not much volunteer exp. but...

[DrewFromVA]

I'm a bit worried about my relatively small amount of volunteer experience... I have approximately 100-125 total hours throughout all of college. About 40 hours each at a busy E.R. and in the playrooms at a children's hospital in the area. The other ~25-35 hours come from miscellaneous stuff done with the pre-health club at my school. However I worked as an E.R. scribe for about 6 months and through that very fun, rewarding experience logged about 350 "clinical experience" hours... I know SDN is full of amazing students with academic/volunteer/research resumes that put mine to shame, but compared to "normal" applicants (if such entities exist) do I have enough of of that magical clinical experience to get into med school? My numbers are ok from a lower tier public college - gpa ~3.75 MCAT 32O BS:10 PS:9 VR 13, and no research at all.

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[ZAZA67401]

I think you have a great chance, seriously you will get in, apply now, but start working on gaining more clinical experience now too! It can't hurt, for interview topics, you can talk about what you have done and what you are doing now as far volunteerng. Also, in the off chance you are not directly accepted this year and are doomed to a waitlist like myself, then your clinical experience you are gaining now and throughout this next year become quite useful and the topic of those LOI to the schools you are waitlisted at. So apply, you will get in, and do now what ever you think will help you (clinical experience) now, cause it will come in handy later

 

[iraqiamerican]

125 volunteer hours is little?

 

[ZAZA67401]

Also, don't do research unless you like it, it won't hurt your chances unless you want to go to a top 20 school. However, if state school is cool or any other school that is not top 25 and you dont like research or dont think you will like it, than I wouldn't do research. Rather focus on volunteering and clinical experience. Also, not all your volunteering has to be in a hospital or medical setting, medical schools dig other volunteer activities too (habitat for humanity, food bank, crisis counseling, etc)

 

[speranza]

Yeah, I think 125 hours is more than enough. I mean, you don't need 600 hours like some people on SDN have. It's quality, not quantity, that counts. I think if you wanted to volunteer somewhere else, that'd be fine, but not necessary. But simply accumulating hours is kind of pointless I think.

 

[Overeducated]

But simply accumulating hours is kind of pointless I think.

amen

 

[gujuDoc]

I'm a bit worried about my relatively small amount of volunteer experience... I have approximately 100-125 total hours throughout all of college. About 40 hours each at a busy E.R. and in the playrooms at a children's hospital in the area. The other ~25-35 hours come from miscellaneous stuff done with the pre-health club at my school. However I worked as an E.R. scribe for about 6 months and through that very fun, rewarding experience logged about 350 "clinical experience" hours... I know SDN is full of amazing students with academic/volunteer/research resumes that put mine to shame, but compared to "normal" applicants (if such entities exist) do I have enough of of that magical clinical experience to get into med school? My numbers are ok from a lower tier public college - gpa ~3.75 MCAT 32O BS:10 PS:9 VR 13, and no research at all.

You are fine. Stop stressing and just do your best to put together your AMCAS and secondaries. There is no set requirement that you must volunteer x amount of hours. Also, some people I've talked to never volunteered a day in their life but rather did more paid work or something else that set them apart. So there is no true set formula to getting into med school.

 

[gujuDoc]

Yeah, I think 125 hours is more than enough. I mean, you don't need 600 hours like some people on SDN have. It's quality, not quantity, that counts. I think if you wanted to volunteer somewhere else, that'd be fine, but not necessary. But simply accumulating hours is kind of pointless I think.

AMEN

 

[gujuDoc]

125 volunteer hours is little?

 

[vincvega]

that's ridiculous that you think that isn't enough. even if you didn't do as much as the over achievers that post all the time here, make it sound like a lot more and make it look like you learned more than you really did. lots of people get into med schools all over the place with a lot less volunteering and clinical experience and with worse mcats and grades than you have.

 

[DrewFromVA]

Thanks for the replies I'm just feeling a bit stressed as I finish up AMCAS... I feel a bit better now - thanks!

 

[gujuDoc]

Thanks for the replies I'm just feeling a bit stressed as I finish up AMCAS... I feel a bit better now - thanks!

I think everyone that has ever gone through the process can attest to the stress involved in first getting through many premed courses and doing the said activities, then taking the MCAT, then filling out AMCAS, then filling out secondaries, then doing interviews, then deciding where to go or waiting for acceptances off wait lists, etc. It is definitely real nerve wrecking, but hang in there and join the others in the party of amcas completion. They created a thread a few days ago.

Good luck.