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This summer, I've been volunteering at a Cancer Support House (more like a mansion) and a free health clinic.
The House provides free non-medical services and support programs for cancer patients and their families [gas vouchers, food, stipends, various health programs, bills, etc]. I do everything from registering new patients, taking medical histories, calling patients to follow up on conditions/news, help women pick out wigs/hats/turbans, help people get into programs for help with bills, and write thank you cards.
At the free clinic, I mostly just do data entry and scan patient records.
I'm hoping to reach 150-200 hours by the end of summer between the two places.
My question is, does my work at the Cancer Support House count as clinical volunteering? It isn't in a clinical setting, but I am interacting with patients, talking with them, helping them with their problems, and they trust me with very personal information [diagnoses, financial accounts, etc]
Once school begins again, I'm going to volunteer at a free clinic 4 hours/wk and will probably get another 150 hours by the end of the year. So by the time I apply, I will hopefully have 300-350 hours worth of volunteer hours.
I'm also scheduled to do research full time next summer and all year senior year. I'm a biochem major, and my school requires that I present my research at a national conference. The thing is, I probably won't present the research until after applying for medical school, so my research probably wouldn't be helpful to put on application.
I was just wondering how I can improve my current stats to reach average-ness or at least competitive-ness. I'm an Arkansas resident. Upcoming Junior, 3.82 cGPA and 4.00 sGPA. Studied abroad in Vietnam earlier this summer to study literature and culture.
I also have a neurosurgeon lined up to shadow. It's very hard to find doctors that will let me shadow because of HIPAA regulations, apparently. I only found this one because he's my sister's friend's dad.
Oh, and if it helps, I attend a small liberal arts college. It's not well-known, but we send kids to a lot of top schools.
The House provides free non-medical services and support programs for cancer patients and their families [gas vouchers, food, stipends, various health programs, bills, etc]. I do everything from registering new patients, taking medical histories, calling patients to follow up on conditions/news, help women pick out wigs/hats/turbans, help people get into programs for help with bills, and write thank you cards.
At the free clinic, I mostly just do data entry and scan patient records.
I'm hoping to reach 150-200 hours by the end of summer between the two places.
My question is, does my work at the Cancer Support House count as clinical volunteering? It isn't in a clinical setting, but I am interacting with patients, talking with them, helping them with their problems, and they trust me with very personal information [diagnoses, financial accounts, etc]
Once school begins again, I'm going to volunteer at a free clinic 4 hours/wk and will probably get another 150 hours by the end of the year. So by the time I apply, I will hopefully have 300-350 hours worth of volunteer hours.
I'm also scheduled to do research full time next summer and all year senior year. I'm a biochem major, and my school requires that I present my research at a national conference. The thing is, I probably won't present the research until after applying for medical school, so my research probably wouldn't be helpful to put on application.
I was just wondering how I can improve my current stats to reach average-ness or at least competitive-ness. I'm an Arkansas resident. Upcoming Junior, 3.82 cGPA and 4.00 sGPA. Studied abroad in Vietnam earlier this summer to study literature and culture.
I also have a neurosurgeon lined up to shadow. It's very hard to find doctors that will let me shadow because of HIPAA regulations, apparently. I only found this one because he's my sister's friend's dad.
Oh, and if it helps, I attend a small liberal arts college. It's not well-known, but we send kids to a lot of top schools.
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