Volunteering..

[FiremedicMike]

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I recognize that medical schools look for applicants to have volunteer time in the health care field. My understanding of this is to ensure that applicants have been exposed to health-care and have an understanding of what they are getting themselves into.

I'm certainly not trying to shortcut anything here, and do intend on doing some shadowing time with physicians, but with my extensive background in health-care already, is volunteering still something I need to work on?

Thanks 🙂

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I recognize that medical schools look for applicants to have volunteer time in the health care field. My understanding of this is to ensure that applicants have been exposed to health-care and have an understanding of what they are getting themselves into.

I'm certainly not trying to shortcut anything here, and do intend on doing some shadowing time with physicians, but with my extensive background in health-care already, is volunteering still something I need to work on?

Thanks 🙂

Yeah, sadly. Community service is great, but I hate that it's required of an applicant. My mother is in admin at a family medicine group practice. They've got their own labs, imaging, and everything right there in the building. There are 5 FPs, and I'm pretty sure they're not volunteering anywhere in their off time. Anyway, moving off my rant, despite what others may tell you, the volunteerism doesn't necessarily have to be in a medical area. My clinical experience is largely EMS (paramedic) and paramedic school. My volunteerism is coming from about eight years of being on a VFD. I guess I'll just suck it up and shadow a few select doctors and be done with it. I think you can volunteer anywhere you're going to serve people, but I believe the pharohs in admissions do look for commitment as in you've done it for some time.

 

[vc7777]

Mike,

Volunteering benefits an applicant in more than one way. First it shows a level of motivation that is more concrete than just a simple application. Second, it shows that you have been exposed to the medical career and (hopefully) have an idea of what medicine entails.

It is important to show a strong desire to switch career paths as a nontrad applicant. However, I think you don't need quite the same number of volunteering hours as a more traditional applicant when you consider your family situation and other 'confounding factors' such as work and other obligations.

One real 'danger' of doing less volunteering is that some people along the way may forget your nontraditional circumstances. I think sometimes a 'tactful reminder' - such as in your personal statement or interview - that you are not a college student and are married, etc., is warranted.

Having said that, you still need to probably shadow some physicians to shore up not only your application but your personal resolve for medicine. In that regard, I don't think you can over do it - even as a nontrad.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Mike,

Volunteering benefits an applicant in more than one way. First it shows a level of motivation that is more concrete than just a simple application. Second, it shows that you have been exposed to the medical career and (hopefully) have an idea of what medicine entails.

It is important to show a strong desire to switch career paths as a nontrad applicant. However, I think you don't need quite the same number of volunteering hours as a more traditional applicant when you consider your family situation and other 'confounding factors' such as work and other obligations.

One real 'danger' of doing less volunteering is that some people along the way may forget your nontraditional circumstances. I think sometimes a 'tactful reminder' - such as in your personal statement or interview - that you are not a college student and are married, etc., is warranted.

Having said that, you still need to probably shadow some physicians to shore up not only your application but your personal resolve for medicine. In that regard, I don't think you can over do it - even as a nontrad.

How does volunteering show that you're motivated to go to school to become a doctor? Volunteering just shows that you're a volunteer. Community service says you're interested in serving your community. Shadowing a doctor suggests you're interested in seeing what doctors do during the day. I'll shadow to check that box, but hell it's not like I don't already know what I want.

 

[NTF]

Yes, you need to volunteer and it does not need to be medically oriented especially given that you already have experience.

For adcoms volunteering demonstrates altruistic traits that many in academic medicine feel is a key aspect of a good physician. I'm not looking to get into a discussion about whether that's true or not, but that's how adcoms will look at it. If you have no volunteering it will be a major ding against you. If you're looking for something non-medical, I always felt tutoring was a good gig.

I'm not sure what your healthcare experience entails, but if it's purely contained to working the squad or ER, you might consider volunteering in settings that will broaden your medical horizons. Squad and ER work are very particular patient settings and really only a small slice of what's out there. Consider volunteering on inpatient units or outpatient clinics in a specialty you have little or no knowledge.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Yes, you need to volunteer and it does not need to be medically oriented especially given that you already have experience.

For adcoms volunteering demonstrates altruistic traits that many in academic medicine feel is a key aspect of a good physician. I'm not looking to get into a discussion about whether that's true or not, but that's how adcoms will look at it.

I love this reply. Good words, fogie.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I've used that same word "alturistic" in my own thinking before, and I've wondered the following: why wouldn't then someone who has worked in an altruistic type of profession have a significant advantage over those that haven't or kids straight out of school? By altruistic profession I mean social work, police work, firefighting, teaching, nonprofit admin like Salvation Army or Habitat Humanity, etc. I've worked in two of those and volunteered in a third. 😎

 

[vc7777]

How does volunteering show that you're motivated to go to school to become a doctor? Volunteering just shows that you're a volunteer. Community service says you're interested in serving your community. Shadowing a doctor suggests you're interested in seeing what doctors do during the day. I'll shadow to check that box, but hell it's not like I don't already know what I want.

Let me apologize by saying I wrote that a little too quickly and missed a carriage return or two!

Well, first I said it shows motivation. I meant general motivation. I didn't mean to imply "to be a doctor". However, it can be a convincing way, but is certainly it isn't the ONLY way that one can show motivation to become a doctor.

Yes, I suppose I should have narrowed the point of my post to medically-related volunteering. I assumed that the OP (as stated in his other posts) is planning out his application well in advance. And I made the assumption that his volunteering will be explicitly for his application. If so, then why not complete his precious volunteering time in a medical setting? However, like NTF said, he should consider using the opportunity to broaden his horizons. Also, if there is something he really wants to do that isn't medically related, then I say go for it.

Second, regarding shadowing: I have no doubt you know that you want to be a doctor ( or the OP, for that matter). I said 'shore up' - which I think you took the wrong way. I mean it will re-enforce your existing convictions about medicine. If you are lucky and open minded enough, you may even get some insights into which particular paths would be appealing to you within medicine. That is all.

But that is beside the main point that shadowing is an imperfect but generally accepted way to "demonstrate" to adcoms that you understand what medicine is like on a routine day. No one is going to be fooled into thinking you completely understand the life of a doctor just by following them around all day. It does however show that you have half a clue what a doctor does daily.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Let me apologize by saying I wrote that a little too quickly and missed a carriage return or two!

Well, first I said it shows motivation. I meant general motivation. I didn't mean to imply "to be a doctor". However, it can be a convincing way, but is certainly it isn't the ONLY way that one can show motivation to become a doctor.

Yes, I suppose I should have narrowed the point of my post to medically-related volunteering. I assumed that the OP (as stated in his other posts) is planning out his application well in advance. And I made the assumption that his volunteering will be explicitly for his application. If so, then why not complete his precious volunteering time in a medical setting? However, like NTF said, he should consider using the opportunity to broaden his horizons. Also, if there is something he really wants to do that isn't medically related, then I say go for it.

Second, regarding shadowing: I have no doubt you know that you want to be a doctor ( or the OP, for that matter). I said 'shore up' - which I think you took the wrong way. I mean it will re-enforce your existing convictions about medicine. If you are lucky and open minded enough, you may even get some insights into which particular paths would be appealing to you within medicine. That is all.

But that is beside the main point that shadowing is an imperfect but generally accepted way to "demonstrate" to adcoms that you understand what medicine is like on a routine day. No one is going to be fooled into thinking you completely understand the life of a doctor just by following them around all day. It does however show that you have half a clue what a doctor does daily.

Nah, it's not a biggie. Nothing personal. The subjectivity of it all just hacks me off a lot......to the point I should stop coming to SDN, lol.

 

[vc7777]

Nah, it's not a biggie. Nothing personal. The subjectivity of it all just hacks me off a lot......to the point I should stop coming to SDN, lol.

Understood. I certainly see your point about altruistic professions. In fact, my essay for the "define altruism" prompt at OSU last cycle (they have had the same essay prompt for a few years) argued that just because a person benefits from their acts doesn't mean it can not be considered altruism. In this case, just because it is your job and you get paid shouldn't disqualify it.

And yup, I hear you. I got some static from a couple schools about how little volunteering I had on my app. One person told me "While I'm sure these are high-quality volunteering activities, there doesn't seem to be many".

Reminds me of Office Space...Pieces of Flare...

[youtube]-bXHPqj3NcI[/youtube]

 

[Nasrudin]

Nah, it's not a biggie. Nothing personal. The subjectivity of it all just hacks me off a lot......to the point I should stop coming to SDN, lol.

It's cool bro. When you're working to support yourself and your people and your going to school hard. Volunteering can seem like shallow fluff that conspires to annoy you and push your obligations past the maximum anyone should put up with.

I know I hated the idea with a passion myself.

On the other hand. It can be just a couple hours a week of enjoying the company of some other people you wouldn't normally come across. Even at my busiest I'm sure I spent two hours a week d!cking off completely.

Just work something in when you have time. I hung out with an old dude who just needed someone to bring him cigarettes, coffee, and conversation for a couple hours a week.

One of my interviewers was a member of the same organization and we had a cool conversation about it.

Just something to consider.

 

[FiremedicMike]

Vc you and I have talked over PM, so I think you know where I'm coming from. To answer the question somewhat anonymously as well as 4 years in advance of my applications (no real fear of this coming back to bite me), yes the volunteering is strictly for my application. I think the decade of my life devoted to helping others (full time fire dept, part time fire department, part time fire/ems instructor, and just for funsies, I'm a sworn police officer), pretty much shows a pattern of altruism. Perhaps that's an arrogant approach, but that's my feelings.

On a side note, when I took my most recent police officer commission, it was with the understanding that it would be a paid part-time position. Well once my field training was over they dropped a bomb that budget didn't allow for another paid officer, so they were making me an unpaid auxiliary. I've been working there unpaid for about 6 months, 16-32 hours per month. This seems like volunteering by the letter, does it count as volunteering in the spirit of what they are after?

 

[MegaSpectacular]

I recognize that medical schools look for applicants to have volunteer time in the health care field. My understanding of this is to ensure that applicants have been exposed to health-care and have an understanding of what they are getting themselves into.

I'm certainly not trying to shortcut anything here, and do intend on doing some shadowing time with physicians, but with my extensive background in health-care already, is volunteering still something I need to work on?

Thanks 🙂

i am volunteering right now. I am surfing the web at the hospital doing menial tasks. Hundreds of hours of this... joyful.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Vc you and I have talked over PM, so I think you know where I'm coming from. To answer the question somewhat anonymously as well as 4 years in advance of my applications (no real fear of this coming back to bite me), yes the volunteering is strictly for my application. I think the decade of my life devoted to helping others (full time fire dept, part time fire department, part time fire/ems instructor, and just for funsies, I'm a sworn police officer), pretty much shows a pattern of altruism. Perhaps that's an arrogant approach, but that's my feelings.

On a side note, when I took my most recent police officer commission, it was with the understanding that it would be a paid part-time position. Well once my field training was over they dropped a bomb that budget didn't allow for another paid officer, so they were making me an unpaid auxiliary. I've been working there unpaid for about 6 months, 16-32 hours per month. This seems like volunteering by the letter, does it count as volunteering in the spirit of what they are after?

I hope it does. I'm a full-time poh poh now. I used to work a side job as a paramedic, and like I've said I've been a vollie FF for about eight years now. I USED to be a high school teacher, and I ought to get a boat load of credit for that one, lol.

I can't finish the premed prereqs without quitting, moving, and going back to school full-time so I am. In fact, my last day is May 6. 🙁 I HOPE that I can get on as a reserve (auxillary) officer in the next town. I'll be working as a dispatcher there part-time so hopefully that'll be a plus in getting a reserve job. That SHOULD account for volunteer work too. I mean geez it isn't every volunteer floor mopper at a hospital that's likely to stop and fight Mr. Thug.

I'm really not cut out to go volunteer at the old folks' home or soup kitchen. I share your feelings about the altruism and our approach to it. But then again we're just both some dumb cops and people think we're arrogant anyway, right? 🙄

 

[NontradatBeach]

AR & FMM,
After spending 6 years in volunteer EMS, I definitely think you are right about public safety fields showing a level of altruism. In one of my interviews, I was told that public safety was looked upon favorably by Adcoms since it gives one such a broad perspective of the true population of a community. You see the people that have no family, no support structure, the hoarders, addicts, homeless, mentally ill, etc. My exp was both clinical and volunteer in one, but I think you achieve a lot of what they think volunteer work shows by public safety exp. Good luck to you both when you apply!

 

[mspeedwagon]

I would say I have a lot of experience in health care as well. (see post here for my background: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=712153). However, I think recent volunteer work is needed. After reading a lot of posts on SDN, I've come to the conclusion recent volunteer work, along with a solid MCAT, are what I can do to increase my chances.

So, is it a must, no; but it'll go a long way. I'm hoping to start doing three hours a week in the fall (given my interests, I'm hoping to find a pediatric hospital. The one in my area currently has no evening or weekend openings and I hope that changes) leading up to submitting my applications in June.

I recognize that medical schools look for applicants to have volunteer time in the health care field. My understanding of this is to ensure that applicants have been exposed to health-care and have an understanding of what they are getting themselves into.

I'm certainly not trying to shortcut anything here, and do intend on doing some shadowing time with physicians, but with my extensive background in health-care already, is volunteering still something I need to work on?

Thanks 🙂