Volunteer hours???

[ImRRT]

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If I work as a respiratory therapist for couple of years, would i still need to volunteer in a hospital to fulfill volunteer hours requirement when applying to medical schools in the future?

 

[FrkyBgStok]

you don't need to volunteer at a hospital, you need to show community service. if you already have clinical experience, volunteer elsewhere. volunteering at a hospital just kills 2 birds with one 1 stone.

 

[Food]

If I work as a respiratory therapist for couple of years, would i still need to volunteer in a hospital to fulfill volunteer hours requirement when applying to medical schools in the future?

Just volunteer somewhere you normally wouldn't spend time in your line of work. That way it shows you are willing to work outside of your comfort zone or try something new. You already get tons of patient contact, so the clinical stuff is taken care of.

 

[ImRRT]

Just volunteer somewhere you normally wouldn't spend time in your line of work. That way it shows you are willing to work outside of your comfort zone or try something new. You already get tons of patient contact, so the clinical stuff is taken care of.

does having experience as a health care service provider have any advantage when applying to medical schools?

 

[Food]

does having experience as a health care service provider have any advantage when applying to medical schools?

probably, but it all comes down to how well you market it.

 

[Catalystik]

does having experience as a health care service provider have any advantage when applying to medical schools?

Schools seem to increasingly want to see nonmedical, noncampus community service, in addition to some form of clinical experience. You've got the latter in the bag, and it's likely to be a high-quality experience compared to those who are cleaning beds and providing fresh water to patients like a typical hospital volunteer might.

For your volunteerism, look for a cause you'd care about. Some ideas for community service might include Meals on Wheels, homeless or women's shelter, soup kitchen, food pantry, crisis hotline, after school tutoring of kids, Habitat for Humanity, or Humane Society. Try to give your time on a regular basis, ideally weekly or twice monthly.

 

[truthis]

Does early childhood education count as clinical experience? I've worked with autism, and other special needs children. I've had three years invested in it so far and really enjoyed every minute of it.

you don't need to volunteer at a hospital, you need to show community service. if you already have clinical experience, volunteer elsewhere. volunteering at a hospital just kills 2 birds with one 1 stone.

 

[Catalystik]

Does early childhood education count as clinical experience? I've worked with autism, and other special needs children. I've had three years invested in it so far and really enjoyed every minute of it.

While relevant to a med school application, early childhood education for those who happen to have a psychological or genetic condition isn't generally a clinical experience. An example of an exception might be if you're assisting an OT or PT who is giving therapy under the direction of a physician or are assisting with behavioral therapy along with a licensed therapist. Even if the latter are true, I'd suggest that you also gain experience in an environment where you'd interact with those who are medically ill and where a prescription-writing professional is present.