Volunteering at Mass General or Brigham and Women's hospitals?

[blankguy]

Anybody volunteering if these 2 hospitals in Boston? Could somebody fill me in on what they think of these 2 hospitals? Brigham's has the Medical Career Exploration Program. What is this program like? Also what does Mass General have in volunteer research?

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[exigente chica]

I too am interested in these two programs.


Exigente

 

[blankguy]

I too am interested in these two programs.


Exigente

There is orientation next week on the first, are you planning to attend? Make sure you sign up online first.

 

[prav]

There is orientation next week on the first, are you planning to attend? Make sure you sign up online first.

The medical careers exploration website (at brigham & women's) says that the MCE orientations are on the first thursday of each month.. wouldn't that make it June 2nd?

 

[blankguy]

The medical careers exploration website (at brigham & women's) says that the MCE orientations are on the first thursday of each month.. wouldn't that make it June 2nd?

Sorry, I was referring to MGH in my last post.

 

[ravin]

I volunteered at MGH Ear and Eye in the emergency room. It's not hard, they let me sit in the ER and watch some cool stuff

 

[jamesrd]

I'm going to the MGH orientation on the 6th (can't do the 1st d/t work).

 

[blankguy]

Has anybody done research volunteering at MGH?

 

[FrauBlucher]

Has anybody done research volunteering at MGH?

yup, but I set it up independently with the PI, then did all the paperwork through the volunteer office. I'm not sure if this is how it's usually done, though. You could just go in and ask, they're pretty nice. I think they have quite a few research volunteers ("volunteers" - i got a stipend).

 

[blankguy]

yup, but I set it up independently with the PI, then did all the paperwork through the volunteer office. I'm not sure if this is how it's usually done, though. You could just go in and ask, they're pretty nice. I think they have quite a few research volunteers ("volunteers" - i got a stipend).

Great! How long does the research take? In what capacity are the volunteers used?

 

[happy_pirate]

also, does anyone know or has anyone done any volunteer programs in Boston at night while working? at any of the Boston-area hospitals: MGH, BWH, Dana Farber, Children's, etc. And, if you are not in an "official" program, have you found that your supervisors are still willing to write letters of recommendation for you or not?

 

[DrBuro]

Hi guys. I currently am doing the medical career exploration program at brigham. It's probably the best volunteering opportunity you can get for your time. You have to commit 6 months minimum to the program and volunteer at least 3-4 hours per week. After 110 hours, you get a great letter of rec sent out with your med school apps. Basically, you spend a few weeks doing tons of different things in every different department in the hospital. You shadow some of the best docs in the northeast and get to see everything the field of medicine has to offer.

For me the program just made sense. I am an electrical engineering major and had thoughts of medical school. Before making such a huge commitment to medicine (time-wise and financially), I wanted to make sure it was the right choice, therefore I joined this program. The second I started I just had the strongest feelings for the field and now cannot see myself doing anything but going to medical school. I have also witnessed the opposite, where some in the program realized they didn't like the sight of people dying and being sick. Sometime you really don't realize that until you've seen it day in and day out first hand.

I believe MGH has something similar, but cannot say for sure. Go for brigham though. It's the biggest of the Harvard teaching hospitals and who knows, you may find some kind of connection. Go in there with an open mind. Most people are known to have "tunnel vision" and often can't accept the fact that they really don't like medicine all that much. The best part of the program is that you'll actually enjoy your time at the hospital instead of just doing it because you have to.

P.S. The hospitals in Boston are ridiculously huge. I got lost the first 50 times I had to work around the L1 and L2 floors at brigham and women's.

 

[blankguy]

Thanks for the input Dr.Buro.
I went to the MGH orientation couple of weeks ago, they requested an Immunization record, but I can't track mine down(I know, I know shame on me I haven't gone to the doctor in a while 😳 ) Does anybody know what MGH does in such a case? Do they test you for the required immunization?
(Watch out! I may infect this board with the bubonic plague 😀 )

 

[ockhamsRzr]

Thanks for the input Dr.Buro.
I went to the MGH orientation couple of weeks ago, they requested an Immunization record, but I can't track mine down(I know, I know shame on me I haven't gone to the doctor in a while 😳 ) Does anybody know what MGH does in such a case? Do they test you for the required immunization?
(Watch out! I may infect this board with the bubonic plague 😀 )

I am a research coordinator in the Genetics Division of Children's Boston. While it may be different for staff/salaried positions (as opposed to volunteers), I did need to take a TB test before beginning work.

I also take an EMT class where there are a few pre-meds including myself and they've volunteered at MGH and the Brigham with ease. One was a spanish translator at BW and another worked on some cool rotations on the wards. It's pretty hands off though with the best opportunities potentially meeting a doc who has a study going on where you can pitch in.

As far as my lab is concerned, we just took on three HArvard u-grads as summer interns (no pay) to do some archival chart screening to identify a specific phenotype that correlates with disorders we study.

Opportunites are everywhere around longwood if you are ambitious, smart, mature and mostly reliable. However, sharp students are already starting to sew these gigs up...so act fast.

ockham

 

[Thundrstorm]

yup, but I set it up independently with the PI, then did all the paperwork through the volunteer office. I'm not sure if this is how it's usually done, though. You could just go in and ask, they're pretty nice. I think they have quite a few research volunteers ("volunteers" - i got a stipend).

I did the same thing. My prof had a lab at MGH, so I set it up w/her and then just registered w/the volunteer office. They are nice in there, and should prob. just call and ask what's available.

 

[DrBuro]

Thanks for the input Dr.Buro.
I went to the MGH orientation couple of weeks ago, they requested an Immunization record, but I can't track mine down(I know, I know shame on me I haven't gone to the doctor in a while 😳 ) Does anybody know what MGH does in such a case? Do they test you for the required immunization?
(Watch out! I may infect this board with the bubonic plague 😀 )

Once again I can't say for sure, but it seems as though B&W and MGH run pretty similar programs. I know for B&W they MADE me track down my record. They would not let me do the program without it. Also, if you have not had a TB test in the last 3 months, you will have to do that as well.

Blankguy, if you are in undergrad, your campus health care facility should have your records. The undergrad schools are required to have those records prior to beginning classes freshman year. If they don't have them and you still can't find them, who knows. I doubt they will ban you from the hospital.

 

[blankguy]

Once again I can't say for sure, but it seems as though B&W and MGH run pretty similar programs. I know for B&W they MADE me track down my record. They would not let me do the program without it. Also, if you have not had a TB test in the last 3 months, you will have to do that as well.

Blankguy, if you are in undergrad, your campus health care facility should have your records. The undergrad schools are required to have those records prior to beginning classes freshman year. If they don't have them and you still can't find them, who knows. I doubt they will ban you from the hospital.

I'm not a degree student so they don't have that at the school. I've been trying to contact the volunteer coordinater(one busy woman!) to see if they do things like immunization testing or anything to verify immunization.

 

[ckl81]

Hi guys. I currently am doing the medical career exploration program at brigham. It's probably the best volunteering opportunity you can get for your time. You have to commit 6 months minimum to the program and volunteer at least 3-4 hours per week. After 110 hours, you get a great letter of rec sent out with your med school apps. Basically, you spend a few weeks doing tons of different things in every different department in the hospital. You shadow some of the best docs in the northeast and get to see everything the field of medicine has to offer.

For me the program just made sense. I am an electrical engineering major and had thoughts of medical school. Before making such a huge commitment to medicine (time-wise and financially), I wanted to make sure it was the right choice, therefore I joined this program. The second I started I just had the strongest feelings for the field and now cannot see myself doing anything but going to medical school. I have also witnessed the opposite, where some in the program realized they didn't like the sight of people dying and being sick. Sometime you really don't realize that until you've seen it day in and day out first hand.

I believe MGH has something similar, but cannot say for sure. Go for brigham though. It's the biggest of the Harvard teaching hospitals and who knows, you may find some kind of connection. Go in there with an open mind. Most people are known to have "tunnel vision" and often can't accept the fact that they really don't like medicine all that much. The best part of the program is that you'll actually enjoy your time at the hospital instead of just doing it because you have to.

P.S. The hospitals in Boston are ridiculously huge. I got lost the first 50 times I had to work around the L1 and L2 floors at brigham and women's.

Thanks for the insight about BWH DrBuro. Right now I'm working in the Emergency Radiology department at MGH, and it's pretty awesome. It's pretty fast-paced, and you get to transport patients from various trauma units/walk-ins to the radiology department to get their X-ray/CT/MRIs, then bring them back. The best thing about it is that you are literally handling patients in their stretchers, talking to them, comforting them, and have a pretty direct interaction with nurses (and some doctors occasionally) as well. I really enjoy how busy life is in the ED, and the patient interaction is about as good as it gets for a volunteer, IMO.

My question is: Would there be any benefit for me to do the BWH Med exploration volunteering as well? People have been raving about it in this thread, and the fact that you get a LOR and a set of rounds with a physician seems pretty sweet, since you don't get that over at MGH. I know it'll probably be a different experience, since hospitals have different feels, but I'm not entirely sure I'd be getting anything more out of it other than the LOR and set of rounds, since I'm happy with my current volunteering experience at MGH. But maybe that's actually worth it...

Any thoughts would be appreciated...thanks guys.