Volunteering

[SwimSwam]

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I just completed 75 hours over 3 months for a formal college internship in the ER of a local hospital. Aside from shadowing residents and attendings, I wrote a paper, maintained a journal, attended lectures and passed an exam.

Despite this, I was told by my pre-med adviser that this would not count as sufficient volunteering experience. I do plan to continue to volunteer at a cancer center about 4 hours a week for the next 6 months.

I guess I'm just wondering, how much is enough? I say this not because I don't enjoy volunteering, it's that I've had to put my children in day care for most of the time I was able to volunteer. It's been a quite an expense (besides what I paid for the internship).

 

[ChandutheMagici]

Some pre-med advisors don't live on a place called "earth" when it comes to non-traditional students. They don't understand that not everyone can have a 21 year old college student's life.

My suggestion is to keep doing what you're doing. A little here and there. At 26 weeks, for 4 hours a week (if my math serves me) that's 104 hours. That combined with the 75 hours you already have.....well that's pretty good.

To give you a comparison, I had about 250 to 300 volunteer hours and over 1000 hours of patient care. However, I am not a full time parent (unless you count my dogs). Remember though, volunteering could be anywhere. I mean, hypothetically you could volunteer at a Daycare center where you're children are at. That counts as long as you're not being paid. AND you can say you have an interest in pediatrics 😀

I guess the point is that everyone is different and I for one believe that they weigh each applicant on their own merits. Or at least I hope they would. Besides, being a full time parent is no joke...I remember baby sitting for my brother's 4 children for a week one time. At the end of that week I had a newfound respect for parents. It was probably harder than any job I had done in my life and I've done some pretty crappy jobs.

Josh

 

[sindadel]

Now that you have your clinical exposure out of the way, look for ways to get involved where you can take your kids along. What about community garbage pickups? Serving soup at soup kitchens? Making and taking food to a youth shelter? etc. etc. It can be fun exploring the smorgasbord of service options out there.

 

[SwimSwam]

I was told to continue my clinical exposure and that other forms of volunteering wouldn't matter. My adviser told me that the committees want people who have really immersed themselves in the clinical environment. She told me my internship should serve as a springboard to further work.

But, now that you mention other ways to volunteer, I see your point. I think it's a matter of showing that we care about others and would like to serve our communities in a beneficial manner.

Thanks!

 

[thoffen]

I think your advisor is full of hogwash.

 

[njbmd]

I just completed 75 hours over 3 months for a formal college internship in the ER of a local hospital. Aside from shadowing residents and attendings, I wrote a paper, maintained a journal, attended lectures and passed an exam.

Despite this, I was told by my pre-med adviser that this would not count as sufficient volunteering experience. I do plan to continue to volunteer at a cancer center about 4 hours a week for the next 6 months.

I guess I'm just wondering, how much is enough? I say this not because I don't enjoy volunteering, it's that I've had to put my children in day care for most of the time I was able to volunteer. It's been a quite an expense (besides what I paid for the internship).

It's time for you to do something else besides relying on one pre-med adviser. Check out this publication from Michigan State University: Premedical Handbook It is geared toward students at Michigan State or who anticipate application to Michigan State but it contains some good information that you can use.

Please stop using "I was told by my pre-med adviser" and substitute "I know that I must" in terms of this process. You have to do your own research and you have to learn to rely on more that one source of information. If a doctor told you that you had cancer and you needed a radical neck dissection, I would hope that you would get a second (and third) opinion. I would hope that you would do some research on your own (not just get on SDN) and I would hope that you would get the best and most accurate information that you can find from multiple resources. Why not do the same for your career?

 

[CurrySpice]

Now that you have your clinical exposure out of the way, look for ways to get involved where you can take your kids along. What about community garbage pickups? Serving soup at soup kitchens? Making and taking food to a youth shelter? etc. etc. It can be fun exploring the smorgasbord of service options out there.

That's a really good idea! I don't know how old your children are, but it can give you a chance to spend more time with your children AND teach them about the importance of community service. I think that could defintely help you more in the long run of life than putting them in more day care while you go futz around at the ER.