 

[chssoccer7]

I’ve done more than a hundred hours of volunteering (both clinical and non-clinical) at this point, and that obviously isn’t enough, but I expected to at least have a good story or two to tell by now. I feel like with most volunteering roles, you get to interact with many patients, but almost never meaningfully or for a long time. I can make insights on my volunteering in general based on trends between the people I’ve interacted with, but there’s nothing specific I can point to. And it makes me hate myself a little because I’m of course volunteering to help people and not take advantage of their lives, but I can’t just walk into med school apps without a few good examples of how my volunteering was meaningful. I’m not sure if I can find any better roles either, because this is a sentiment shared by many of my friends doing other clinical and non-clinical things as well. Has anyone experienced this? How did you get past it?

What, in the grand scheme of your community, would happen without the volunteers? I often felt like this when I started volunteering as I didn't really get much out of it. When you sit back and look, what change are you effecting in these peoples lives?

At the ER, I basically just call patients names and then take them to their rooms and get them something if they need it. I rarely get to have conversations with them and for awhile I just looked at it as I was a tour guide. However, in the big picture view..for me, it's just another few hours i'm spending at the hospital. For the patients, they are very likely having a bad day. Some of them have no idea what's wrong and are freaking out. I'm the first person they interact with after they check in.

If I am calm, greet them with a smile, grab them a heated blanket, etc..I have provided them some small amount of comfort. I have been a very small bright spot in a bad day for them. Hopefully, the nurses and physicians continue that and we, as a team (even though i'm insignificant, I am part of it), have provided the patient with comfort. Some say thank you, some don't acknowledge me at all. It doesn't particularly matter. I am making a very tiny difference in patients lives, and that's what it's all about, isn't it? I feel like I could certainly turn that into a story about the impact I feel like I make, at least.