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- Jun 15, 2002
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I've got something of a dilemma about what to do this coming summer...and I was wondering if any of you could advise me on what med schools might like more. (Disclaimer: I'm not DOING this for med school admissions, just would like to know what effect the two choices would have.) I can either go abroad for free (with a grant) and do whatever I want, or I can do a pretty intensive volunteer program at a local hospital (i.e. 40 hours a week).
At first glance, it does seem that going abroad would be a more unique, exciting option, but then I worry that I won't have enough hospital experience (I have none now) to decide for sure on med school, or even to get into med school. I do plan to do an internship at an inpatient psych unit this spring, but that's not quite "medical" hospital experience. Even if I could get a medical-related volunteer job abroad (India maybe?), it would likely not be standard hospital volunteering, which seems useful for pre-med.
And next fall, I could theoretically do the local hospital volunteering, but then I wouldn't get paid and might have to live at home...also, I'd have trouble finding a job for six months that spring.
P.S. My mom is trying to convince me that I should definitely do the local volunteering and give up my grant....because the volunteering would be such a good experience (you get to rotate between 3 hospitals and follow doctors, etc.). So I have begun to lean that way, but don't know if it's the best idea.
OK, sorry if I made this sound more complicated than it is...but I'm stuck on what to do....
Karen
At first glance, it does seem that going abroad would be a more unique, exciting option, but then I worry that I won't have enough hospital experience (I have none now) to decide for sure on med school, or even to get into med school. I do plan to do an internship at an inpatient psych unit this spring, but that's not quite "medical" hospital experience. Even if I could get a medical-related volunteer job abroad (India maybe?), it would likely not be standard hospital volunteering, which seems useful for pre-med.
And next fall, I could theoretically do the local hospital volunteering, but then I wouldn't get paid and might have to live at home...also, I'd have trouble finding a job for six months that spring.
P.S. My mom is trying to convince me that I should definitely do the local volunteering and give up my grant....because the volunteering would be such a good experience (you get to rotate between 3 hospitals and follow doctors, etc.). So I have begun to lean that way, but don't know if it's the best idea.
OK, sorry if I made this sound more complicated than it is...but I'm stuck on what to do....
Karen