Transitioned from a volunteer position to a paid position. Can I count the time I was a volunteer as non-clinical volunteer hours?

[saphiana]

This was pre-COVID. I worked as a patient navigator at my university's student health center, pointing students towards physical and mental health resources, tabling, and hosting a booth at the weekly farmer's market on campus. I had to volunteer for a semester to "train" and accrued around 60-70 hours. I was hired at the end of the semester due to good performance and continued the position getting paid. Should I lump the two activities together as paid non-clinical employment or separate them into two activities? I definitely had slightly more responsibility during the year I was paid but it wasn't TOO different from when I was a volunteer.

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[Hzreio]

This was pre-COVID. I worked as a patient navigator at my university's student health center, pointing students towards physical and mental health resources, tabling, and hosting a booth at the weekly farmer's market on campus. I had to volunteer for a semester to "train" and accrued around 60-70 hours. I was hired at the end of the semester due to good performance and continued the position getting paid. Should I lump the two activities together as paid non-clinical employment or separate them into two activities? I definitely had slightly more responsibility during the year I was paid but it wasn't TOO different from when I was a volunteer.

Yes?? I mean those were factually volunteer hours.

 

[seanm028]

That's what I'm planning on doing.

 

[saphiana]

That's what I'm planning on doing.

Separating them or lumping them together?

 

[seanm028]

Separating them or lumping them together?

Sorry, I was replying to the phrasing in your title. I'm planning on separating them.

 

[seanm028]

On another note, requiring people to "train as volunteers" before being hired has been ruled a violation of labor laws by more than one US court. Then again, student workers are exempt from a lot of the labor laws. 🤷

 

[DNAJB6]

Yes. I would list them separately though in the AMCAS application though.

 

[Catalystik]

This was pre-COVID. I worked as a patient navigator at my university's student health center, pointing students towards physical and mental health resources, tabling, and hosting a booth at the weekly farmer's market on campus. I had to volunteer for a semester to "train" and accrued around 60-70 hours. I was hired at the end of the semester due to good performance and continued the position getting paid. Should I lump the two activities together as paid non-clinical employment or separate them into two activities? I definitely had slightly more responsibility during the year I was paid but it wasn't TOO different from when I was a volunteer.

Separate them. Or alternatively, list just the volunteer dates and hours under Volunteer-Not Medical//Clinical, but in the narrative add that in m/yyyy you transitioned to a paid position for xx hours per week and continued until 3/2020 (if you need to tighten up your usage of the available spaces and/or don't want to be repetitive) for an additional nnn hours. You could add the additional responsibilities here. It reflects well that your performance prompted them to hire you, and keeping the two activities together maintains the context.