Suggestions for volunteering hours

[Krammerman]

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Ok so I am 18 and starting classes at community college this fall. I plan on transferring to a university after a year and then trying to get into med school (not sure if MD or DO yet). I know clinical volunteering and shadowing are basically required to get into med school so I really want to set goals for hours for both of those. My question is how many hours should I try to have before applying of each? I am going to be doing molecular biology research every summer and already have a publication co-author and another fully done by me on the way. I also have a bit of a disadvantage in that I will have a dropped felony (drug possession) on my record so I really want to make sure everything else on my application is perfect. I also plan on studying spanish and doing an immersion program to become fluent. Do you guys know of any ways to get shadowing hours without a background check (the charges have not yet been dropped but will be)? What type of options are available for clinical volunteering?

 

[Goro]

Hospice, nursing homes, camps for sick children, Ronald McDonald House, crisis/suicide hotlines, clinics.

Most successful applicants have > 100 hrs each of clinical and non-clinical volunteer experience. Shadowing is > 50 hrs.

For non-clinical, check out your local houses of worship.

Ok so I am 18 and starting classes at community college this fall. I plan on transferring to a university after a year and then trying to get into med school (not sure if MD or DO yet). I know clinical volunteering and shadowing are basically required to get into med school so I really want to set goals for hours for both of those. My question is how many hours should I try to have before applying of each? I am going to be doing molecular biology research every summer and already have a publication co-author and another fully done by me on the way. I also have a bit of a disadvantage in that I will have a dropped felony (drug possession) on my record so I really want to make sure everything else on my application is perfect. I also plan on studying spanish and doing an immersion program to become fluent. Do you guys know of any ways to get shadowing hours without a background check (the charges have not yet been dropped but will be)? What type of options are available for clinical volunteering?

 

[Krammerman]

Hospice, nursing homes, camps for sick children, Ronald McDonald House, crisis/suicide hotlines, clinics.

Most successful applicants have > 100 hrs each of clinical and non-clinical volunteer experience. Shadowing is > 50 hrs.

For non-clinical, check out your local houses of worship.

Just to clarify you mean >100 hours clinical and >100 hours non clinical? Is there any reason not to just do double the clinical hours?

 

[Doudline]

Just to clarify you mean >100 hours clinical and >100 hours non clinical? Is there any reason not to just do double the clinical hours?

Time is the greatest cost of renunciation in life, and in this case it'll be better spent elsewhere.
1000 hours of shadowing or shelf-stuffing impresses no one.

 

[Krammerman]

Hospice, nursing homes, camps for sick children, Ronald McDonald House, crisis/suicide hotlines, clinics.

Most successful applicants have > 100 hrs each of clinical and non-clinical volunteer experience. Shadowing is > 50 hrs.

For non-clinical, check out your local houses of worship.

Also seeing that I have drug related charges do you know of any volunteering involving rehabilitation or consoling of drug users that I may be able to get involved with? All things aside I really would like to do this.

 

[Krammerman]

Time is the greatest cost of renunciation in life, and in this case it'll be better spent elsewhere.
1000 hours of shadowing or shelf-stuffing impresses no one.

Im not sure I follow. Are you suggesting that volunteering is unnecessary?

 

[Krammerman]

Hospice, nursing homes, camps for sick children, Ronald McDonald House, crisis/suicide hotlines, clinics.

Most successful applicants have > 100 hrs each of clinical and non-clinical volunteer experience. Shadowing is > 50 hrs.

For non-clinical, check out your local houses of worship.

Sorry for all the questions but you seem very knowledgeable so I have one more: In terms of documentation what is expected? Should I just keep a folder with all documentation of hours for reference?

 

[Doudline]

Im not sure I follow. Are you suggesting that volunteering is unnecessary?

Common SDN wisdom: you need enough clinical experience to show that you know what you are getting into. The rest is at your discretion, for your personal growth. Don't do it to impress/because you think it'll look good.

As Warren Buffett once said, "Isn't taking a job to build up your résumé kind of like saving sex for old age?" (Replace "job" with "ECs".)

 

[RKBrumbelow]

Is there any reason not to just do double the clinical hours?

1000 hours of shadowing or shelf-stuffing impresses no one.

Im not sure I follow. Are you suggesting that volunteering is unnecessary?

I read the response as you need to do both clinical and volunteer hours so doubling up on clinical means you are still lacking in volunteer. Do not ignore one and think you can make up for it with the other. They are different experiences.

 

[Goro]

Yes, 100 hrs of each. You're expected to demonstrate your altruism and humanism.

Just to clarify you mean >100 hours clinical and >100 hours non clinical? Is there any reason not to just do double the clinical hours?

 

[Syns]

Based on what you said, I would recommend:

Hospice --> clinical hours.
Drug related service --> Community hours.

The hospice experience is an amazing opportunity and should not be ignored lightly. I'm suggesting drug related community service because if you have a history with drug use/drug involvement, servicing that population is consistent with the idea of bettering yourself. You may even become more passionate about your work and it will lead to research, activism or career decisions.

 

[Krammerman]

Based on what you said, I would recommend:

Hospice --> clinical hours.
Drug related service --> Community hours.

The hospice experience is an amazing opportunity and should not be ignored lightly. I'm suggesting drug related community service because if you have a history with drug use/drug involvement, servicing that population is consistent with the idea of bettering yourself. You may even become more passionate about your work and it will lead to research, activism or career decisions.

What types of things can I do that are drug related community service?

 

[Syns]

I think that depends on your community. Every community has different needs. It also depends on your history. @Doudline had it right -- the non-clinical hours are completely up to you.

Knowing what you went through, do you think the privilege of your skin color or wealth played a role in your felony being dropped? How about avoiding a life of crime? There are endless possibilities for growth with this outlet.

If I were you, I would not let other people's parameters define you in this respect.
My recommendation would be to do research before you decide to do anything. Let that research guide your decisions.

Here are some questions to answer to help guide you to figuring out what you authentically want to engage with:

How many people in the USA face the same drug charge you did?
How are those people different?
What was the consequence of their experience?
Where are they now?
What are people doing right now to combat equity issues?
etc.

 

[Krammerman]

I think that depends on your community. Every community has different needs. It also depends on your history. @Doudline had it right -- the non-clinical hours are completely up to you.

Knowing what you went through, do you think the privilege of your skin color or wealth played a role in your felony being dropped? How about avoiding a life of crime? There are endless possibilities for growth with this outlet.

If I were you, I would not let other people's parameters define you in this respect.
My recommendation would be to do research before you decide to do anything. Let that research guide your decisions.

Here are some questions to answer to help guide you to figuring out what you authentically want to engage with:

How many people in the USA face the same drug charge you did?
How are those people different?
What was the consequence of their experience?
Where are they now?
What are people doing right now to combat equity issues?
etc.

I did spend some time in jail and it really opened my eyes to what causes people to be in there. There are a lot of people there who are bad people but theres also a lot of good people trapped by their circumstances who just have no support. I would like to try to help those people but I have no idea how.

 

[Syns]

If the answer was out there Krammerman, it would be solved. It is complicated and there are brilliant people working on it but you can help. The best assistance you can provide is to approach it like I suggested. Do your own research, come to your own conclusions, and allow that passion to guide your action.

 

[Krammerman]

If the answer was out there Krammerman, it would be solved. It is complicated and there are brilliant people working on it but you can help. The best assistance you can provide is to approach it like I suggested. Do your own research, come to your own conclusions, and allow that passion to guide your action.

Well I looked into it and you have to be 21 to volunteer with inmates in my state. Thats a bit of a drag but I am going to look into other options.

 

[mcatjelly]

What types of things can I do that are drug related community service?

I'd suggest looking into the Phoenix House programs or something similar.

 

[Krammerman]

I'd suggest looking into the Phoenix House programs or something similar.

Thanks friend!

 

[RKBrumbelow]

I did spend some time in jail

Have you taken the time to make certain your rights have been fully restored?

I know this is a question I have to answer regularly when I renew my federal licensing (I have a Federal Firearms License so I had to be fingerprinted and the feds go through my background with a fine toothed comb) and when people do background checks on me it always pulls up bad (Incorrect) information. But a letter from the DA/Judge/Probation Officer for your case showing your rights have been fully restored will help out a lot.

 

[Krammerman]

Have you taken the time to make certain your rights have been fully restored?

I know this is a question I have to answer regularly when I renew my federal licensing (I have a Federal Firearms License so I had to be fingerprinted and the feds go through my background with a fine toothed comb) and when people do background checks on me it always pulls up bad (Incorrect) information. But a letter from the DA/Judge/Probation Officer for your case showing your rights have been fully restored will help out a lot.

Well all this is still playing out but I will certainly keep that in mind. Thanks for the info