Volunteer coordinator has me down for only 50 hrs, but I've done way more!

[mariposas905]

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I volunteered at a facility for 3 years (on and off, during breaks), but accumulated at least 200 hours during that period. It is listed as one of my most meaningful activities on AMCAS. When I first started volunteering, they did not keep track of hours. Later, they replaced this with a sign in sheet. However, this was not usually monitored and many volunteers would forget to sign in. This past year, the volunteer coordinator changed and he uses an iPad system to sign volunteers in. He keeps track of everything and is very particular about what he does.

I emailed the facility to ask about my total volunteer hours and the response I received back was...50. I have definitely done way more than that! I was going to put 250-300 hours on AMCAS because I'd been going to this facility for the longest time and am still continuing this summer.

I told the volunteer coordinator that I'd worked more hours before he came in, but he said that 50 hours is what's on their record and that's what they will tell to any schools that check with them. I am not able to get in touch with the old volunteer coordinator and even if I did, she never really kept track of hours.

What do I do? Can I still go ahead and put 250 hours? I have a lot to say about this activity and it's a most meaningful essay. However, I'm also worried that I could get called out on this by med schools. After all, 50 to 250 isn't a small difference 🙁

 

[tantacles]

It's fine. If you did the time, write it down.

 

[bbbcccppp]

I agree. I would put down the hours you think you did. Your explanation would be sincere and believable if it ever came to that


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[Shirafune]

Write 250-300 hours. Schools are not going to check hours that are reasonable.

 

[LizzyM]

Don't ask for a letter. 😉

 

[Catalystik]

I volunteered at a facility for 3 years (on and off, during breaks), but accumulated at least 200 hours during that period. It is listed as one of my most meaningful activities on AMCAS. When I first started volunteering, they did not keep track of hours. Later, they replaced this with a sign in sheet. However, this was not usually monitored and many volunteers would forget to sign in. This past year, the volunteer coordinator changed and he uses an iPad system to sign volunteers in. He keeps track of everything and is very particular about what he does.

I emailed the facility to ask about my total volunteer hours and the response I received back was...50. I have definitely done way more than that! I was going to put 250-300 hours on AMCAS because I'd been going to this facility for the longest time and am still continuing this summer.

I told the volunteer coordinator that I'd worked more hours before he came in, but he said that 50 hours is what's on their record and that's what they will tell to any schools that check with them. I am not able to get in touch with the old volunteer coordinator and even if I did, she never really kept track of hours.

What do I do? Can I still go ahead and put 250 hours? I have a lot to say about this activity and it's a most meaningful essay. However, I'm also worried that I could get called out on this by med schools. After all, 50 to 250 isn't a small difference 🙁

Use the narrative to explain as you have above (but more succinctly). You might break the activity into two timeframes: 1) before coordinator #2 and 2) after coordinator #2 (which will agree with what the Contact has to say). All the hours will appear at the top of the experience box on the application (200+50), with their separate dat spans. If you wish, you can add a third timespan for the future hours, and that will appear below the others (200+50+50). Use the current month for the end of datespan 2 and the beginning of datespan 3, if you decide to do this.