Volunteering problem

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[LizzyM]

Why is volunteering important to you? Is this the only hospital for miles or is there somewhere that could use your help on weekends or something like that?

Your PI employed you and expects you to be there. You want to something on her time that, if you must do it, you should be doing on your own time.

If you are coming into lab on your own time, that's nice but it is a gift to her of your time because you don't owe her that time and she doesn't own you. However, you are expecting some quid pro quo, that you give her some weekend hours and she gives you the late morning one day a week... but no one told her that was the deal.

She wants you there and you are telling her,"I don't want to be here, I want to do what I want to do because your work and your lab is not important to me and I am focusing my efforts on moving on out.... " After saying that with your actions, do you expect to get a good letter?

 

[sc2016]

Why is volunteering important to you? Is this the only hospital for miles or is there somewhere that could use your help on weekends or something like that?

Your PI employed you and expects you to be there. You want to something on her time that, if you must do it, you should be doing on your own time.

If you are coming into lab on your own time, that's nice but it is a gift to her of your time because you don't owe her that time and she doesn't own you. However, you are expecting some quid pro quo, that you give her some weekend hours and she gives you the late morning one day a week... but no one told her that was the deal.

She wants you there and you are telling her,"I don't want to be here, I want to do what I want to do because your work and your lab is not important to me and I am focusing my efforts on moving on out.... " After saying that with your actions, do you expect to get a good letter?

Thank you LizzyM for taking the time to respond. I feel like I need to explain myself a bit based on your comments and recommendations.
I come in early and stay until 8-9 pm weekdays performing experiments two or three times a week (in addition to coming in some weekends) so I don't think my actions tell her that I don't want to be there.
Also, this is the hospital that is closest to me. Since I don't have a car, I would need to travel 45min by bus in order to get to a hospital that is close to my house (1.5hrs each time- taking two buses each direction). And this is a bit inconvenient when I am already 2 min walking distance from a hospital.
Also just to let you know I am not employed by my PI. I get paid by the program that I'm in.

 

[LizzyM]

I’m currently working in a lab in NIH and the lab is flexible in terms of hours. I would like to volunteer in the Clinical Center- a hospital in NIH- however, the times do not fit my work hours. ... At the end of all this I would like a LOR from her and I don’t want this to be a problem.

Thanks

If service is important to you, you'll find something that fits with your schedule and your limitations with regard to travel. It doesn't have to be in a hospital or even health related if your purpose is to be of service to the community (to those in need).

You are working in a lab (regardless of who pays your salary) and you want to do something that doesn't fit with your work schedule. You want a good recommendation letter from your boss. ... does this seem like a no brainer? 😕