volunteer hours

[escape0510]

---

Members do not see this ad.

What kind of volunteer work am I supposed to look for? Shadowing the dentist or helping out with paperwork at the office?

 

[xpheene]

shadow a dentist

 

[redchesus]

Just be sure not to list the same hours under both "Volunteering" and "Shadowing". I don't think you're supposed to do that.

 

[icedspice]

Shadowing: visit any general dentist once a week ~2 hours for a semester and you should be fine. You are trying to get to know the profession, so ask questions. If you would like, go to a different dentist every week so you can see different types of practices (private vs associate, older vs new offices - paperless, etc).

Volunteering: if you see the application, it asks for when to when you did the activity. For me, you need to show an activity that shows long term commitment ---
- nursing home
- animal shelters
- nutrition/drug abuse/sex educators on school campuses
etc.
By participating in something you believe in, you are showing your personality to the adcoms which sets you apart from others. so... choose something you like (if you are an animal lover, find an animal shelter close by)! 🙂

 

[icedspice]

Oh like Redchesus mentioned, Shadowing and Volunteering are two different sections... so dont confuse the two.

Shadowing is for your benefit, for you to get to know the profession and lifestyle -- doesnt count as volunteering.
And cleaning a dentist's office is a little weird --- you are not learning more about the dentist --- and it is not really serving the community.

 

[StirrinIt]

Neither of these are to be taken lightly. I would say everyone I talked to at interviews and such had shadowed at least 50 hours..

As far as volunteering, you want hundreds of hours. If there is a hospital with a dental clinic nearby, that is one way you could ask to be taken on as a volunteer and fit some shadowing in as well. Otherwise, volunteer all over the place, wherever your pre-dental club or other clubs are involved have opportunities... Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, church activities, with disabled kids, with abled kids, Salv Army, Tutoring, making hats for the blind (haha), Red Cross, food shelters, etc. I also had diff projects of my own that I volunteered with longterm pertaining to my specific interests...

I don't know if I am over the top, but most friends lists that I have seen are similar. It will only help, especially if you need a boost for a lacking gpa or dat.

 

[icedspice]

Otherwise, volunteer all over the place, wherever your pre-dental club or other clubs are involved have opportunities... Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, church activities, with disabled kids, with abled kids, Salv Army, Tutoring, making hats for the blind (haha), Red Cross, food shelters, etc. I also had diff projects of my own that I volunteered with longterm pertaining to my specific interests...

I was in a similar situation where many of my activities were through my predent and women in medicine org... but it is hard to include that on the application.
when they ask for what date -what date for EACH activity, they are assuming it is a long term event... i had a hard time putting ex: 10/28-10/28 Marathon event... i feel like, when they look at it, it doesnt show MUCH significance. And so instead I tried to put Pre-Dent Org Volunteering and squeeze in "event 1, event 2, event 3" in the Description (I think only 250 words limit).
So looking measly with small small one-day events vs squeezing in all of them onto one description =\

 

[StirrinIt]

And so instead I tried to put Pre-Dent Org Volunteering and squeeze in "event 1, event 2, event 3" in the Description (I think only 250 words limit).
So looking measly with small small one-day events vs squeezing in all of them onto one description =\

that's what i did too.. with the amount of time they spend looking at your app, i guarantee they notice, plus if u dont have that, ur clubs look somewhat pety. But many apps required supp apps asking for volunteer activities, in which case a page long list looks nice 🙂 haha

but KEEP A RECORD OF EVERY VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY! Starting with day 1 of college. You'll need it for scholarships, resumes (for research, work, or apply to volunteer at hospital), and of course, your application!

 

[MowgliR]

I volunteer at a dental clinic, but I have also shadowed dentists. Should I put volunteering in Dental Experience or volunteering? Where should I put shadowing?


Thanks!

 

[alexamasan]

I volunteer at a dental clinic, but I have also shadowed dentists. Should I put volunteering in Dental Experience or volunteering? Where should I put shadowing?


Thanks!

That counts as BOTH volunteering and dental experience😀 So you can put that same volunteering at the clinic under both categories.

I volunteer at a free dental clinic as well.

 

[MowgliR]

Why would you put 1 experience under 2 sections?

 

[305602]

Here's a question to further confuse everyone:

How about if you're shadowing a dentist and you actually get to do some assisting? Does that fall under standard shadowing protocol or is assisting a whole other thing? And is there a place for it on the application?