Volunteer Work?

[neuronick]

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This is probably a question that has been asked here plenty of times before but after looking through several threads I didnt see it addresed. So my question is how important is volunteer work at a hospital in the application process. I am currently a neurobiology graduate student and am finishing up a M.S. I applied to medical schools last year and did not recieve 1 interview. My GPA is OK ~3.6 but my MCATs were not as good V:9 PS:10 B:9. I focused on the fact that I had 6 years of research under my belt and that I had been published. One of my problems I think, is that I have never volunteered at a hospital. I have shadowed several doctors, but thats it. I worked full time throught my undergrad years so that kind of precluded me from any volunteer work. Now Im in lab everyday taking classes, teaching, and doing my own research. Should I try to fill up any remaining time I have this summer at a hospital or just strat the reapplication process? Thanks for any help.

 

[deuist]

Volunteering is a very important part of the application process. You do not necessarily have to volunteer in a hospital---just find something that you like and go do it. Most pre-meds work in a hospital so that they can get both volunteering and clinical experience checked off on their resumes. This route is bad, I think, because hospital volunteering does not truly expose you to the work environment of a physician. But you are correct, volunteering is vitally important to applying to medical school.

Read Sections 1.3-1.5 of the Introduction for more information.

 

[LizzyM]

The secret isn't hospitals, doctor shadowing or volunteering. It is getting to know patients or sick people. You can do this in a lot of different ways, not just volunteering and not just in hospitals. Most nursing homes use volunteers to visit with and interact with residents (that's nursing home talk for "patients").

Hospices and facilities for the profoundly disabled are good spots too.

Medical school will teach you how to be a doctor, but you have to come in with the social skills to feel comfortable walking into a room and talking with a stranger who may be uncomfortable, confused, disfigured, etc.