Question regarding volunteer/community service

[orgowise]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I've been doing volunteer for a local church to help the seniors and the shut-ins at their home or at Temple Hospital. The thing is i ain't got a certificate for this, so I'm not sure whether this is something that I can include on my application. Also, is it ok to shadow a pharmacist, who is in my family? Thanks.

 

[Passion4Sci]

I've been doing volunteer for a local church to help the seniors and the shut-ins at their home or at Temple Hospital. The thing is i ain't got a certificate for this, so I'm not sure whether this is something that I can include on my application. Also, is it ok to shadow a pharmacist, who is in my family? Thanks.

You don't need a certificate to mention volunteer service on your application.

You'll need:
a. A phone number/other contact information for the organization
and/or
b. A simple letter from someone in the organization's leadership

I think it's just fine to shadow a Pharmacist who is in your family but it is not okay to receive an LoR from said Pharmacist. I also would not claim that work experience at all on my application or in my interview. Doing so is disingenuous and might get you in hot water later. But by all means, take the experience!

 

[busyizzy]

You need a certificate to mention volunteer information? What if it was something of your own initiative without a "higher-level" to report to or such?

 

[Passion4Sci]

You need a certificate to mention volunteer information? What if it was something of your own initiative without a "higher-level" to report to or such?

I said you don't need a certificate.

I really do not think any application requires you to present full blown certificates for simple volunteerism.

 

[busyizzy]

I said you don't need a certificate.

I really do not think any application requires you to present full blown certificates for simple volunteerism.

My bad, I mistyped. I meant to ask what if you don't really have a phone number or a higher-level person you reported to in your volunteer work?

 

[Passion4Sci]

My bad, I mistyped. I meant to ask what if you don't really have a phone number or a higher-level person you reported to in your volunteer work?

That's a tricky situation. I guess the question becomes why you don't have a simple phone number or name of a supervisor you worked for for X amount of hours.

If it was only 6 hours a week a year, then I think that's understandable and would probably fly (i.e., they won't be likely to verify that piece of information on your app) but if you're claiming 130 hours in one year and you don't have contact info or anything, it looks really bad.

 

[busyizzy]

That's a tricky situation. I guess the question becomes why you don't have a simple phone number or name of a supervisor you worked for for X amount of hours.

If it was only 6 hours a week a year, then I think that's understandable and would probably fly (i.e., they won't be likely to verify that piece of information on your app) but if you're claiming 130 hours in one year and you don't have contact info or anything, it looks really bad.

It's because we did not work under any supervisor. It's a group that me and my friends made, and we go around playing in a quartet at any events including hospitals or such. We did not play at any one place for an extended multiple times and instead played at multiple places throughout the year. We made no profit off of it - or any money off of it, actually, and really, it was just to give people a good time with some good music to enjoy.

 

[diastole]

It's because we did not work under any supervisor. It's a group that me and my friends made, and we go around playing in a quartet at any events including hospitals or such. We did not play at any one place for an extended multiple times and instead played at multiple places throughout the year. We made no profit off of it - or any money off of it, actually, and really, it was just to give people a good time with some good music to enjoy.

I'm sure that is fine. I doubt anybody is going to verify this experience and even if they do, I bet you could just direct them to one of the hospitals that you played and hopefully they remember you.

 

[diastole]

I've been doing volunteer for a local church to help the seniors and the shut-ins at their home or at Temple Hospital. The thing is i ain't got a certificate for this, so I'm not sure whether this is something that I can include on my application. Also, is it ok to shadow a pharmacist, who is in my family? Thanks.

Could your family pharmacist member set you up with another pharmacist to shadow? That way you could still get the experience and have a potential LOR if they like you.

 

[Passion4Sci]

It's because we did not work under any supervisor. It's a group that me and my friends made, and we go around playing in a quartet at any events including hospitals or such. We did not play at any one place for an extended multiple times and instead played at multiple places throughout the year. We made no profit off of it - or any money off of it, actually, and really, it was just to give people a good time with some good music to enjoy.

I assume then you can use the names of the folks you played with as references!

That's what I'd do.

 

[xtsukiyox]

I assume then you can use the names of the folks you played with as references!

That's what I'd do.

This.

Alternately, offer to play for them / their next charity event.

But seriously, that's pretty cool! Great idea! That really shows "leadership," "initiative," and "community involvement"... All good buzz words.

 

[orgowise]

I've been doing volunteer for a local church to help the seniors and the shut-ins at their home or at Temple Hospital.

I'm filling in my pharmcas app and got stuck at the "Extracurricular" thingy:
"If yes, select the health care professional or profession most closely associated with activity"

I'm not sure which one best describes my volunteer's works. I'm thinking about "Nurse". Any suggestion is appreciated.

 

[4apharmd]

I'm filling in my pharmcas app and got stuck at the "Extracurricular" thingy:
"If yes, select the health care professional or profession most closely associated with activity"

I'm not sure which one best describes my volunteer's works. I'm thinking about "Nurse". Any suggestion is appreciated.

Try something along the lines of social work instead of nurse. Your experience would make a great essay....how working with those who were sick made you want to go into the medical field and help them, etc. etc. etc.