Share your volunteering/shadowing/research experience

[Paulz]

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Hey I am just trying to open my ideas for what I can do in the future. How did you guys do your volunteering, shadowing, and research projects(assuming you did them)? I hope to do all of them in the next four years.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Called up organizations, physicians and professors and asked. Then went and did it.

 

[Cataract]

Called/emailed the heads of laboratories I wanted to work in. Summer research I did through research programs. Volunteering is as simple as walking into the volunteering department of your local hospital. None of this requires effort, but getting into a research program can be competitive.

 

[shaggybill]

I work at the front desk of the ER. I was back by the charge nurse desk one day and a doctor came up and asked if I was new (I was), introduced himself, and later that night I asked if I could shadow him. He was all for it. Great guy.

As for volunteering, I just emailed all the hospitals within 30 minutes of my house and asked if they used student volunteers.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

Figured out organizations I was interested and contacted them about volunteer work- or just submited an application online if it was available.

For my research I did it with a study abroad program at school (it was history) I signed up for the program then the option for additional research was offered with a grant for 3 students in the program (over 20 students)... after we got back from our trip I spent 6 months doing research and additional stuff- I'm still working on it too

For shadowing- that was the hardest- I asked my general doctor which was easy but other specialist have been challenging to find. But I nanny for an oral surgeon and both him and his wife (a non-working PA) have tons of connections so with all those connections I hooked up with a Pediatric Oncologist who has generously spent the last 5 months working through paperwork process with me... and another family I babysit for talked with their pediatrician who called me and gave me her cell number and said I could come anytime.

Be persistant and do what interest you- no one wants a cookie cutter applicant in my opinion.

 

[armybound]

Shadowing was arranged through friends I knew who had physicians as parents.
Volunteering was arranged by applying at the local hospital.
I talked to one of my professors about research and he said he'd love to have another worker. It was pretty simple.

 

[Paulz]

What was the extent of your volunteering? Did you work with papers, bring pateints water/flowers/food? What was your role in research projects? What did your experiences actually consist of?

 

[armybound]

Volunteering: I was in a very small, not busy ER. They usually had me run lab specimen down to the lab for analysis. I'd go into rooms after patients left and change the linens/wipe equipment down. A few times I held babies while they put IVs in. I'd watch a doctor do a procedure if he'd let me. Overall it was boring, but at least I was in the middle of it.

Research: The PI started off by assigning me and other new researchers into some really menial task like making competent E. coli and washing glassware. Eventually we branched out and got to learn other techniques like electrophoresis, electroporation, Western blotting, PCR. Obviously with more experience you can take on more responsibility and maybe even get your own project.

With both of them, the main idea is just getting in there and seeing what it's all about and if you like it.

 

[Thewrongstuff]

Volunteered at my local hospital FREE+BORING

Volunteered on/off at DOTY (patients with mental ******ation, autism...) Not my thing but an interesting environment nonetheless. FREE+PRICELESS

Will be studying abroad fall 2008 1 semester in amsterdam FREE!

Will be going to Africa working with doctors in August as part of a 2 week directed study. MMMmmmmalaria! Expensive!!!! $~3000


I simply went to my hospitals volunteer area and asked to do something. Passed a vna course so I could have more interaction w/ patients...turned out not really lol

Its all about asking and a bit of looking around! Dont be shy.
Studying abroad is free in our college since it counts as a semester spent in the states, ask your school about this type of stuff!

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

What was the extent of your volunteering? Did you work with papers, bring pateints water/flowers/food? What was your role in research projects? What did your experiences actually consist of?

Volunteering- tutoring patients, playing games, getting movies, visiting with them, doing art projects, rocking babies

Research-sorry this is kinda long- the title of the research was Holocaust Memorials and Public Memory-
I did lots of research reading scholarly papers before trip, gathered pictures and movies during abroad experience, edited materials for our website (had over 34 hours of audio and video to go through), numerous meetings to discuss project- then we *team of 3 students and 1 faculty* drafted a plan for a website and worked with the webmaster to bring vision to life. Currently we are working toward a possible publication and preparing for our second presentation of the research (first one was at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC)

Studying abroad is not free at my school but here is my abroad experience
Junior year HS- Buenos Aires, Argentina- church work
Senior year HS- Joburg, South Africa, and Maputo, Mozambique- working with school children, orphans, economics department, etc
Sophomore year college- Study Abroad- Germany, Czech Republic, and Netherlands
Junior year college- scheduled to do Marine Biology in Belize
tentatively will be spending summer after graduation (before med school) at a Spanish Immersion Program (most likely 2 months in Costa Rica)

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

Volunteered at my local hospital FREE+BORING


Will be studying abroad fall 2008 1 semester in amsterdam FREE!

Enjoy Amsterdam- there are a lot there of cool museums there- the Resistance Museum is not well known but fabulous! I am not sure I could do a semester though (my week was plenty!)... oh and eat at the Pancake Bakery its the BEST!

 

[surferdoc]

i found a program online to volunteer in argentina in orphanage..then i found another program to get me my tefl certification and place me to teach english in mexico. They were both good programs..although just make sure you research them enough. Im looking to go to chile now..or somewhere. Im bored..anyone wanna come?? haha seriously

 

[craniotomy30]

Volunteering: Just asked some places if they were in need of a volunteer.

Shadowing: I've shadowed a lot of doctors and this has happened through many different ways. Some I have worked with and some have been through professor recommendations.

Research: I wasn't really interested in participating in research but one of my past professors approached me about it so I gave it a try. I am really glad I chose to do some research; it has been a good experience

 

[Thewrongstuff]

i found a program online to volunteer in argentina in orphanage..then i found another program to get me my tefl certification and place me to teach english in mexico. They were both good programs..although just make sure you research them enough. Im looking to go to chile now..or somewhere. Im bored..anyone wanna come?? haha seriously

I'd love to go if my south africa thing doesn't work out.

 

[surferdoc]

thewrongstuff..that would be great!

If anyone is interested, I was actually just researching this program I heard about in Santiago, Chile. You can go for as short/long as you like. Theres all diff. types of volunteering, plus you can take spanish lessons, theres medical spanish course, and also you can shadow doctors at a hospital in chile. I think thats what Im going to do! Its not too expensive either, compared to some other things Ive seen. And theres good nightlife and such in santiago 🙂 safest city in south america!
and its associated with johns hopinks, stanford, rwj, tufts, ecu, and a whole bunch of others...which is also pretty cool
if anyone wants more info PM me

 

[Paulz]

Volunteering- tutoring patients, playing games, getting movies, visiting with them, doing art projects, rocking babies

Research-sorry this is kinda long- the title of the research was Holocaust Memorials and Public Memory-
I did lots of research reading scholarly papers before trip, gathered pictures and movies during abroad experience, edited materials for our website (had over 34 hours of audio and video to go through), numerous meetings to discuss project- then we *team of 3 students and 1 faculty* drafted a plan for a website and worked with the webmaster to bring vision to life. Currently we are working toward a possible publication and preparing for our second presentation of the research (first one was at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC)

Studying abroad is not free at my school but here is my abroad experience
Junior year HS- Buenos Aires, Argentina- church work
Senior year HS- Joburg, South Africa, and Maputo, Mozambique- working with school children, orphans, economics department, etc
Sophomore year college- Study Abroad- Germany, Czech Republic, and Netherlands
Junior year college- scheduled to do Marine Biology in Belize
tentatively will be spending summer after graduation (before med school) at a Spanish Immersion Program (most likely 2 months in Costa Rica)

Wow you've been to a lot of cool places! I plan on studying abroad one summer in Brazil or Mexico. It has nothing to do with my major or even requirements for med school, but I'd like to go there and maybe knock off some gen ed requirements or electives or something.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

Wow you've been to a lot of cool places! I plan on studying abroad one summer in Brazil or Mexico. It has nothing to do with my major or even requirements for med school, but I'd like to go there and maybe knock off some gen ed requirements or electives or something.

my study abroad was also for fun- it was history, philosophy, and German... do it now you won't always have the opportunity to travel at will

 

[Bacchus]

Shadowing: I wrote a letter to my FP, she was ecstatic in the most professional way possible.

Volunteering: My pre-med club (GASP) told me about a local program.

I also spent about 100 hours in Waveland, Mississippi after Katrina (the eye of the storm passed over the town). I got involved through the student affairs office. I basically felt horrible about the whole thing, especially when I had no idea what had happened until about 3 days afterward. It was my freshman year and I was moving in, etc. So that was a spring break trip I committed to, about 50 hours or so. I then coordinated a return trip with friends. Probably the best experience of my life, ever.

 

[bwonger06]

As for shadowing, I called a few family friends. It was my first experience seeing surgery up close.

This winter ill probably call another family friend who is an EM doctor so hopefully ill get to see a bunch of bloody traumas.

 

[Bacchus]

Trauma isn't as exciting as most people think. GSW, pft, its just a hole. Unless of course it was a shotgun, that can get messy.

 

[bwonger06]

Yeah ive sat in on traumas when i volunteered. I stand back because it is usually very hectic.

Most of the time is is a car accident and they just take several x-rays. Nothing exciting at all. Ive seen gun shuts but its not bad because the bullets are lodged internally so they have to be rushed to surgery. Worst thing ive seen is some lady who drank acid cleaning products trying to commit suicide but once again, couldnt see much because all repairs and what not had to be performed in surgery.

I have yet to experience anything horrible/graphic and i am just wondering if i can handle it.

 

[RaVen777]

Volunteer: I've been going to a Church for a long time. There have been a number of children's programs I helped out with over the years. In addition, i've been able to play on the church band as a guitarist for 6 years. For clinical, I applied to a large hospital in my city and was able to get an ER triage position, which has been great fun. (Lots always going on there!)

Research: Fortunately, i've had plenty of options here. I was approached by My organic professor after taking 4 classes with him, and did a semester of research for him. I also applied under another biology professor in my 3rd year and ended up doing 2 summers of research with him on my own project, as well as my thesis. Got to go to an undergrad poster convention thing too which was fun 🙂

Shadowing: here is where i am Weak. I have not done any yet, but I'm setting some up at the moment, and I hope to start within the next month. My GP has expressed a lot of interest in my MD pursuits, so I hope he will be willing.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Volunteer: I've been going to a Church for a long time. There have been a number of children's programs I helped out with over the years. In addition, i've been able to play on the church band as a guitarist for 6 years. For clinical, I applied to a large hospital in my city and was able to get an ER triage position, which has been great fun. (Lots always going on there!)

Research: Fortunately, i've had plenty of options here. I was approached by My organic professor after taking 4 classes with him, and did a semester of research for him. I also applied under another biology professor in my 3rd year and ended up doing 2 summers of research with him on my own project, as well as my thesis. Got to go to an undergrad poster convention thing too which was fun 🙂

Shadowing: here is where i am Weak. I have not done any yet, but I'm setting some up at the moment, and I hope to start within the next month. My GP has expressed a lot of interest in my MD pursuits, so I hope he will be willing.

You dont need any shadowing dude, you have the ER thing where you can interact with patientsand nurses and doctors.

 

[Arc]

Volunteered at a homeless shelter on/off for the past 4+ years
Volunteered at a hospital for about a year now
Strongly thinking about applying for a research position at Oakland Children's hospital.
Getting certified for Pharmacy tech in a good 2-3 months.
Shadowing: Did one in high school if that counts for anything. I wish to shadow a more broader field though, which I think I might get at Oakland Children's Hospital.

To be honest, I'm not really all that interested in doing a whole bunch of extra-curricular activities just to be able to fill out my AMCAS sheet later. I'm a firm believer in the "Less is More" philosophy.

 

[Arc]

Will be going to Africa working with doctors in August as part of a 2 week directed study. MMMmmmmalaria! Expensive!!!! $~3000

Been there, done that in a way.

I would go to Africa, but considering that I have relatives there, it wouldn't exactly be outreaching beyond my comfort zone. Try not to drink the water of fall into the sewer ditch, and I hope you aren't afraid of lizards and spiders with 7+ in. spans.

 

[Drogba]

Trauma isn't as exciting as most people think. GSW, pft, its just a hole. Unless of course it was a shotgun, that can get messy.

The ER generally is not non-stop excitement by any means. Not even in level I facilities, as you know.

Traumas can get ugly though if a thoracotomy is indicated or if the GSW victim was shot by police (aka 9+ times). There are plenty other ugly traumas that are not that common if you are only spending a few hours a week in the ER. I would speculate severe crush injury and extensive burns are probably some of the worst. If someone is looking for blood and guts those are best found in the OR.

 

[bwonger06]

The ER generally is not non-stop excitement by any means. Not even in level I facilities, as you know.

Traumas can get ugly though if a thoracotomy is indicated or if the GSW victim was shot by police (aka 9+ times). There are plenty other ugly traumas that are not that common if you are only spending a few hours a week in the ER. I would speculate severe crush injury and extensive burns are probably some of the worst. If someone is looking for blood and guts those are best found in the OR.

I would go further and say OB/GYN is even more graphic. Nastiest things are cesarians. So much fluid and water... at least the patient isnt screaming though.

 

[DoctorDreamer]

I worked for my uncle who's a surgeon for two summers. I volunteered for projects and activities whenever the opportunity came up. I talked to my micro teacher (favorite class) about his research and asked to work with him. I asked any doctor I knew/met that I found nice and interesting if I could shadow.

 

[Drogba]

I would go further and say OB/GYN is even more graphic. Nastiest things are cesarians. So much fluid and water... at least the patient isnt screaming though.

Patients haven't been screaming inthe more graphic traumas I've seen. Mostly because they're dead. Or were you referring to natural births?

C-sections are amazing, you bring a new life into the world to take its first ever breath and their heads aren't even contorted from coming down the birth canal. I've never seen a natural birth but I think I prefer c-section. I really don't see why all births aren't c-sections these days. Nothing is cooler than seeing aliving being that just one second ago was inside someone else and all the sudden is its own independent person looking around at the world for the very first time. We all were like that at one point (I was even a c-section baby!). I think OB/G is a cool field aside from the crappy lifestyle and malpractice. Nice combo of surgery, medicine, patient relationships, and having a huge impact on the life of others etc.

 

[Bacchus]

Drogba, come on. Birth is like food. The more natural, the better. Granted, mom's episiotomy doesn't get infected with GI flora.

 

[kastle6797]

Volunteering: Many hospitals offer applications for volunteering. I did this and have been able to volunteer at 2 hospitals. One of them let me even choose from about 50 positions. Places like soup kitchen and non-profit organizations are also very open to volunteers.

Shadowing: I did mine through my school's career services. If you have trouble, go through your school's career services and ask them to hook you up. Often they'll place you with an alumni. If this doesn't work, just get on the website of a local hospital and look up faculty members in departments that you are interested. If their contact info is there, stalk them! No just messing with you, but seriously you can send them an email, no harm done.

Research: As an undergrad, ask faculty members. If you already graduated, networking is probably the best. If not, really work on the resume. I had no connections in my current city after graduating, so I sent in my resume to the local University to about 25 research positions. After about 6 weeks I had 3 bites and finally 1 catch. Just like medical school, 1 is all you need. Persistence is key if you want great EC opportunities.

 

[Drogba]

Drogba, come on. Birth is like food. The more natural, the better. Granted, mom's episiotomy doesn't get infected with GI flora.

Is natural birth really safer than c-sections are? I've not looked at any data myself. I would think that a planned c-section has a pretty low probability of going horribly wrong but I have no idea.

 

[Bacchus]

Call me old school, but I think sans complications natural would have to be the way to go.

http://www.childbirth.org/section/risks.html

 

[Paulz]

How many overall hours of volunteering/shadowing did you finish up with?

For those who have traveled, how did volunteering in different places around the world allow you to go out and see the country and get out and experience the people first hand?