Volunteering

[kstew12]

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I am looking into different volunteering opportunities but all I can find is volunteer work in hospitals. Where else does any one think would be beneficial for PT? does it matter if your volunteer work does not apply to PT?

 

[CherokeeWahine]

I know it may be difficult, but try to secure a volunteer/intern position in an outpatient clinic. In order to get into PT school, you're going to need PT observation experience in an outpatient setting as well as a hospital setting.

If you get volunteer experience that does not apply to PT, most schools won't let you use it towards your PT school apps, so it's kind of a waste of time to do volunteer hours that have nothing to do with PT.

 

[tmirchel]

Does PT schools not take outside volunteering into consideration? I am having no problem getting hours shadowing PTs, I am just having trouble finding volunteer work in the area. I can find work doing stuff at hospitals but it is just not related to PT.

Is it important to have volunteer experience in PT when applying or should shadowing PTs in different areas be sufficient for experience? Will volunteering in other health profession areas be worth the time and investment.

 

[DancerFutureDPT]

Most PT schools have a direct PT shadowing/volunteering requirement (i.e. 50 hours of PT observation experience). Some may require multiple settings (inpatient, outpatient, peds, neuro, etc.), whereas some will be fine with 50 hours in an outpatient clinic.

It's not a bad idea to shadow other health care professionals to get an idea of what they do (i.e. I observed a surgery and I also volunteered at an animal rehab clinic, and I know people who shadowed PAs or orthos), but it's usually not required by PT schools, and won't count toward your PT volunteer hours requirement. But, there is a place to list non-PT volunteer experiences on the app, so the schools will see you did it, it just won't count for the PT requirement.

And I think you're confusing volunteering versus shadowing...they're basically the same thing as far as I know...not all clinics will let you "volunteer" in the sense that you are actually doing something there other than observing. But observation experience is totally fine on the application, as is paid work experience if you work in a PT clinic. It doesn't have to be strictly a "volunteer" position.

Does that help?

 

[tmirchel]

I was under the assumption that shadowing and volunteering were different but from what you said they are almost one in the same. My boyfriend is pre-dental and it is assumed to be different. Like he volunteers as a dental assistant but then shadows at different clinics.

That actually relieves some of my stress if what you are saying is true that shadowing in volunteering both are just hours counting towards PT observation.

 

[tmirchel]

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[kstew12]

I was under the assumption that shadowing and volunteering were different but from what you said they are almost one in the same. My boyfriend is pre-dental and it is assumed to be different. Like he volunteers as a dental assistant but then shadows at different clinics.

That actually relieves some of my stress if what you are saying is true that shadowing in volunteering both are just hours counting towards PT observation.

That was my post above, he was logged in on my computer and I did not realize it.