Volunteering: Waste of time?

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DD214_DOC

DD214_DOC

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Does anyone else find volunteering to almost be a complete waste of time? I only do four hours a week, but how is cleaning beds, changing sheets, and running errands supposed to teach me if medicine is the right field for me? I don't see myself learning anything I couldn't read in a book or hear from someone else.

I know we all like to be altruistic, but we also want to choose the capacity in which we help others. Do you guys think it would look bad if I only volunteered for a few months (6 or less) and then moved on to help in other ways? I have been trying to get a paying position at a crisis intervention center as well as some other similar areas. Currently, the most I help I give is saving the techs a bit of cleaning work; I basically do what they do, but for free.

How long do most of you volunteer? I think I will get a bit out of the program I'm in (given my very limited patient contact; I have had one pretty memorable experience) but I don't forsee it having a long, interesting, rewarding life.
 
If you are volunteering at something you hate then, yes it is a waste of time.

I have been increadibly lucky in my volunteering experiences. I did some stuff in Mexico where I was allowed to be quite involved with the care of the patients. I helped a doctor, in a clinic on a poor side of town where I live, and had the pleasure to be fairly instumental there. And the most rewarding experience has been the time I've spent playing with children with severe and multiple disabilities. I've done that for more than a decade now.

The only time I've volunteered in a hospital was when I was in highschool and then I volunteered with child life so I got to play all day.
 
Have you tried any of the local free health clinics in your area? That is where I volunteered for years. By the time I left I was giving shots, drawing blood for tests including HIV tests, checking in patients, pregnancy counseling, taking vitals and doing simple lab tests.

Our city clinic was all on a volunteer basis, no paid nurses, ect so they relied heavily on volunteers.
 
You should make sure whoever coordinates activities is aware of that. I volunteered at Children's in Dallas, and had ample opportunities to spend time with children and medical personnel. Just make your concerns known that you want to help AND gain experience. wherever you are, I think this will be received well.
 
I volunteered at a school for Autistic children and then had a PAID position in a doctor's office.... they seemed to like that alot when I interviewed.

Why don't you shadow some docs??? I shadowed and not only got to see office hours with lots of Dr-patient interaction, but also hernia, left radical mastectomy and gallbladder surgeries. That's where you get to see the cool stuff that really makes the next 8-10 years of your life seem worth the hassle, not cleaning bed pans.
 
Maybe you should try volunteering in a teaching institution such as a med school ER. I have been doing it for 3 years and have had a chance to interact with physicians in all levels of trianing. I have been able to see so much because in teaching hospitals...they don't really care about being confedential. I have had the chance to interact with many specialist and have had the pleasure of observing ER C-sections, several ortho surgeries, neuro surgeries, AUTOPSIES.. and 2 chest being cracked as a result of gun shots to the chest....these experiences are a quick slap back into reality. It continues to allow me to see pass all the hype and know for certain that I will count it a priviledge to serve.
 
Well, jeez. I've done about 100 hours, in about 6 months, at a rate of 4 hours a week, just like the OP. I know what it's like to work in a Level One Trauma Center, and I have corrected a lot of my old illusions about healthcare as a job.

I've also been lucky in that, as someone said, this is a teaching hospital, so there are always people at varying levels of training working together. As I've worked through my EMT training and become more knowledgeable, I've done more and more to help out (while always keeping on the legally safe side of liability issues).

Speaking of which, tonight we were talking about hiring me on as a healthcare assistant. In theory, I could be taking vitals and histories and assisting in the trauma room itself soon. So in my case, I'd say it's been a good use of the time. It's true: it's what you make it.
 
Tonight I was able to do something interesting. I was the person who called patients in from the waiting room and took them to the exam room (just like in a family doc's office!) I imagine things would be more interesting if our ED was a Level I trauma unit, but it's only level III (Level I is at another hospital down the street).

The problem with my program is that we aren't allowed to do anything medically related, or the hospital's malpractice insurance won't cover us. I'd hate to do something, screw up, get sued, and not have the hospital to back me up. I supposed I could technically say, "Screw it" and do it anyways, but that's one limb I don't want to be on by myself. (like today, I turned down learning how to do vitals and stuff because doing that exceeds my responsibilities.)
 
you dont have to volunteer at the highest level trauma to get experience. try the smaller local ones. they will certainly be more appreciative of your work. (from my experience)
 
JKD, you're probably demonstrating something favorable without necessarily realizing it. As we get through our education, we'll gradually gain in responsibilities, and the talent for doing well the job that's appropriate for your training is a vital one. A person who does too much, acting outside their scope of practice or putting the hospital or school on shaky legal ground, is just as reckless and negligent as one who sits by and does nothing.

So as long as you do what you do well, and within the limits your volunteer position allows, you're doing all right. That doesn't solve your problem of course, and only you can decide if you're really getting anything out of it anymore. Be advised, though, that the ability to stick with something past the point where it's new and interesting will be something med schools will want to make sure we have. They'll be trying to weed out those kids who quit after the first semester when they realize they don't truly want to be there.

A smaller neighborhood community clinic is a good idea. How about a Planned Parenthood, a crisis center, or something like that? Working with the disadvantaged can be a good way to expose yourself to medical AND social situations you might not otherwise ever see. One of the things you're doing now is collecting stories you'll be able to tell later on in the process.
 
JKD,

Have you thought about working for EMS? There's definitely patient contact/care, you get to see all kinds of trauma, and you can either volunteer/go on paid staff.

I took an EMT class last year, while going to college full-time, so that I could see if I really wanted to get involved in the medical field. So far, it's great, though from working in EMS you definitely see the good/bad sides of medicine.

RaDiOnut
 
When asking about shadowing/volunteering, did any of you encounter physicians who have asked, "So what exactly do you want to do?" I have, and find it strange that some physicians are not aware of pre-med students being required to gain some clinical experience, and most of us do not quite know what that means (changing bedsheets, talking to patients, etc.). All too often, some of us find ourselves tagging along clumsily behind the attending like another ugly duckling med student, resident, or fellow. Eventually, people get used to having you around, and answer any question that you may have. The initial stages are just a bit odd.

As far as other options for volunteering, EMT is good, some hospitals have patient aide or rehab aide positions, homeless shelters, ERs, ORs, etc. I actually shadowed a neurologist who took me with him to see every patient and introduced me as a resident!

Anything that allows you to experience medicine first-hand is good.
 
I was very lucky to have a great first volunteer experience. I was trained to conduct the hearing tests on newborns before they left the hospital. It is generally a two-person job, though I was all on my own a few times. I rotated through the well-baby nursery, the NICU, and eventually ended up in the out-patient clinic. If a baby was discharged before we had a chance to do the hearing test, it was done in the clinic a couple of months later. The training only took a couple of days and within a few weeks, I was training another volunteer to assist me!

Occasionally if there were more babies than hands in the nursery, I got to do fun things like change diapers or help bathe the babies. OOOOH! I liked the job, though. It's nice when patient care involves just picking the patient up and rocking them for a little while. Aside from the job I did with the hearing program, I had a great opportunity to observe the other health care workers during the course of my shift.

Now if I could just figure out the *purpose* of shadowing a doctor....other than to get that D.O. letter!

Willow
 
I think the purpose of shadowing a DO is just to get a physician's opinion of your personality to see if you'd make a good match...not necessarily to see what they do and if you like it...supposedly since they're physicians and you'd be one of their collegues one day they'd wanna be able to enjoy working with you...ideally.

I've had good volunteer experiences too...I mean even though I'm transporting patients, or taking drugs to the pharmacy, or maybe even feed patients or deliver their food, you see the sides of the hospital and you get to talk to the patients...in the end doing a good job of what task you're given is what matters - even if you think it's lame...which yeah i'll admit the stuff i've done as a volunteer was really menial, but you're giving up your time to help out - even if it is negligible, it's still saying something about your character. I think that's what people see in volunteering. Obviously most volunteers, including myself at times, are really disgruntled and we're like..."this is really stupid what i'm doing". but in the end, it is more noble than sitting at home and playing the xbox.
 
Originally posted by raDiOnut
JKD,

Have you thought about working for EMS? There's definitely patient contact/care, you get to see all kinds of trauma, and you can either volunteer/go on paid staff.

I took an EMT class last year, while going to college full-time, so that I could see if I really wanted to get involved in the medical field. So far, it's great, though from working in EMS you definitely see the good/bad sides of medicine.

RaDiOnut
Click to expand...


I have certainly considered working with EMS, but the only course offered in my area is a 40 minute drive and $700, plus it lasts months. If I could have started this semester, did the 4 months or however long it was, then started working for a year and a half that would have been great. Unfortunately, the most it seems I would be able to work is maybe a year. I'll still look into it, however, but I don't know if I have the 700 bones to lay down. (I can't afford a review course for the MCAT)
 
Wow -- $700?!? I took my EMT course at a nearby community college for about $200 + lab fees and it only took a semester. It was very worthwhile because you learn how to take histories and do physical exams - as well as the basic diseases and symptoms. Good stuff. But, you can get the same experience shadowing a doc who is willing to show you the basics. Working in an emergency department is also beneficial if you can handle the guts and gore. There aren't any volunteers in the ER I work in -- so if this is the same in your area then you can ride along with the local EMS agency for a few shifts. You'll truly learn a lot.

Regarding the MCAT review, I couldn't afford the $1200 either. I bought the Examkracker's series off of Amazon.com (lots on sale on eBay now) for about $200 and had no problems. Great review books not only for the MCAT but also basic science classes.

Good luck! :hardy:
 
Originally posted by Forensic Chick
Wow -- $700?!? I took my EMT course at a nearby community college for about $200 + lab fees and it only took a semester.
Click to expand...
Whaaaaaaaat? I took the NREMT-B exam just tonight, after my state's skills test Saturday, after a summer version of the EMT course. $700 for me. Another sign of a good school system in CA, I guess. More power to ya.
It was very worthwhile because you learn how to take histories and do physical exams - as well as the basic diseases and symptoms. Good stuff. But, you can get the same experience shadowing a doc who is willing to show you the basics.
Click to expand...
No disrespect intended, but you learn a lot more than that. I doubt a doc would have the time and inclination to teach you enough to satisfy the National Registry's requirements. Not to mention that there's no way to get certified just doing it casually like that. But some municipalities will allow regular citizens to have a ride-along shift with an EMS crew, and that's worth looking into. Be careful of HIPAA regulations, though.
 
$700??? That's a lot for an EMT class. I took mine last September with 24 other people and it was $400. (but I didn't get college credit for the class). The class ran from Sept-Mar (7mos.) and was offered through a county EMS company. This year, I guess they raised the fees up to $500 -- and only 5 people have signed up for the class so far.

I did get really sick of paying all of the other fees associated with getting my EMT license...$95 to take the test, $40 more to get my Michigan license...I had to buy clothes for my clinicals...drive 20min to class 2x/wk...it all adds up. It's great to be an EMT, but unfortunately it does take a bit of money.

And you probably could get an EMS company to let you ride along as an observer... I did that before I had my license, and just had to watch the HIPAA movie and take the HIPAA test before I did...

Good luck

raDiOnut 😎
 
"But, you can get the same experience shadowing a doc who is willing to show you the basics. " -- Tell ya what: there's no experience like being one of the first ones on the scene of a really gory PI.....driver ejected from the car, eviscerated, with one leg about to fall off....other passenger's leg getting burned from the exhaust pipe that got so screwed up in the accident that it's now in the passenger compartment...

There are all kinds of ways to get good medical experience, but I think you'll find a lot of the most interesting stuff out on the field.

raDiOnut 😎
 
Good point, 'nut. I guess if you have a friendly family doc, who's willing to teach you -- and a schedule full of patients who don't mind you learning on them -- you can learn to take a pretty decent BP reading in a few days.

But will you learn to get one on a tiny little 83-year-old woman with whisper-quiet arteries... in the back of a moving ambulance? I think probably not.

That same day, we came on the scene of a home repair project gone horribly wrong. Circular saw vs. thigh. I got some props later on when the medics realized I had walked up, surveyed the scene, saw a crowd of people working on the guy, and unplugged the saw from the wall. "BSI is on. Is the scene safe?" My instructor was so proud...

I took his BP reading too, matter of fact. It's different when a guy is screaming in your ear. There is nothing else like EMS. And yes, I live in a state where they love to charge too much for everything. At least I got free parking when I did my ER shift...
 
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