Volunteering Feedback

[Medical Bear]

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Hey guys, I was just looking for some feedback on my clinical, non-clinical, and shadowing hours:

Clinical: 200 hours volunteering at hospital in emergency department.
Non-clinical: ~35 hours as a coach of a middle school basketball team, ~ 30 hours mentoring at-risk high school students, ~ 100 hours in a club working with people with intellectual disabilities, and 144 hours at a summer camp for kids with muscle diseases.
Shadowing: I anticipate on having around 50-75 hours.

Thanks!

 

[jm192]

Shadow more. I have to think there's not much variety if you've done 50 hours. You should be able to do 9-5 M-F for a week at a time in the summer. If you're at the point of applying and you're in school--a few hours here and there will add up.

 

[Catalystik]

Hey guys, I was just looking for some feedback on my clinical, non-clinical, and shadowing hours:

Clinical: 200 hours volunteering at hospital in emergency department.
Non-clinical: ~35 hours as a coach of a middle school basketball team, ~ 30 hours mentoring at-risk high school students, ~ 100 hours in a club working with people with intellectual disabilities, and 144 hours at a summer camp for kids with muscle diseases.
Shadowing: I anticipate on having around 50-75 hours.

I think your anticipated shadowing hours are fine, so long as they include a primary care physician. (About 50 total hours is the average listed)

Are these the volunteer hours you have currently, or those you plan to apply with?

 

[Medical Bear]

The only thing that I’m still working on is the shadowing. The ~100 hours with the club with kids with intellectual disabilities is what I plan to have by time of applying, I currently have about 65 now. Everything else is current.


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[candbgirl]

Keep up with your activities. ADCOMS like long term commitment. If you have some primary care shadowing you do t need more than 50 hours. If not get some and you’ll be fine in that area.

 

[Catalystik]

The only thing that I’m still working on is the shadowing. The ~100 hours with the club with kids with intellectual disabilities is what I plan to have by time of applying, I currently have about 65 now. Everything else is current.

The clinical and nonclinical volunteering hours look fine. You might consider switching to another department in the hospital to broaden your experience beyond the ED. You wouldn't want to have zero patient interaction activity between now and the time you apply (shadowing is a passive observership, which does not include patient interaction).

 

[Catalystik]

I have . . . applicants come in with . . . . shadowing solely in surgical or procedural areas never once observing a conscious patient.

I consider this sort of abysmal imbalance in experience to be a negative.

 

[panbimbo]

I consider this sort of abysmal imbalance in experience to be a negative.

What if one has zero interest in primary care? Some schools are not primary care focused (Top 20's) and not all doctors will be in primary care. Also, does Emergency Medicine count as primary care shadowing?

 

[OtisO]

Come in with some “traditional” doctor-patient interaction shadowing, be it primary care, EM, walk in clinic, or any of the IM sub specialties where a patient walks in and the doctor asks “what seems to be the problem”

I have about 40 hours shadowing a plastic surgeon (which is what I want to be). This is a mix of meeting with patients with their concerns/check ups and a mix of surgical procedures (abdominoplasties, abdominal panniculectomies, breast augs, breast reductions, minor skin cancers, etc). Would you say it is beneficial to shadow a different type of doctor? I can see if I can watch my PCP but man do I want to see more surgeries next summer.

 

[Goro]

What if one has zero interest in primary care? Some schools are not primary care focused (Top 20's) and not all doctors will be in primary care. Also, does Emergency Medicine count as primary care shadowing?

What if you don't get into a Top 20, and only get into SLU or Drexel?

In addition, the shadowing of an uber-specialist can give the impression that a candidate has a "____ or bust" mentality, and Adcoms shy away from people like this.

 

[thegreengreatdragon]

What if one has zero interest in primary care? Some schools are not primary care focused (Top 20's) and not all doctors will be in primary care. Also, does Emergency Medicine count as primary care shadowing?

I would also argue that if you have absolutely zero interest in primary care, maybe medicine isn't right for you.
Which is a polarizing and overgeneralizing statement, but primary care is the meat of medicine. Even my obnoxiously gunnerish, ortho-or-bust classmate enjoys and appreciates primary care, not as a career option perhaps, but as a necessary foundation for medical practice.

 

[panbimbo]

Absolutely. As I tell every applicant, if you are not prepared to a family practice doc in the suburban midwest, think hard and long about going into medicine, especially for highly competitive slots. There are under 170 spots for plastic surgery a year in residency. Make sure you are exposed elsewhere. Additionally, coming in with nothing but plastics shadowing can be looked at as too cocky and arrogant.

But there's EM, Anes, regular IM, peds et cetera which are lower competition. While I can see myself as a family doc, I am also interested in other specialties. This is ok?

I think what you guys are saying is don't look like you are gunning for pediatric fetal neurosurgery or medical schools will think you are cookoo

 

[panbimbo]

I would also argue that if you have absolutely zero interest in primary care, maybe medicine isn't right for you.
Which is a polarizing and overgeneralizing statement, but primary care is the meat of medicine. Even my obnoxiously gunnerish, ortho-or-bust classmate enjoys and appreciates primary care, not as a career option perhaps, but as a necessary foundation for medical practice.

Yes, and some schools emphasize approaching the clinic, regardless of specialty, first as a primary care doc.

 

[panbimbo]

HA!

I often suggest finding a GI as they are looking for volunteer catchers during colonoscopy procedure, especially if you are interested in golf, though 18 holes a day has an entirely different meaning