Questions!

[Erejto1]

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What is the difference between clinical and non-clinical volunteering?

How do you get involved in research and physician shadowing?

 

[yourethewurst]

Clinical volunteering is exactly what it sounds like 🙂 For instance, my form of clinical volunteering is working as a clinical research assistant in a hospital. Non-clinical volunteering would be something like tutoring children in the afternoons, or helping out at a homeless shelter.

As for research and physician shadowing-- I sort of just went out on a limb and asked. I suppose for me, it was easier because I started volunteering at a hospital and doing some research and I already had some connections. However, I know many of my friends who didn't have the same connections that went out on a limb and asked alumni at their university, or made connections through volunteering. Good luck to you.

 

[SeverusSnape]

For shadowing, I would say you can either reach out to ANY sort of connections you may have (doctors typically don't mind some shadowing), or just make cold calls. I lined up some shadowing simply by calling around and hoping for the best. Stick with it.

Research is a little trickier, especially if you're not in school. In fact, if you don't have any research experience and you aren't in school, I think it's in your best interest to check with your alma mater for help. Beyond that, it may be difficult to find something.