Volunteering advice needed

[drbatsandwich]

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I just wanted to get some input with regards to what I've done so far and what I have yet to complete before the 2019/2020 cycle begins.

I'm on track to graduate in Spring of 2020, BS in biology, minoring in chemistry. So far my GPA is somewhere between a 3.6 and 3.7, due to an F my junior year of high school in a summer class on classical mythology (13 years ago...) and a D in culinary school 9 years ago. I've gotten a 4.0 since returning to school this past Spring at 30 years old.

I'll be taking the MCAT in late May.

I've been volunteering in the ED at a local hospital, and have 125 hours there so far. I also just finished 15 hours of training to volunteer with hospice/home care, so by the time I apply next summer I should have a few hundred hours in clinical volunteering. My issue lies with nonclinical volunteering. I've picked up a few hours here and there doing random stuff with my pre-med society but I feel like this is just checking a box, and not meaningful. I'd like to dedicate what little free time I have to just one additional cause.

One of the options I'm considering would be volunteering with a program that supplies transitional housing for individuals and their families in return for their time and hard work/attending therapy etc.. The position would mostly be volunteering my time to help out in their thrift store, and I can go in whenever I want which is highly appealing since I've got a family at home and all. I worry that would be viewed as just working retail for no pay, so I'm curious to see how its viewed on SDN.

I'm also considering volunteering with planned parenthood but I don't know what my job would be there

(they contacted me this evening and I haven't called back yet), a​

nd worry that it would be viewed as clinical instead of nonclinical (since, ya know, it's a clinic and all!).

I've also spent around 20 hours shadowing obgyn, 18 hours with an anesthesiologist, and another 45ish hours in family medicine.

Thank you to anyone who read all that, and I appreciate your time and input!

 

[LizzyM]

You are 30 years old. In the last 10 years, have you been involved at all in community service of any kind including coaching or mentoring kids, volunteering with your faith community, being engaged in "get out the vote" programs, etc. ? If you don't see a need in your community and feel the desire to help, don't force it but if you've ever been involved because you felt passionate about a cause, you can list it even if it was from long ago (as long as you did it as an adult).

 

[princesspeach2]

Have you looked on volunteermatch.org or the service section of Craigslist for opportunities? I've had good luck through both.

I've seen several ads looking for people to cook and serve food to the homeless, that might be something to look for.

I'm also confused as to how your HS grade and one F from culinary school is affect ing your grade? Can you please elaborate? I've been under the impression that high school grades don't matter.

 

[ciestar]

Have you looked on volunteermatch.org or the service section of Craigslist for opportunities? I've had good luck through both.

I've seen several ads looking for people to cook and serve food to the homeless, that might be something to look for.

I'm also confused as to how your HS grade and one F from culinary school is affect ing your grade? Can you please elaborate? I've been under the impression that high school grades don't matter.

If you took courses as part of dual enrollment, they do.

 

[princesspeach2]

If you took courses as part of dual enrollment, they do.

Oh, that would make sense. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[drbatsandwich]

You are 30 years old. In the last 10 years, have you been involved at all in community service of any kind including coaching or mentoring kids, volunteering with your faith community, being engaged in "get out the vote" programs, etc. ? If you don't see a need in your community and feel the desire to help, don't force it but if you've ever been involved because you felt passionate about a cause, you can list it even if it was from long ago (as long as you did it as an adult).

I've been employed full-time (realistically, between 60-80 hours a week depending on season...) as a pastry chef since graduating from culinary school in 2011. If I wasn't baking, I was skiing or doing something outdoors. I'm nonreligious, and have never been involved in any community-based groups or programs. Unfortunately I did pretty much nothing but bake and exercise 🙁

Have you looked on volunteermatch.org or the service section of Craigslist for opportunities? I've had good luck through both.

I've seen several ads looking for people to cook and serve food to the homeless, that might be something to look for.

I'm also confused as to how your HS grade and one F from culinary school is affect ing your grade? Can you please elaborate? I've been under the impression that high school grades don't matter.

I've actually applied to several volunteer gigs through volunteermatch and not one of them has responded to me. Between junior/senior year of HS I went to Charleston SC for the summer to visit my cousins and a condition of my going there was having to take a class at the college of Charleston. Had I known at that point that I'd be doing this now I probably would've gone to class instead of hanging out on the beach. The culinary school is an accredited school and according to AMCAS they will require my transcript from culinary school (already contacted them about it).