Planned Parenthood

[72531]

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What do you think of volunteering at at Planned Parenthood clinic? This is still clinical experience but do you think it would not be taken as seriously?

 

[Rzarecta]

What do you think of volunteering at at Planned Parenthood clinic? This is still clinical experience but do you think it would not be taken as seriously?

I think it is a valid form of volunteering/clinical experience, as long as you spent some time shadowing a physician. If you didn't still include your experience on AMCAS, but also get some shadowing experience.

 

[g3pro]

I highly recommend shadowing a physician who performs abortions. It's fun to watch the kids get killed.



Clinton/Obama 2008. 😍

 

[tinkerbelle]

What do you think of volunteering at at Planned Parenthood clinic? This is still clinical experience but do you think it would not be taken as seriously?

I think it'll be a great expereince, especially if you're interested in women's health. I don't see why AdComs would not take it seriously.

 

[prana_md]

I think it would be an excellent volunteering choice.

1) PP is super busy, at least in my city. There will always be something to do, lots of clinicians to shadow, always something going on.
2) PP serves many un- and under-insured patients, so this demonstrates some committment to public service.
3) PP is staffed by doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, etc. You'll be able to work with many different kinds of health care providers.
4) PP does much more than perform abortions. They provide birth control, do general women's health exams, do STD testing, etc.
5) PP is "name brand," an established, respected (except by the radical right) organization.

I don't work at PP, but I'm a health educator at a women's health clinic. The young women I work with are so amazing, so grateful that we're there ... it's an extremely rewarding experience.

Good luck!

 

[PineappleGirl]

Hi,

I was thinking of volunteering at PP too but I too am worried that it might not look so good. I also do some work volunteering with political campaigns and wonder if I should include that as an activity as well. I don't want members of the adcom to form a view of me as an applicant based on their stereotypes of people working planned parenthood or those who belong to certain political parties.

 

[CerealBox]

I highly recommend shadowing a physician who performs abortions. It's fun to watch the kids get killed.

??? was that necessary 😕

 

[deuist]

Planned Parenthood is great. I just hope that you don't plan on applying to Loma Linda or Georgetown.

 

[nina512]

I was planning on volunteering for planned parenthood this year if I didn't get into medical school. Depending on where you live, PP's can be very busy and would be grateful for any volunteers that are committed to being non-judgemental and women's health advocates.

In my city, one of the volunteer positions involve a lot of patient contact and even allow you to take patient histories and distribute general information.

If you're interested in women's health or plan on working with underserved populations, volunteering at PP would be a great place to start!

 

[Rzarecta]

Hooray, g3pro is so great, with his ramblings straight from Fox News...

Rzarecta is always right. Liberal propaganda blah blah blah...I need a hug🙁

 

[Mateodaspy]

Hi,

I was thinking of volunteering at PP too but I too am worried that it might not look so good. I also do some work volunteering with political campaigns and wonder if I should include that as an activity as well. I don't want members of the adcom to form a view of me as an applicant based on their stereotypes of people working planned parenthood or those who belong to certain political parties.

I volunteered at PP, spearheaded voter initiatives to support pro-gay legislation in TX, worked heavily with howard dean's campaign, and helped out at a non-profit that sought to increase benefits for the children's health insurance program in the state of TX.

Appearing "politically biased" toward the left or the right can definitely be something that will enhance your application -- with the caveat, of course, that you can support your positions in the interview.

 

[irlandesa]

the OP's question is a good one.. I believe there is a section on AMCAS where you describe what you did as a volunteer; and you do not have to put whether or not you observed abortions unless you want to. I think any kind of experience involving patient education and primary care (contraception, GYN exams) for underserved populations looks great and is really valuable. That said, I would be prepared to for the abortion issue and be prepared to discuss it in more detail should you choose to volunteer at PP; particularly at more "conservative" schools. The whole caveat about not showing political bias is a bunch of crap, because everyone IS biased in reality.. My class at Tufts ranged from women who volunteered with PP and/or political campaign work to a VERY socially conservative LDS male who was strongly opposed to EC under all circumstances, including rape.

University of Maryland, B.S.-1999
Tufts University-M.D.-2005
UMass Memorial Health Care-Internal Medicine, PGY-1: current

 

[CerealBox]

which med schools are known as being conservatively biased?

 

[DrBowtie]

I would assume any that are religiously affiliated.

 

[macaddict78]

I have volunteered, interned and worked full-time at Planned Parenthood. I would suggest that it would be a great experience for many of the reasons posted by others. If there are schools that will judge you on your EC's from a religious or political watchtower, would you really want to attend those schools? Extra curriculars for medical school do not always have to be purely clinical. If you are deciding to go the OB-Gyn route then I think it would be an excellent learning experience. In my case I worked primarily on reproductive health education in the middle schools and not the clinics. It didn't seem to work against me at any time in the admissions process. Even if you get involved in other activities, Planned Parenthood is a prime example of how politics influence health care decision and the access to health care in the U.S. Go for it!

 

[salsadoc]

I also worked and volunteered at Planned Parenthood. I did options and birth control counceling in the clinic and also assisted the obgyn during abortion proceedures. I was never specifically asked about this at any med school interviews, and was interviewed at St. Louis university, despite writing about my experiences with reproductive health. I highly recomend volunteering there -- its a great place full of very dedicated people, and there are a lot of things you can do as a volunteer or an employee. And as the previous poster said, you'll really get to see how politics influences women's access to reproductive care.

 

[irlandesa]

I would assume any that are religiously affiliated.

not necessarily so.. the last poster mentioned that he/she interviewed at SLU w/out any problems after volunteering at PP, NYMC ("a school in the Catholic tradition") has an active chapter of MS4C.. Don't know much about Einstein and how the religious affiliation would affect the institution's view on reproductive issues; I know that some sects (for lack of better word on my part, sorry) of Jews are generally opposed to abortion and a number of forms of contraception, while others are not.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I highly recommend shadowing a physician who performs abortions. It's fun to watch the kids get killed.



Clinton/Obama 2008. 😍

that's disgusting and pathetic

 

[DrThom]

Clinton/Obama 2008. 😍

I dunno about Clinton but if Obama ran for president, he would completely win

 

[Avenue Q]

working at PP was one of the best experiences i have ever had, and depending on what you want to do, you can get tons of clinical exposure, no need to shadow, you can work directly with clients yourself.

in terms of how it looks to schools, I'm taking my chances on georgetown, and i know that NYMC has no problem with it. Einstein also has no issue, not even ideologically (and if you want to consider that Jewish perspective, pretty much across the spectrum it's pro-choice, woman's life first).

 

[Mateodaspy]

working at PP was one of the best experiences i have ever had, and depending on what you want to do, you can get tons of clinical exposure, no need to shadow, you can work directly with clients yourself.

in terms of how it looks to schools, I'm taking my chances on georgetown, and i know that NYMC has no problem with it. Einstein also has no issue, not even ideologically (and if you want to consider that Jewish perspective, pretty much across the spectrum it's pro-choice, woman's life first).

Yeah, NYMC only has issues with gay people.

 

[infinite_dreams]

I tried volunteering at PP, that is I sent in my volunteer application, followed up with two emails, and three phone calls to the volunteer director after not having heard anything for two weeks, and still never heard a peep....
Just my experience, but I think it would be a great place to volunteer for many reasons; personally; PP's mission is one that I support whole-heartedly!
And then of course the whole volunteering/clinical experience etc thing...

 

[tigress]

AECOM is cool with everything, no religious influence on the education. Also, the Jewish position of abortion is complicated and not nearly as black and white as the right wing anti-abortion position. Contraception is generally allowed but certain types are not encouraged. Like I said, nothing black and white. In AECOM the curriculum is the same as at secular schools, and (to the best of my knowledge) AECOM-run hospitals and clinics provide abortion and contraception.

I included political stuff on my AMCAS but didn't make too big a deal out of it. So I just said which campaigns I worked on and then talked about participating in political rallies and stuff, but no specifics. If asked on interviews I can describe my participation.

btw, I'm just praying for Obama to run. If not next election, the one after that. I 😍 him

 

[Revolution]

I have volunteered, interned and worked full-time at Planned Parenthood. I would suggest that it would be a great experience for many of the reasons posted by others. If there are schools that will judge you on your EC's from a religious or political watchtower, would you really want to attend those schools? Extra curriculars for medical school do not always have to be purely clinical. If you are deciding to go the OB-Gyn route then I think it would be an excellent learning experience. In my case I worked primarily on reproductive health education in the middle schools and not the clinics. It didn't seem to work against me at any time in the admissions process. Even if you get involved in other activities, Planned Parenthood is a prime example of how politics influence health care decision and the access to health care in the U.S. Go for it!

I have also worked full time at Planned Parenthood, and I see it as a definite benefit for my application. As future docs, it's important to adcoms that we be exposed to the realities of health care, one being that our choices as doctors will be limited and restricted. The current attacks on reproductive health care (the "culture of life," leading to pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for contraception, violence at Planned Parenthood clinics, and last year's Federal abortion ban) are the unfortunate products of political posturing and they are the latest examples of a long string of attempts to trump public health with ideology. The reality is that reproductive health services are an issue between people and their doctors and, as future docs (taking oaths to uphold certain ideals,) we should not let politics interfere with our abilities to make decisions (whatever they may be--it should be our choice.)

The issue of contraception, I think most of us can agree, is not simply a moral issue, but one of public health. It's important for preventing the spread of infections and for preventing unplanned pregnancies. Most people don't know that the majority of what Planned Parenthood does (about 70%) is contraception, preventing the need for abortion. Another reality of healthcare in our country is that prevention goes a long way, and we aren't focusing on it enough.

Politics aside, Planned Parenthood provides reproductive health care in a clinical setting. Its clients are often underserved populations, whose interaction with a clinician is their sole source of medical advice. It's one of the largest health organizations in the country and a great place for pre-meds to work or volunteer. If anything, it will help your application, not hurt it.

 

[braduva]

I dunno about Clinton but if Obama ran for president, he would completely win

or not.

 

[DrBowtie]

I agree. He wouldn't win.

 

[Rzarecta]

I agree. He wouldn't win.

Too premature to say at this point, he is only just entering the Senate. I say give him 2-3 terms before that decision is made. Since I am a Dem, I think his chances are good, but lets see in 12-15 yrs who the Republicans bring up.

 

[72531]

I tried volunteering at PP, that is I sent in my volunteer application, followed up with two emails, and three phone calls to the volunteer director after not having heard anything for two weeks, and still never heard a peep....
Just my experience, but I think it would be a great place to volunteer for many reasons; personally; PP's mission is one that I support whole-heartedly!
And then of course the whole volunteering/clinical experience etc thing...

thats funny because I called them and left a message and also sent an email but nothing...the hospital has been putting me on hold too. not very happy 😡

 

[newguy357]

??? was that necessary 😕

What's wrong with a mere statement of truth?

 

[lulubean]

i was also totally open about my political leanings in my application. i volunteered in a PP clinic and did research for them. great experience - like someone mentioned, they do a lot more than perform abortions. they do amazing health ed work with parents and adolescents, and provide a lot of repro. health care (pelvic exams, contraception, std screenings) that many low-income women wouldn't be able to afford otherwise. it's a great place to get both clinical and public health experience.

i also spent three years working full-time for a labor union, campaigning for health benefits for low-income workers at UCLA medical center. as you can see from my signature, the medical school did not hold that against me. i also got my mph in reproductive, adolescent, child health (a clearly left-leaning program)

i found all my interviewers appreciated and respected my experience. furthermore, i found all my interviewers to hold the same political views as myself. as long as you present your experience in a way that will show you will be a good physician for it and you are able to back up your beliefs, you will come off as a strong candidate. DO NOT however appear apologetic or wishy washy about your experience or that will not look good to an adcom

 

[crazy_cavalier]

sounds like a good EC. be prepared for ethical questions regarding abortion, etc., during interviews.

 

[Gut Shot]

What's wrong with a mere statement of truth?

Nothing, but the original statement was that it's fun to watch the kids get killed. We all know that watching the kids get killed is more cute than fun. Don't you ever get tired of being wrong?

In any case, here's a statement of truth: most Planned Parenthoods do not perform abortions; they stick to Paps, birth control, and STD testing/treatment.