VOLUNTEERING + SHADOWING

[MarioKart]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi

I have questions about volunteering and shadowing. I've begun shadowing.

1.) how should I log my hours for shadowing and volunteering? Do I need M.D. signatures in a notebook or is the M.D. going to write a letter in the end about his experience working w/ me and the amount of hours? Does this vary w/ schools

2.) do I need to actually be doing anything during shadowing???? I know that I need to be getting valuable clinical exposure, but it feels a bit awkward just walking around and asking questions.

3.) what exactly do premeds do when participating in clinical volunteering? How is it different from shadowing???

Thanks everybody!!!!!

 

[WedgeDawg]

1. Shadowing and volunteering hours are generally self reported. However, if you choose to get a letter of recommendation from your volunteer supervisor/etc, they can corroborate the number of hours you've listed (as long as you talk to them in advance about how many you think you did). Don't get a letter from the doc you shadow unless you're applying to one of the maybe 2 schools that require one.

2. You should be taking everything in and reflecting on whether this is something you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

3. Clinical volunteering is active. You can be doing any number of things. As long as you're somehow helping patients, you're good. Shadowing is passive. The only thing you're doing is observing. The thought processes behind each of these experiences is very different, which is why they're both independently valuable.

 

[MarioKart]

1. Shadowing and volunteering hours are generally self reported. However, if you choose to get a letter of recommendation from your volunteer supervisor/etc, they can corroborate the number of hours you've listed (as long as you talk to them in advance about how many you think you did). Don't get a letter from the doc you shadow unless you're applying to one of the maybe 2 schools that require one.

2. You should be taking everything in and reflecting on whether this is something you could see yourself doing for the rest of your life.

3. Clinical volunteering is active. You can be doing any number of things. As long as you're somehow helping patients, you're good. Shadowing is passive. The only thing you're doing is observing. The thought processes behind each of these experiences is very different, which is why they're both independently valuable.

thanks wedgedawg!! Do you know whether or not shadowing and volunteering hours can be combined (like I shadowed and volunteered at the same time) or must they be done at separate times

 

[WedgeDawg]

thanks wedgedawg!! Do you know whether or not shadowing and volunteering hours can be combined (like I shadowed and volunteered at the same time) or must they be done at separate times

They are separate because the methodology behind them are fundamentally different. You can't double dip.

 

[Lost in Translation]

What your volunteer program has some shifts that are shadowing and some that are hands on volunteering?

 

[Ismet]

Just describe what you did in the description box. The descriptions get read. If you shadowed occasionally during your volunteer gig, then you can certainly talk about that in the description.