Volunteer Opportunity--worth it?

[wristbandMD]

I have the opportunity to volunteer as a leader for a Chronic Illness Workshop. The workshop is 6 weeks, 2.5 hours a week, two to three times a year. Leaders are required to have either had a family member with chronic illness/pain, or have had chronic illness/pain themselves. I feel like it would be a great opportunity to interact with patients, understand how they grieve, and experience different types of chronic illnesses.

There are two to three 4-day training per year. The training sessions are located in Seattle, Spokane, and Olympia areas. (I am 30 minutes from Seattle, 2 hours from Olympia, and 6ish hours from Spokane.) I would obviously need to attend a training session before leading the workshop.

The next training session is in October on the 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th (two Tuesdays and two Wednesdays). The sessions are from 9am until 4:30 pm. They are located in Port Orchard, which is (according to Google Maps) 57 miles, or 1 hour and 5 minutes (1 hour and 20 minutes in traffic) from my house.

In order to attend I would need to miss four days of school. I would only miss my Chem class, though. It would end up being four lectures and two discussions.

There will be another session in the beginning of 2011, but for all I know it could be in Spokane (too far to drive), and I would be missing three classes rather than one.


Is it worth it to:
a) drive all the way out there for this type of volunteer position?
b) miss school for this type of volunteer opportunity?

All in all, is the opportunity to lead the workshop worth it? I've never had this type of volunteer position and don't really know how often they come about?

Any help would be appreciated!!

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[IPremed2010]

Yes.

 

[wristbandMD]

Thanks. Any more opinions out there? I'd to hear from a few people before I make my final decision.

 

[kevster2001]

yes

 

[yohji]

patient interaction + leadership opportunity = win

 

[DancinSarah]

Sounds like a great clinical experience where you get excellent hands-on experience and you'll definitely have something unique to put on your app and talk about in interviews. Regarding missing class and the commute, that's only something you can decide based on how you feel your study habits are, whether it affects your other extracurricular endeavors etc. Each person is different in these regards. Personally I'd go with it because it sounds like a wonderful experience and worth missing a few classes if it means my grades wouldn't suffer too much.