Volunteering vs Working in the ED

[The Deep]

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So, I have 2 separate opportunities. One if to work as a medical scribe in the ED (full-time) and another is to volunteer in an ED (4hrs/wk). My issue is that I’m finishing up my first gap year right now and my only “clinical hours” are remote scribing (which I barely count). I plan on taking my MCAT sometime in May or June. Because of this, I’m worried about study time being severely reduced if I’m a scribe (in a very busy ER). My friend, who previously worked for the company, told me that it only takes a few months to get a letter of recommendation from the doctors at the hospital. Besides this, if I were to volunteer at the hospital, I’d probably be be able continue volunteering at other places on the side, as well as reliably shadow.

Also of note: I don’t know if I’ll continue either opportunity past July/August, so I’d only be getting 5-6 months of experience in either position. I’ve also considered requesting to be part time at work, but I don’t think they’d grant it.

So, I’d just like some opinions on which position to take. Would volunteering in the ED+Shadowing (I’m mainly shadowing in Primary Care because that’s what I’m interested in) give me enough experience that’s necessary for getting into medical school?

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Difficult to advise without more background. How many of the following hours do you already have (and what are they):

1. non-clinical volunteering
2. clinical volunteering
3. paid clinical experience

And, when do you plan to apply?

If the scribing job is full time and there's no way to request less hours, that's probably not advisable if you can avoid it. However 6 months of volunteering 4 hours per week won't be enough clinical experience if that's the only clinical experience you have so far.

 

[The Deep]

Difficult to advise without more background. How many of the following hours do you already have (and what are they):

1. non-clinical volunteering
2. clinical volunteering
3. paid clinical experience

And, when do you plan to apply?

If the scribing job is full time and there's no way to request less hours, that's probably not advisable if you can avoid it. However 6 months of volunteering 4 hours per week won't be enough clinical experience if that's the only clinical experience you have so far.

Non-Clinical: ~ A little over 300 atm
Clinical: 120 hrs virtually scribing and that’s it

 

[The Deep]

Difficult to advise without more background. How many of the following hours do you already have (and what are they):

1. non-clinical volunteering
2. clinical volunteering
3. paid clinical experience

And, when do you plan to apply?

If the scribing job is full time and there's no way to request less hours, that's probably not advisable if you can avoid it. However 6 months of volunteering 4 hours per week won't be enough clinical experience if that's the only clinical experience you have so far.

Would volunteering at 2 separate hospitals in 2 separate specialties be a better idea for wracking up hours, or would that still look rushed. I didn’t fully think I’d apply to med school until about a year ago, and it’s been ridiculously hard to get any in-person clinical experience during that time.

I say 5-6 months because part of me still anticipates starting the Peace Corps in late summer. If I don’t start Peace Corps by my deadline, I’m going to move on and probably accumulate more clinical experience.

 

[candbgirl]

Have you been accepted for the Peace Corps? Are they doing Peace Corps stuff again? How long is your commitment? When do you plan to apply to med school? Med Schools will always be around. You are in fact rushing to get your ECs done. Do the ED volunteering until you go to the Peace Corps. When you get back you can start again. There is no hurry to finish hours before you leave for PC training. Good luck and stay safe.

 

[The Deep]

Have you been accepted for the Peace Corps? Are they doing Peace Corps stuff again? How long is your commitment? When do you plan to apply to med school? Med Schools will always be around. You are in fact rushing to get your ECs done. Do the ED volunteering until you go to the Peace Corps. When you get back you can start again. There is no hurry to finish hours before you leave for PC training. Good luck and stay safe.

Hey, I haven’t been accepted (they aren’t officially accepting anyone atm) but many people (who were evac’d) got invitations with departure dates within the next few months. We’re all waiting to see if they actually depart before getting our hopes up. I’m going to apply to other gap year programs soon, just in case, since I’m already locked into 3 gap years.

I think I’m just “rushing” to get my clinical hours in. I have my research and non-clinical volunteering (both worked on over long periods of time). It’s just that clinical experience is hard to come by these days. I was planning on potentially volunteering at a hospital or clinic if I go abroad, since global health does interest me.

I’m hoping this “rushed” look doesn’t work too much against me.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[Goro]

Non-Clinical: ~ A little over 300 atm
Clinical: 120 hrs virtually scribing and that’s it

Do the real scribing. It's a 3 for 1 positive.

Employment
Shadowing
Clinical exposure

 

[NickNaylor]

Won't really matter from an application perspective. Despite common "wisdom" here, when I'm reviewing medical school applications, students don't get bonus points for doing unpaid clinical work. I don't care - it's all the same, and you're getting the same quality of exposure as a scribe, medical assistant, etc. - arguably better exposure - as a clinical volunteer. Get paid to do something that you already "have" to do.

 

[Proudfather94]

So, I have 2 separate opportunities. One if to work as a medical scribe in the ED (full-time) and another is to volunteer in an ED (4hrs/wk). My issue is that I’m finishing up my first gap year right now and my only “clinical hours” are remote scribing (which I barely count). I plan on taking my MCAT sometime in May or June. Because of this, I’m worried about study time being severely reduced if I’m a scribe (in a very busy ER). My friend, who previously worked for the company, told me that it only takes a few months to get a letger of recommendation from the doctors at the hospital. Besides this, if I were to volunteer at the hospital, I’d probably be be able continue volunteering at other places on the side, as well as reliably shadow.

Also of note: I don’t know if I’ll continue either opportunity past July/August, so I’d only be getting 5-6 months of experience in either position. I’ve also considered requesting to be part time at work, but I don’t think they’d grant it.

So, I’d just like some opinions on which position to take. Would volunteering in the ED+Shadowing (I’m mainly shadowing in Primary Care because that’s what I’m interested in) give me enough experience that’s necessary for getting into medical school?

You'll get less than 100 hours with the volunteering option. If you work full it will be hard but you can still study for the MCAT. Is it 8 or 12 hour shifts? If you can do 3 12s that will leave you 4 days a week to study which can really help you get the material down.

 

[The Deep]

You'll get less than 100 hours with the volunteering option. If you work full it will be hard but you can still study for the MCAT. Is it 8 or 12 hour shifts? If you can do 3 12s that will leave you 4 days a week to study which can really help you get the material down.

You'll get less than 100 hours with the volunteering option. If you work full it will be hard but you can still study for the MCAT. Is it 8 or 12 hour shifts? If you can do 3 12s that will leave you 4 days a week to study which can really help you get the material down.

It is 3 12’s, to my knowledge. I also plan on shadowing on the weekends as well. How many hours do you recommend per week for shadowing? Do people usually do 4? 8?

 

[Proudfather94]

It is 3 12’s, to my knowledge. I also plan on shadowing on the weekends as well. How many hours do you recommend per week for shadowing? Do people usually do 4? 8?

For shadowing alot of people will follow a doctor for their shift. Try to shadow a inpatient and outpatient doctor. You can always do that right before you apply if you're going to work and study for the MCAT I wouldn't do anything else at that time because you're going to be very busy.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

It is 3 12’s, to my knowledge. I also plan on shadowing on the weekends as well. How many hours do you recommend per week for shadowing? Do people usually do 4? 8?

Most people shoot for about 40-50 total hours in a few specialties, including a primary care specialty.