Volunteer @ ER: Not able to contribute - need advice

[common man]

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The doctor was so nice that he goes out of his way to take me along as he makes the rounds to treat patients. I am benefiting tremendously as a volunteer at the ER. I feel guilty that I can't do anything to return the favor. At my hospital you need no training or credentials to volunteer. Just TB test x2, flu vaccine, and background check. It is important for me NOT to get in the way at the ER where everyone who does anything is specially trained.

The doctor will likely write me a letter simply because I am lucky. What can I do to contribute? What can I do to continue to motivate the doctor to keep showing me around? How can I be proactive to make the best impression possible at hospital where I am qualified to do little? I want to get the best letter possible. I replace the bedsheets and serve patients drinks but this is needed only occasionally.

 

[Frazier]

The doctor was so nice that he goes out of his way to take me along as he makes the rounds to treat patients. I am benefiting tremendously as a volunteer at the ER. I feel guilty that I can't do anything to return the favor. At my hospital you need no training or credentials to volunteer. Just TB test x2, flu vaccine, and background check. It is important for me NOT to get in the way at the ER where everyone who does anything is specially trained.

The doctor will likely write me a letter simply because I am lucky. What can I do to contribute? What can I do to continue to motivate the doctor to keep showing me around?

What a tough decision...

I would first think that the answer is to continue to be punctual, visibly interested and good company for the doctor to keep.

But that is almost TOO simple and blatantly obvious - so I must be way out in left ward. 🙄

 

[Telomeres]

You don't have to do much, just interact with the doctor. Ask questions about the patient or anything that you have general interest in. Interact with the patients, talk to them and get to know them. You're there to learn, and the only way you can truly repay the hospital for giving you such an amazing opportunity is to learn as much as you can...and also make the patients feel comfortable. You'll truly repay the favor when you become a doctor, so use that as motivation to keep up the good work.

 

[Frazier]

...the only way you can truly repay the hospital for giving you such an amazing opportunity is to learn as much as you can...and also make the patients feel comfortable. You'll truly repay the favor when you become a doctor, so use that as motivation to keep up the good work.

🤣
You little satirist you! idealist naivete never looked so good.

 

[the duck]

The doctor was so nice that he goes out of his way to take me along as he makes the rounds to treat patients. I am benefiting tremendously as a volunteer at the ER. I feel guilty that I can't do anything to return the favor. At my hospital you need no training or credentials to volunteer. Just TB test x2, flu vaccine, and background check. It is important for me NOT to get in the way at the ER where everyone who does anything is specially trained.

The doctor will likely write me a letter simply because I am lucky. What can I do to contribute? What can I do to continue to motivate the doctor to keep showing me around? How can I be proactive to make the best impression possible at hospital where I am qualified to do little? I want to get the best letter possible. I replace the bedsheets and serve patients drinks but this is needed only occasionally.

Listen to what the nurses are saying, if you hear that they need something, go get it. See a bead needing to be made? do it. Just be proactive. However, don't worry so much about contributing, focus on what you can take away from the situation.

 

[Disinence2]

Just make sure your always interested, and when possible try to ask an intelligent question from time to time.

If your assigned to a specific nurse or area where your supposed to be helping out try not to ditch them all the time, but if a doc grabs you to go see something cool don't turn them down to re-stock a shelf.

Glad your having a good experience in the ED

 

[Silverman780]

Personally I have given $10-$15 Starbucks/Ice cream Gift card with a thank you. However that was a easy choice because she always had some form of starbucks in her hand at the workstation. Try to make it personal.

 

[LizzyM]

Unless a school specifically asks for a LOR from a physician, they are usually a waste of paper. What a physician who has observed you shadowing can tell us about your academic ability and your character is generally very little.

That said, a sincere thank you when you have been admitted to med school would be thanks enough.

 

[deleted307836]

Unless a school specifically asks for a LOR from a physician, they are usually a waste of paper. What a physician who has observed you shadowing can tell us about your academic ability and your character is generally very little.

That said, a sincere thank you when you have been admitted to med school would be thanks enough.

I'm assuming this doesn't apply to situations where you've worked with physicians though, right? (like a scribe)

 

[mvenus929]

The doctor will likely write me a letter simply because I am lucky. What can I do to contribute? What can I do to continue to motivate the doctor to keep showing me around? How can I be proactive to make the best impression possible at hospital where I am qualified to do little? I want to get the best letter possible. I replace the bedsheets and serve patients drinks but this is needed only occasionally.

Could it possibly be that the doc simply likes doing it? I have a ER doc as a mentor, and he loves to have students shadow him. Just keep seeming interested and be ready to help when you're able.

 

[NickNaylor]

There's almost nothing you can do as a volunteer to "contribute" to how the ER is run. The best you can do is help make patients feel comfortable. Unless you have special training, you're not going to be useful in the sense of providing patient care.

 

[texahn]

don't do anything to anyone or anybody for whatever reason, ever.

 

[jm192]

What a tough decision...

I would first think that the answer is to continue to be punctual, visibly interested and good company for the doctor to keep.

But that is almost TOO simple and blatantly obvious - so I must be way out in left ward. 🙄

I see what you did there!

Seriously original poster person, the doctor doesn't expect you to contribute. You don't have any training to contribute. Some of these weird people like to educate the next generation so that hopefully when they're in the hospital, someone knows what they're doing, and maybe even able to do it with respect for everyone around. The only thing you have to do is learn.

 

[URHere]

I agree that this physician probably won't expect anything from you except for respect and genuine interest in what he is teaching you. So, if you are only worried about how best to show your gratitude, then just show it.

When you have some down time with this physician, just tell him openly and honestly how much you appreciate everything he has done for you (note: tell him once, not daily. Daily gets creepy). If you are so inclined, you could also mention that you would love to help the ED staff in any way you can as a way of saying thank you. After you have said thank you, just go back to business as usual.

If your desire to contribute goes farther than this specific situation, though, maybe you should look into some sort of certification program that would allow you to take a more active medical role (EMT, phlebotomy, etc), or try to find another volunteer gig where you can do something more hands on.

 

[common man]

ok guys thanks for the feedback. physician is just a nice guy. i'll return the favor when i'm a doctor myself and there's a pre-med student who wants to learn.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm assuming this doesn't apply to situations where you've worked with physicians though, right? (like a scribe)

If the physician pays your salary, then yes. But, for the most part, you need 2 letters from science professors and 1 from a non-science professor. If you've been in a lab more than a semester, it's best to have a letter from the PI or your lab supervisor.

 

[simha1487]

actually, there are quite a few good ways to help in an ED, especially when its busy, as a pre med, or a med student

1) keep a pair of trauma shears on you. if a trauma comes rolling in, help the people getting the patients shoes off and then getting their clothes off. go grab the patient a warm bedsheet to cover them up. this helps you get close to the action and help out and watch what the doctors are doing

2) know where the warm bedsheets, the water, juice and crackers are. patients often need/ask for this stuff and you will be their best friend if you can hand them the like

3)keep a pda/iphone/some device on it with medequations, epocrates etc. up to date. docs are often trying to calculate the dose of some drug, or look something up, and if you are the handy reference with the right pocketbook, you can be very helpful

4)go and assist procedures in the ED. often times for shoulder reductions, we'll need someone to hold counter traction, for LPs and paracenteses etc., its nice to have someone help with patient positioning and get the bottles from you (when the provider is sterile) etc., focusing lights etc. a non-sterile pair of hands in the room is nice. and while techs are around to help with this (usually), i'll often take in med students or pre meds as they get something out of being there

5) if you hear the doctor saying something like, "thats a rare disorder" or "thats weird" i havent seen that before, then perhaps find some time to look it up and discuss with him later. do this for patients that you find interesting yourself

5)finally, yes, be interested and be available and be responsive. thats the best way to be.

good luck !

 

[simha1487]

Also, to the previous poster.. if you've been a scribe.. then go for the letter from them, especially if you've worked with the physician for a while. you've been closer to a physician in the ED than any other premed and you know how they think and act. and they know how you deal with long shifts, stress and multitasking, and the adcoms will appreciate their perspective

generally speaking i agree with the two science and one non-science thing, especially from a PI, and not getting letters from docs that you occasionally shadow, but if you are a scribe, then i think its to your advantage to get a letter from the doc.

 

[Sankaku]

actually, there are quite a few good ways to help in an ED, especially when its busy, as a pre med, or a med student

1) keep a pair of trauma shears on you. if a trauma comes rolling in, help the people getting the patients shoes off and then getting their clothes off. go grab the patient a warm bedsheet to cover them up. this helps you get close to the action and help out and watch what the doctors are doing

2) know where the warm bedsheets, the water, juice and crackers are. patients often need/ask for this stuff and you will be their best friend if you can hand them the like

3)keep a pda/iphone/some device on it with medequations, epocrates etc. up to date. docs are often trying to calculate the dose of some drug, or look something up, and if you are the handy reference with the right pocketbook, you can be very helpful

4)go and assist procedures in the ED. often times for shoulder reductions, we'll need someone to hold counter traction, for LPs and paracenteses etc., its nice to have someone help with patient positioning and get the bottles from you (when the provider is sterile) etc., focusing lights etc. a non-sterile pair of hands in the room is nice. and while techs are around to help with this (usually), i'll often take in med students or pre meds as they get something out of being there

5) if you hear the doctor saying something like, "thats a rare disorder" or "thats weird" i havent seen that before, then perhaps find some time to look it up and discuss with him later. do this for patients that you find interesting yourself

5)finally, yes, be interested and be available and be responsive. thats the best way to be.

good luck !

Very good advice! I was an ED volunteer for a while and it was a great learning experience and earned me a LOR. There are lots of ways to help out in the ED without overstepping your bounds as a volunteer. In addition to the above list, these two things earned me some points:

1) Knowing where everything is kept and being a gopher when things are busy helps everyone out. Learn what the different carts and pieces of equipment are for and where they are kept, and where supplies are stored.

2) If you are good at dealing with difficult people, calming down and otherwise distracting drunk/drugged out/psych patients from annoying the hell out of the staff will earn you some points.

 

[apumic]

Very good advice! I was an ED volunteer for a while and it was a great learning experience and earned me a LOR. There are lots of ways to help out in the ED without overstepping your bounds as a volunteer. In addition to the above list, these two things earned me some points:

1) Knowing where everything is kept and being a gopher when things are busy helps everyone out. Learn what the different carts and pieces of equipment are for and where they are kept, and where supplies are stored.

2) If you are good at dealing with difficult people, calming down and otherwise distracting drunk/drugged out/psych patients from annoying the hell out of the staff will earn you some points.

This is so true. Oftentimes, as staff, we get inundated w/ pt requests for warm blankets, a new gown, food, drink, someone to talk to (not that we mind...except we can't spend 25 minutes w/ one pt hearing story after story). That's where you, as a volunteer, can come in. Also, sometimes we get ridiculously intrusive pts that follow us around or crowd the nurses' station. This can make other pts feel uncomfortable as they discuss medication w/ a nurse or ask other confidential questions. Be aware of situations like that and start talking w/ the pt and lead them away. If you act like you can help them and just start talking w/ them, it may allow the staff to deal w/ the other pt. They'll let you know if they need the intrusive pt for something (although being sensitive to the staff's needs will be a bonus).

 

[normtheniner]

Unless a school specifically asks for a LOR from a physician, they are usually a waste of paper. What a physician who has observed you shadowing can tell us about your academic ability and your character is generally very little.

That said, a sincere thank you when you have been admitted to med school would be thanks enough.

Is it just in the case of shadowing that it doesn't carry much weight?

I asked two docs that I worked with in the free clinic and then eventually shadowed over severals months to write me LOR's. I feel like working with them at the clinic prior to shadowing would help them write a pretty solid letter about my character and work ethic... I hope they carry a little weight