Volunteership info

[Dental2000]

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Would the D-school interviwers look down upon Volunteering done outside America??

I have volunteering and work experience done outside US and wanted to know if that's effects me in a good way or a bad way since im putting in down in my personnel statement

 

[MuskieMan33]

I don't see why they would look down on it. I say that because a dental school that I know of when my dentist was in dental school had an agreement with another country, and a few of the students who graduated had planned to return to their home country to work as practicing dentists. I know some schools also have military agreements, which I would assume would be serving in other countries as well as the people in active duty. If anything it would give you experience that very few others have, setting you apart from other applicants.
Again, I do NOT know for sure, that's just my take on the matter.

 

[chippy]

Similar situation here, I did a lot of volunteering while I was studying abroad in South Africa and I was thinking that it would be a really positive contribution to my application. It shows life experience and a big dedication to volunteering.

 

[nlbaker7]

Definitely not, I volunteered in dental clinics in Peru and Honduras and I put them on my application. In my experience, stuff like this helps in interviews as well... people love to hear about travels abroad and places youve been (once again this is all just in my experience)

 

[jeffity]

The spirit of volunteering and the heart it takes to do so should be the same whether it's in your own backyard or on the other side of the world. Sure, we all get caught up in racking up some hours and filling in some blanks on our applications, but volunteerism showcases you as a person and is not bound by borders.

A pre-health adviser told a friend of mine that her month in India volunteering at a kidney hospital in India would not count because it was not done in the United States. That's just silly.

 

[MuskieMan33]

Jeffity, thats nuts! I see volunteering as volunteering, weather your spending time in a nursing home, or spending time picking up trash with prisoners!

 

[jeffity]

Jeffity, thats nuts! I see volunteering as volunteering, weather your spending time in a nursing home, or spending time picking up trash with prisoners!

Terrible adviser. She also told this same girl she does not stand a chance applying to dental school with a 3.4. And she actually listened and is applying to optometry now.

 

[thewobblytooth]

that's really sad...

 

[diene]

Volunteering is volunteering regardless of where you do it. I think the only outside volunteering some dental schools look down upon is when you go to poor countries and try to "play" dentist. Many find that unethical, since you do not have the training to perform anything on people, even if they are poor.

 

[setupben]

I think you could look at it in a positive way.

Along with getting volunteering hours you were getting unique cultural experience. By working abroad you have expanded your diversity, and you will be able to treat diverse patients better.

Try to make it a strength. Be prepared to talk about it in an interview.

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

A pre-health adviser told a friend of mine that her month in India volunteering at a kidney hospital in India would not count because it was not done in the United States. That's just silly.

Well in all fairness, I can see why someone would be suspicious especially if that person was Indian. There would be no way for them to verify that they actually did volunteer by looking them up/calling the clinic like I could with a US one. Also, I don't know if she volunteered for three days and spent the next couple weeks on vacation with her family in India since she's from there.

If I was on admissions, I'd ask her alot about what she did over there, what she observed, who she observed, clinic location, etc. Since she did it for a month, she should really know her stuff about the kidney hospital. I'm not calling her out to be a liar or saying it doesn't count, but I'd be more cautious then if someone said they volunteered for a month at a hospital in their hometown.

 

[jeffity]

Well in all fairness, I can see why someone would be suspicious especially if that person was Indian. There would be no way for them to verify that they actually did volunteer by looking them up/calling the clinic like I could with a US one. Also, I don't know if she volunteered for three days and spent the next couple weeks on vacation with her family in India since she's from there.

If I was on admissions, I'd ask her alot about what she did over there, what she observed, who she observed, clinic location, etc. Since she did it for a month, she should really know her stuff about the kidney hospital. I'm not calling her out to be a liar or saying it doesn't count, but I'd be more cautious then if someone said they volunteered for a month at a hospital in their hometown.

I hear you there. I know there are fools out there how make stuff up....and not even foreign stuff. It would take just a few questions form an admissions person (or anyone with a medical background really) to catch people lying. And when it comes to India and the medical field, it's a very small world.