Weighing two different volunteering opportunities

[Yamno]

I'm a nontrad just starting on this long hard road. I already have some volunteer experience, but I am sorely lacking clinical volunteering hours. I have two opportunities lined up to remedy this, and am weighing their respective pros and cons.

Opportunity 1:
Pros: I can start in a clinical setting right away.
Cons: no shadowing opportunities, and the commute is 20-45 min, ER only.

Opportunity 2:
Pros: 5 min commute, shadowing opportunities after 200 hours, variety of clinical departments.
Cons: clinical opportunities only after 100 hours.

I am hoping to apply in 2019, so I need to rack up hours quickly. This line of thinking leads me to think option 1 might be better. However, the convenience, shadowing possibilities, and diversity of experiences offered by option 2 are compelling. My plan is to do 4-8 hours per week over the next year.

Hoping for any and all advice Thank you.

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[Catalystik]

I'm a nontrad just starting on this long hard road. I already have some volunteer experience, but I am sorely lacking clinical volunteering hours. I have two opportunities lined up to remedy this, and am weighing their respective pros and cons.

Opportunity 1:
Pros: I can start in a clinical setting right away.
Cons: no shadowing opportunities, and the commute is 20-45 min, ER only.

Opportunity 2:
Pros: 5 min commute, shadowing opportunities after 200 hours, variety of clinical departments.
Cons: clinical opportunities only after 100 hours.

I am hoping to apply in 2019, so I need to rack up hours quickly. This line of thinking leads me to think option 1 might be better. However, the convenience, shadowing possibilities, and diversity of experiences offered by option 2 are compelling. My plan is to do 4-8 hours per week over the next year.

What would you be doing for the first 100 hours with opportunity #2 and when can you start? Can you ramp up the volunteering hours for the summer to get to the cutoff to start clinical encounters more quickly?

Considering the number of folks we see on SDN who want to quit due to excessive commute times, I can see why #2 is compelling.

Is it possible you could set both opportunities in play for the summer (and then drop #1 in the fall) while you have more time, or is there more on your plate right now that you've revealed that would prevent that option?

 

[Yamno]

What would you be doing for the first 100 hours with opportunity #2 and when can you start? Can you ramp up the volunteering hours for the summer to get to the cutoff to start clinical encounters more quickly?

Considering the number of folks we see on SDN who want to quit due to excessive commute times, I can see why #2 is compelling.

Is it possible you could set both opportunities in play for the summer (and then drop #1 in the fall) while you have more time, or is there more on your plate right now that you've revealed that would prevent that option?

Unfortunately I work full time and already have a long commute, so the fact that it's summer doesn't really make a difference in the amount of time I have. I basically need to choose one option. In both cases, I can start within a few weeks. For the first 100 hours in opp #2, I would likely be answering phone calls, working in the gift shop, doing assisting with admin work.

 

[anhnen5]

IMO, option 2 sounds like a massive waste of time. 100 hours answering phone calls, working in the gift shop, and doing admin work will not help you. You need something that has patient interaction. Even with ER it's very hit or miss the type of experience you'll get. I'd go with option 1 if you have no other choices. Alternatively, have you looked into other clinical volunteering opportunities in your area like Hospice, free clinics, etc.?

If you work full time, shadowing will be limited to hospital setting anyway unless you take off because many private clinics are usually 8-5 anyway. Get friendly with the physicians that work at the ER and ask them if you can observe them after interacting with them for a while. Eventually someone will let you, just be persistent and show that you're not a waste of time for them to teach you. You don't need to go through a program to shadow a physician.