Volunteer and shadowing Hours

[lenap3]

Hi, so I'm worried about my clinical volunteering hours since the two opportunities I was hoping to partake in this year got paused due to COVID-19. Given I was supposed to volunteer with immunocompromised kiddos and in the PICU, I doubt this will happen until a vaccine is made available I will have around 550 non-clinical volunteer hours (all med focused but more outreach than interacting in healthcare settings). I also will have close to 1000 hours working on two clinical research projects, and will hopefully squeeze in another 100 hours of shadowing (total 140 hours). So my question is, how bad would it be to possibly have very few clinical volunteering hours? I was contemplating maybe donating things like blankets while the volunteer programs are on hold, but even still a lot of places aren't accepting them. I'm applying this upcoming year, so I still have time, but COVID has really complicated the clinical aspect of things.

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[LizzyM]

No more shadowing... 40 hours is enough. If you think you can squeeze in 100 hours of shadowing, ask if you can be of help in some way as a volunteer rather than passively watching.

You need to be face-to-face with patients. Is there any way to get a job, even short term, that could make that happen?

 

[yokiguz]

No more shadowing... 40 hours is enough. If you think you can squeeze in 100 hours of shadowing, ask if you can be of help in some way as a volunteer rather than passively watching.

You need to be face-to-face with patients. Is there any way to get a job, even short term, that could make that happen?

Hi LizzyM, are you saying 40 hours overall is enough? I was thinking of getting some more as I only shadowed a Canadian FM doctor. Should I only get 1 more experience with an American doctor, or do you suggest more?

Thanks

 

[LizzyM]

OK, do a doc in the US. Not more than 40 more hours. Shadowing is no substitute for doing something for others.

 

[yokiguz]

OK, do a doc in the US. Not more than 40 more hours. Shadowing is no substitute for doing something for others.

Thanks. Your help is very much appreciated!

 

[lenap3]

@LizzyM ok so to clarify, my clinical research project this fall will be "face-to-face" (aka zoom) with patients. If my institution allows me to work in the clinic, I will combine shadowing with my research role and meet patients in person. But regardless of the face to face model, I will be interacting with patients.

As far as shadowing, my experiences don't tend to be passive because I've shadowed a lot of physicians that I know personally and they're all very hands on (most are chiefs and run the residency program or rotations in their dept). So, I can still speak to interacting with patients on this level.

I was also thinking of potentially fundraising this fall to put on an event in the spring through Child Life at one hospital I am hoping to volunteer with. But as far as in person volunteering, I'm in Boston, so most hospitals are incredibly strict and have frozen volunteering for the foreseeable future. Trust me, I've asked and it's just non-negotiable at the moment.

Also, I am taking a gap year, so I will continue volunteering during that, but won't be able to list a ton of hours by the time my app cycle comes around.

 

[Goro]

Hi, so I'm worried about my clinical volunteering hours since the two opportunities I was hoping to partake in this year got paused due to COVID-19. Given I was supposed to volunteer with immunocompromised kiddos and in the PICU, I doubt this will happen until a vaccine is made available I will have around 550 non-clinical volunteer hours (all med focused but more outreach than interacting in healthcare settings). I also will have close to 1000 hours working on two clinical research projects, and will hopefully squeeze in another 100 hours of shadowing (total 140 hours). So my question is, how bad would it be to possibly have very few clinical volunteering hours? I was contemplating maybe donating things like blankets while the volunteer programs are on hold, but even still a lot of places aren't accepting them. I'm applying this upcoming year, so I still have time, but COVID has really complicated the clinical aspect of things.

try scribing

 

[lenap3]

try scribing

I won't have time since I'll be working two jobs (research) :/

 

[yokiguz]

I won't have time since I'll be working two jobs (research) :/

I'd personally quit one of them. Clinical experience is a must. Research, not so much. But that's just me.

 

[Goro]

I'd personally quit one of them. Clinical experience is a must. Research, not so much. But that's just me.

This!!!!!

 

[lenap3]

Ok so here's my research dilemma: One is for graduation credit but I'd have the opportunity to hopefully get 2 publications and a conference out of it (all would be first or second author) and the other is the region's largest pediatric covid-19 study, so big impact research, not something that will go nowhere or is just to pass time. Both would probably be very well-received by med schools, and are just great opportunities regardless. Also, I will 100% interact with patients in my research for credit and will hopefully be able to meet them in the clinic and listen in. My PI is pro sneaking me in even if it's technically not allowed, so I will get experience with patients.

Scribing is not really for me, I'm also high risk for COVID-19 so if I were to land an ED scribe role it would be really stupid for me to put med school apps over my long term health.

Really, volunteering is what I would love to do, but like I said, the program I was accepted into is on hold until who knows when. I've reached out to other hospitals, and they're also on hold for the time being. Also, before someone calls out the high risk comment for scribing, I do most my research remotely or via zoom, and I was specifically placed on pediatric ICU floors that don't treat COVID patients because of my own health risk. I'm also shadowing prior doctors of mine, so they're familiar with me being high risk.

Is there any avenue besides scribing that would make sense?

 

[LizzyM]

Do the research. It sounds really interesting and rewarding.

Put your medical school plans on hold for the foreseeable future. Once a vaccine is available, get it, then start getting face-to-face clinical experience one way or another (not virtual but in person). Plan on applying the June after that clinical experience begins with the goal of matriculating the year after that. It is not the plan you may have wanted but everyone has plans that have been up-ended by Covid. You have all the more reason to up-end your plans because you shouldn't want to end up in a medical school situation where you have to go into risky environments as part of your med school training without the coverage of a vaccine.