Volunteering/Shadowing in underserved vs. ...well-served(?) places

[milliya]

Do adcoms care?

I reside in an underserved neighborhood but I go to school in a not underserved neighborhood (well-served maybe?) so I think I'll start volunteering while I'm home although I had a bad experience with this hospital (security wouldn't even let me go past the elevators of the NICU floor )

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[Pedsbro]

Do adcoms care?

I reside in an underserved neighborhood but I go to school in a not underserved neighborhood (well-served maybe?) so I think I'll start volunteering while I'm home although I had a bad experience with this hospital (security wouldn't even let me go past the elevators of the NICU floor )

If you're just asking if it matters what hospital to volunteer at, I would say it really doesn't. As long as you have significant doctor and patient interaction, go wherever is more comfortable/safest for you. I doubt adcoms would look up the hospital to see if it was in an underserved area...

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

If you're just asking if it matters what hospital to volunteer at, I would say it really doesn't. As long as you have significant doctor and patient interaction, go wherever is more comfortable/safest for you. I doubt adcoms would look up the hospital to see if it was in an underserved area...

My gut says the same thing, exposure to medicine is the key rather than if that exposure is in an underserved area or not. I'd lean toward an environment where you feel safe as a volunteer.

On the flipside, although I've seen quite a bit volunteering at my local ER in a middle class+ area, the main community hospital ER in Denver, from what I've heard, offers much more exposure in violent/serious injuries, it's called the "knife and gun club". But even at my more modest ER, I've seen pronounced deaths, suicide watches, (psych evaluations) and quite a few other things, much of what I learn is from speaking with healthcare professionals about their experiences, too.

 

[Pedsbro]

My gut says the same thing, exposure to medicine is the key rather than if that exposure is in an underserved area or not. I'd lean toward an environment where you feel safe as a volunteer.

On the flipside, although I've seen quite a bit volunteering at my local ER in a middle class+ area, the main community hospital ER in Denver, from what I've heard, offers much more exposure in violent/serious injuries, it's called the "knife and gun club". But even at my more modest ER, I've seen pronounced deaths, suicide watches, (psych evaluations) and quite a few other things, much of what I learn is from speaking with healthcare professionals about their experiences, too.

Yeah I definitely agree, an inner city facility will see many more cases and much more variety, especially if you volunteer in the ER.

 

[nu2004]

On the flipside, although I've seen quite a bit volunteering at my local ER in a middle class+ area, the main community hospital ER in Denver, from what I've heard, offers much more exposure in violent/serious injuries, it's called the "knife and gun club". But even at my more modest ER, I've seen pronounced deaths, suicide watches, (psych evaluations) and quite a few other things, much of what I learn is from speaking with healthcare professionals about their experiences, too.

I agree with this. I did two rotations through a more suburban Level II ER and there was less variety than the urban Level I in which I worked for a year and a half.

OP: as mentioned previously, go where you feel safe. That said, I think that most ERs are relatively safe places, and you'll see the most variety of interesting medical conditions in an urban ER. Also, if the department is less well staffed you may have the opportunity to assume more responsibility than you would in a suburban ER. This was the case for me but if possible you should speak with the department managers at each hospital you consider to get the whole picture. gl

 

[alwaysaangel]

Do adcoms care?

I reside in an underserved neighborhood but I go to school in a not underserved neighborhood (well-served maybe?) so I think I'll start volunteering while I'm home although I had a bad experience with this hospital (security wouldn't even let me go past the elevators of the NICU floor )

Unless you have interest in underserved communities and are going to try to pitch that to adcomms - it shouldn't matter.

Also, I don't know why you're upset with security. Most hospitals have areas that you can't be in if you don't have a reason to be there. NICU, ICU, mental, and maternity wards especially. I'm not sure why that would make you mad.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

loma linda had an EM doc shot in the ER 10 years ago.....scary

 

[LizzyM]

Emergency rooms do get more or fewer victims of violent crime depending on their location and status as a Level I, Level II, etc but keep in mind that many other ER situations are ubiquitous everywhere in America: chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, high fever, drug overdose, motor vehicle crashes, falls, injuries on the job or at home, athletic injuries, vomiting (including vomiting blood), diarrhea and/or rectal bleeding, acute onset of confusion, sudden partial paralysis, sudden partial loss of vision, worst headache of one's life.

 

[milliya]

Unless you have interest in underserved communities and are going to try to pitch that to adcomms - it shouldn't matter.

Also, I don't know why you're upset with security. Most hospitals have areas that you can't be in if you don't have a reason to be there. NICU, ICU, mental, and maternity wards especially. I'm not sure why that would make you mad.

he was just so rude! i tried to explain why i was there, ask who was in charge, or if i could speak to someone on the staff just for a minute. a pediatrician told me to go up there in the first place. oh well he was just really mean....

 

[nu2004]

he was just so rude! i tried to explain why i was there, ask who was in charge, or if i could speak to someone on the staff just for a minute. a pediatrician told me to go up there in the first place. oh well he was just really mean....

i'm not surprised. NICU at my hospital was more secure than a supermax prison... and the person who managed the department wasn't there 90% of the time anyway so it wouldn't have benefited someone looking for a job.

what i would suggest is just calling the main hospital number, asking to be transferred to the department in which you're interested, asking to speak to the manager of the department, and when he/she is not there, ask for his/her name and ask to be transferred to his/her voicemail. say that you were referred by X pediatrician and that you're interested in working there.

anyway, once you actually work there, you will be glad that security is suspicious of strangers a lot of weirdos come around hospitals.

 

[milliya]

thanks for the advice