Shadowing, Research, Volunteering, and Other Extracurriculars during the Pandemic

[Michael37]

I've been wondering over what are the best opportunities for shadowing, research, and other extracurriculars at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions from experience with a great opportunity that has worked for them or other means (specifically during the pandemic or even just an opportunity done pre-pandemic that might be suitable to undertake during the pandemic), even if it might not be something widely found, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

When it comes to volunteering, I don't mind volunteering at the local library or an information desk, but I personally take more joy in volunteering in clinically-related activities. Although I do understand that this entails complications in a clinical setting given the current circumstances, however, this is also true of even volunteering at a library or virtually anything similarly in-person. As for research, it is not necessarily restricted to a lab setting so complications with research at a lab or, in general, just with other individuals in close proximity, however, I am just wondering if anyone has found a way around this, whether that be from personal experience during the pandemic or what you've heard from others.

I also have two questions to go along with what is mentioned above: 1. Are in-person extracurriculars in the midst of the pandemic looked down upon by adcoms? 2. If done at the same number of hours, would it be better to volunteer or take up a part-time job in the eyes of adcoms?

Thank you in advance!

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[M&L]

I've been wondering over what are the best opportunities for shadowing, research, and other extracurriculars at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions from experience with a great opportunity that has worked for them or other means (specifically during the pandemic or even just an opportunity done pre-pandemic that might be suitable to undertake during the pandemic), even if it might not be something widely found, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

When it comes to volunteering, I don't mind volunteering at the local library or an information desk, but I personally take more joy in volunteering in clinically-related activities. Although I do understand that this entails complications in a clinical setting given the current circumstances, however, this is also true of even volunteering at a library or virtually anything similarly in-person. As for research, it is not necessarily restricted to a lab setting so complications with research at a lab or, in general, just with other individuals in close proximity, however, I am just wondering if anyone has found a way around this, whether that be from personal experience during the pandemic or what you've heard from others.

I also have two questions to go along with what is mentioned above: 1. Are in-person extracurriculars in the midst of the pandemic looked down upon by adcoms? 2. If done at the same number of hours, would it be better to volunteer or take up a part-time job in the eyes of adcoms?

Thank you in advance!

not sure about your first question.

second - those are different. Volunteering shows your commitment to serving people, so they are really not the same at all. The only exception is MAYBE if your job is very service oriented, like military service, for example. i am a veteran, and i had only 30 volunteering hours outside of that.

 

[Michael37]

not sure about your first question.

second - those are different. Volunteering shows your commitment to serving people, so they are really not the same at all. The only exception is MAYBE if your job is very service oriented, like military service, for example. i am a veteran, and i had only 30 volunteering hours outside of that.

Thank you for the second question's response! To clarify my first question, I am referring to if adcoms do or do not frown upon taking extracurriculars in an outside setting. Would they think that, by doing so, others' lives and patients' lives too can be put in jeopardy. For example, if a premed student were to be allowed clinical volunteering, shadowing, volunteering at a local library to sanitize books, or any other "outside" extracurricular, by participating, the student might run the risk of spread, especially in clinical settings with shadowing and clinical volunteering. As you can imagine, this is more so applicable to clinical settings, but nevertheless, that risk is run virtually anywhere in which extracurriculars involve person-to-person interaction. So in summary, would taking that risk, even if all precautions are kept, be frowned upon by adcoms?

To segue off of this question, what clinical volunteering, shadowing, lab jobs, or other extracurriculars do you recommend or have heard of being done through the pandemic? Even if its just something you've seen locally in only your area, I could ask around to see if its applicable to mine so I'm open to any recommendations.

 

[Goro]

I've been wondering over what are the best opportunities for shadowing, research, and other extracurriculars at the moment. If anyone has any suggestions from experience with a great opportunity that has worked for them or other means (specifically during the pandemic or even just an opportunity done pre-pandemic that might be suitable to undertake during the pandemic), even if it might not be something widely found, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

When it comes to volunteering, I don't mind volunteering at the local library or an information desk, but I personally take more joy in volunteering in clinically-related activities. Although I do understand that this entails complications in a clinical setting given the current circumstances, however, this is also true of even volunteering at a library or virtually anything similarly in-person. As for research, it is not necessarily restricted to a lab setting so complications with research at a lab or, in general, just with other individuals in close proximity, however, I am just wondering if anyone has found a way around this, whether that be from personal experience during the pandemic or what you've heard from others.

I also have two questions to go along with what is mentioned above: 1. Are in-person extracurriculars in the midst of the pandemic looked down upon by adcoms? 2. If done at the same number of hours, would it be better to volunteer or take up a part-time job in the eyes of adcoms?

Thank you in advance!

Research? None

Shadowing? Try scribing. It's a job, and gets you clinical exposure as well. 3/1 deal!

Nonclinical volunteering? Meals on Wheels, food banks, COVID contact tracing. Also check with your local Houses of worship

Clinical experience? COVID screening at hospitals/clinics etc.

Here's a harsh truth: your safety, as well as that of your family and society, is more important than your med school plans.