Pre Med Volunteer Experience??

[photogrl]

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I'm a non traditional student who has to work to pay for the roof over her head and the clothes on her back. I really can't afford to give my time away for free, especially since I maintain a full credit load at all times (5 classes over summer anyone??) as well as 2 part time jobs.

I have a relatively solid background in health care (10 years as a nursing assistant and 1 yr as an EMT-Basic) Do you think I should still try and fit in volunteer hours somewhere before I start applying to medical schools? I'm having a tough time with the concept of volunteering to do jobs that I can easily apply for, get, and get PAID for. I am, however, willing to entertain the thought of volunteering if it is based on something like biomedical research, but those jobs (in my area) are hard to come by.

Any advice/thoughts??

Thanks!

 

[BoilerWolverine]

I think you will be fine. It seems like they are looking to see that you've worked with people in a medical setting before. You have obviously proven that.

 

[photogrl]

Thank you for answering! I called a couple of med schools today and asked their admissions dept the same question. They kept saying they look at everything as a whole, but one school said they do like to see people volunteering for service reasons, not just to get clinical experience.

But if being a CNA and changing diapers on 80 year old people, cleaning up vomit and being spit at/swung at ain't service...then dangit..I don't know what is.

And to do it for ten years to boot?? The money isn't THAT great, so I would hope they would see the 'service' aspect of it all. LOL!

 

[LizzyM]

Schools do look at the whole package. If someone is going to school, and doing things for fun and tuition is covered by parents, then the school is certainly not being unreasonable in expecting to see some extracurricular activities that demonstrate a propensity to send time in service to the community. If someone has worked in low paying "bottom of the food chain" health care jobs, then volunteer hours is less of (or not) an issue.

 

[drlisa0318]

The whole point of volunteering is to put "feet" to the phrase "I want to help people," not to get clinical exposure/experience, which you obviously have plenty of. It doesn't say much for your altruism if you aren't willing to volunteer your time in giving back to the community. While many of us do volunteer in medical settings, many volunteer in non-medical capacities. Volunteering can be done with places like your church/synagogue/mosque, Habitat for Humanity, food banks, local elementary schools, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and a ton of other worthy places and causes. Pretty much every community (even small ones) has SOMEPLACE where you can volunteer your time. Many communities have a central organization which can coordinate volunteers to plug them in to places where they can be of service. While I understand and empathize with you regarding the tight schedule and equally tight purse (I have the same problem), it's really not that difficult to squeeze some time from my schedule to volunteer. If you're a regular churchgoer, volunteer some of your time at church taking care of the little ones during service. If you have children (and they're old enough), you can even include them in your volunteering (ie. serving meals in a shelter, delivering meals to shut-ins, etc.) This is a fantastic way to teach children to think of the needs of others, to instill in them a heart for service. I have to be honest with you, I have been so blessed in my volunteering experiences. It is humbling and exhilarating both in doing even the smallest and most mundane things for someone who can't do for themselves.

 

[KeKe88]

Like others have mentioned, there really is 2 types of volunteering the adcoms are looking for. First, it's to see if someone has had the exposure to medicine & understand what the heck they're trying to get into. Second, I think volunteering shows your altruistic, compassionate side- definitely something you need as a doctor. That said, I think you're covered as to "medical experience", but I would definitely try to find something here or there to help out your community.

 

[photogrl]

It doesn't say much for your altruism if you aren't willing to volunteer your time in giving back to the community.

Now hold here.....I never said I wasn't willing. I said I am having a tough time with "the concept of volunteering to do jobs that I can easily apply for, get, and get PAID for", but that does not mean that I will not do it. But wrangling 2 part time jobs and then a full credit load (17 credits over this upcoming summer, 18 credits in the fall plus live review course for the MCAT etc) makes it difficult. granted, I'm not saying it is impossible to do, as I am fully aware there are people out there with spouses, children, full time jobs AND full credit loads. However, my grades are important to me, as is keeping money rolling in so that I can pay rent AND for my school (OOS tuition and FA doesn't always cover it)

(And here is a perfect example for what I mean regarding the time issue..the pre medical society at my school is organizing a trip to Mexico to help out at an orphanage. I was all geeked to go do it, then realized that my Maymester course has its final exam the same day that the group is leaving for Mexico. My final would overlap the scheduled departure time. Am I to miss the final to go volunteer? I think not!)

My main concern was how much weight do medical schools place on volunteer experience, as in are they willing to see what else you had going on during your UG career that may have made volunteer experience difficult to accomplish? I called 3 schools today and they all told me that because of my non traditional status and my long term dedication to health-care, I was pretty much set in that regard. I was just asking for other input to make sure I wasn't getting hot air blown up my skirt.

 

[photogrl]

If someone has worked in low paying "bottom of the food chain" health care jobs, then volunteer hours is less of (or not) an issue.

Thanks for your input. I was hoping that there would be some sort of connection between the nature of my work and the fact I have done it for so long. I have had several job opportunities come along that pay far more than what I make now as a CNA, but they would have given me a substantially less amount of personal satisfaction. Yes, some days I hate going to work and *doing* the things that I do (changing adult diapers etc), but I do them regardless because I enjoy helping people.

 

[riceman04]

Hey, do ya work in Houston?

 

[photogrl]

Hey, do ya work in Houston?

Nah, San Antonio. Just moved here (TX) last summer. 😀