Volunteering with Animals

[Princess87]

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How will adcoms look at volunteer work at shelter/animal rescue organizations? I love animals, and would really want to do volunteering with them, but at this point I have so much on my plate that I feel like I can only pursue it if it'll be beneficial to my app.

 

[236116]

Do something you love. If you're doing crap you don't care about, drop it.

 

[silverhorse84]

Do something you love. If you're doing crap you don't care about, drop it.

Agreed. Med schools want people who are sincere, if you like it, do it, if you don't, then don't - don't be something you're not just to get into a school. They'll like that you've taken an interest in something - and sometimes it's helpful for you to have something non-medical to enjoy so you don't feel like your whole life revolves around one thing.
I started out wanting to go to vet school, and I mentioned this in most of my interviews (it's the beginning of the "what led you to medicine" question). They seemed interested in where I came from and what interests I had outside of human medicine 🙂

 

[Sangria]

do it if you like it and i'm sure that it would only add to your application. The only thing is that you might be asked why you don't want to become a vet instead. but as long as you have an answer to that IMO you should be fine

 

[J ROD]

I volunteer in an animal shelter too. I think it can only add to an application. Just be sure to do some medically related volunteering too.

No matter what you need to have clinical experience with humans. Preferably over several years and several hundred hours.

 

[ar2388]

i love animals and Iwish i volunteered at a shelter.. maybe i will next summer..
as to why i would not be a vet? I could never put an animal to sleep...

 

[URHere]

How will adcoms look at volunteer work at shelter/animal rescue organizations? I love animals, and would really want to do volunteering with them, but at this point I have so much on my plate that I feel like I can only pursue it if it'll be beneficial to my app.

Honestly, an Adcom probably won't care about this the same way they would care about medical volunteering...but it is still an EC, it will still add depth to your application, and it could have a chance of helping your application. How much it could help really varies depending on exactly what you do - cleaning cages/playing with dogs at the SPCA? Nice, but minimally helpful. Working as a vet tech or with medical therapy animals? Much more helpful. I had experience as a surgical vet tech when I applied, and while I'm not sure it helped me actually get in to med school, it is certainly helping me now on my trauma rotation. Long story short - do it if you want to. If you are concerned with its relevance to your app, find a animal-related opportunity that is more relevant.