Questions about volunteering/work

[Rapsidy]

Hello, I am a non trad looking for some advice to beef up my application for next cycle. I originally wanted to apply for this cycle but due to costs of not having a job and the cost of health insurance, I didn't have enough time to properly study for the MCAT, and will have to retake as I got a 498.

Some info about me: sGPA 3.53, cGPA 3.13 masters GPA: 4.0, my dream is to become a psychiatrist.
I got my masters in social work, and worked in a maximum security prison for almost a year and a half full time as a mental health professional. I'm currently in the last stages of being hired for a part time job as an intake specialist at a behavioral health hospital with inpatient/outpatient mental health treatment. I'm going part time specifically because I want to also have time to study for my MCAT retake.

I have 150 hours of shadowing a psychiatrist, which was more in depth than traditional shadowing as I was able to sit in on evaluations and provide input on treatment options and diagnosis, since I was part of an overall treatment team.

I worked 3 years part time going to school full time with people with intellectual disabilities.

My big question pertains to volunteering. I don't have volunteer hours but as stated quite a bit of work hours within a clinical setting and within my field that I want to go for. Does it make me a weaker applicant when I don’t have volunteer hours but have a lot of clinical job experience instead? Do I need to focus on volunteer work?

Does it look lazy if I volunteer at the same place I work? Since I’d be working on a behavioral health unit but it’s connected to a overall hospital system, is it considered lazy to volunteer within the same system you work at? IE if I were to volunteer on a children’s ward not related to my job but in the same hospital does that look bad? How many hours/months should I volunteer?

I ask these questions because I also have to devote time to study for the MCAT I want to retake in January, and I’m worried about stretching myself too thin. Also, the 150 hours I have is with a MD, but I’m suspecting that I’ll likely have a much better chance of acceptance into DO programs. Should I try to find a DO and shadow simply for the sake of more shadow when I already have a good amount in the field I’m passionate about?

Thank you for any advice or input.

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[stayathomemom]

I would look for clinical volunteering in a non-psych unit. Within your own health system should be fine, but it should be unrelated to your current role/unit. 4 hrs/week is what I do, but you can go up from there.

 

[Cornfed101]

I would recommend finding some non-clinical volunteering. You seem to be pretty covered as far as clinical experience goes, so it may be helpful to find an opportunity to serve a different demographic. I found my current volunteering by just searching online and it has been great. I teach ESL classes in my city. Even if you just do something a few hours a week for the next year you should be golden.

On the subject of studying for the MCAT, working full time, and volunteering, it is definitely doable with a plan. That’s exactly what I did. Good luck!

 

[Ludwig2000]

Do you mean you worked part time with people with disabilities while going to school full time, or you went to school with people with intellectual disabilities?

I worked 3 years part time going to school full time with people with intellectual disabilities.

 

[Rapsidy]

Do you mean you worked part time with people with disabilities while going to school full time, or you went to school with people with intellectual disabilities?

lol no sorry I worked in a group home helping people who had intellectual disabilities. I went to school full time while doing that job part time.

 

[Ludwig2000]

Like you said, you’ve logged a lot of hours in clinical settings. I don’t think you need a ton of volunteering but I would consider making it non-clinical, in something you enjoy. Round you out a bit. How about something in a museum or a park, an afternoon here and there? Can ya dig it

 

[Rapsidy]

I appreciate the advice .

How many hours should I aim for? I've heard it's more important to be consistent across time than reach an hour threshold per say.

 

[Cornfed101]

I've heard it's more important to be consistent across time than reach an hour threshold per say.

True, although there are a few schools that like lots of volunteering (150+ hours). Rush for example.

If you can do 2 or 3 hours a week for a year that's 100-150 hours, which is plenty given your other activities