What activities do I need/do I need more clinical volunteering?

[rambo315]

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Hi, I'm currently in my gap year and trying to apply next cycle. I don't have a premed advisor or anything so just wanted to get some advice on what activities I should prioritize/get more hours in.

Mcat: 515
cGPA: 3.9 sGPA: 3.88
Undergrad: UCB

Clinical:
ER volunteer - ~200 hours (over 9 months) (got to see some interesting medical scenarios but I don't do that much -> mainly just stocking, talking to some patients, grabbing comfort items for patients)
Bedside volunteer - 100 hours (over 9 months) (help feed stroke/dementia patients, clean bed, etc)
(started recently) Medical Assistant at allergy clinic (paid) - 50 hours currently (continuing to work here (~28 hours every week) to the next application cycle) (give shots to pt, take vitals, etc)
Hospice Volunteer - 50 hours (enjoy this a lot and have been caregiving (help with meds, companionship, etc) for my patient for around 4 months -> will continue this)

Non-Clinical:
Mobile Food bank Volunteer - ~80 hours (will continue this activity - 3 hrs every week)
Music Volunteer Teacher for underserved students - ~260 hours (college org that caters to k-12 students from schools without resources for humanities/arts programs)
potentially will start a new volunteering activity -> nutrition program for a homeless shelter (i'm a nutrition major so this is something im passionate about)

Research:
Microbial lab - 650 hours (undergrad lab - have a 2nd author publication in a small peer-reviewed journal)
Optometry lab - 100 hours

Leadership:
Bio lab TA - ~160 hours (over a year)
Events Director - 100 hours (for the same music org I volunteered at, basically I help host educational events for k-12 students in the area)

Shadowing:
Pediatric Diabetes Clinic - ~100 hours (shadowed various doctors in the clinic)

1) Is there any activities/volunteering I should look into getting more of until the next cycle?
2) any serious deficiencies in my work/activities I should address
3) I'm thinking of actually quitting both my clinical volunteering (bedside volunteer and ER volunteer) due to my work hours/location (will this look bad to schools if I quit both)? Do I need more clinical volunteering hours?

Thank you!

 

[Hollow Knight]

You’re doing great dude.

Maybe shadow a family doctor or an internist for a little bit. But I’m just being nitpicky.

I don’t think you’re really missing anything.

You need to volunteer somewhere and somehow until you apply. If you can’t make it due to work, volunteer at a soup kitchen or something

 

[rambo315]

You’re doing great dude.

Maybe shadow a family doctor or an internist for a little bit. But I’m just being nitpicky.

I don’t think you’re really missing anything.

You need to volunteer somewhere and somehow until you apply. If you can’t make it due to work, volunteer at a soup kitchen or something

Thanks! Ya im definitely going to continue volunteering at the mobile food bank and hospice for sure alongside work but was just wondering if I need more clinical volunteering hours (whether I should keep the two hospital volunteering that I have or if its fine to just drop those)?

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hi, I'm currently in my gap year and trying to apply next cycle. I don't have a premed advisor or anything so just wanted to get some advice on what activities I should prioritize/get more hours in.

Mcat: 515
cGPA: 3.9 sGPA: 3.88
Undergrad: UCB

Clinical:
ER volunteer - ~200 hours (over 9 months) (got to see some interesting medical scenarios but I don't do that much -> mainly just stocking, talking to some patients, grabbing comfort items for patients)
Bedside volunteer - 100 hours (over 9 months) (help feed stroke/dementia patients, clean bed, etc)
(started recently) Medical Assistant at allergy clinic (paid) - 50 hours currently (continuing to work here (~28 hours every week) to the next application cycle) (give shots to pt, take vitals, etc)
Hospice Volunteer - 50 hours (enjoy this a lot and have been caregiving (help with meds, companionship, etc) for my patient for around 4 months -> will continue this)

Non-Clinical:
Mobile Food bank Volunteer - ~80 hours (will continue this activity - 3 hrs every week)
Music Volunteer Teacher for underserved students - ~260 hours (college org that caters to k-12 students from schools without resources for humanities/arts programs)
potentially will start a new volunteering activity -> nutrition program for a homeless shelter (i'm a nutrition major so this is something im passionate about)

Research:
Microbial lab - 650 hours (undergrad lab - have a 2nd author publication in a small peer-reviewed journal)
Optometry lab - 100 hours

Leadership:
Bio lab TA - ~160 hours (over a year)
Events Director - 100 hours (for the same music org I volunteered at, basically I help host educational events for k-12 students in the area)

Shadowing:
Pediatric Diabetes Clinic - ~100 hours (shadowed various doctors in the clinic)

1) Is there any activities/volunteering I should look into getting more of until the next cycle?
2) any serious deficiencies in my work/activities I should address
3) I'm thinking of actually quitting both my clinical volunteering (bedside volunteer and ER volunteer) due to my work hours/location (will this look bad to schools if I quit both)? Do I need more clinical volunteering hours?

Thank you!

It looks good to me. Given your paid job, I think you can safely stop the two volunteer positions that you mentioned since you enjoy the hospice one more and will continue with that as well as with the non-clinical volunteering.

you might want to try shadowing a doctor (or a couple of doctors) outside the diabetes clinic in another area of medicine, just to get a different perspective. I'd also not shadow an allergist or in the ER since you already have experience in both types of healthcare settings. But as @Hollow Knight wrote, I'm being picky.

On a more substantive note, journal and take notes about your experience. As I've posted elsewhere, these entries will really help you when you sit down to write essays or prep for interviews. When you journal, write about what happened, what you did, and what were the results for you and others. What did you learn and feel? What was the impact on other people or an organization? Again, these notes will become invaluable in a few months.

 

[sarcasmrules]

If you really are passionate about the homeless nutrition experience, pay close attention to what issues are plaguing these communities, then find a mentor who has expertise in this issue and see if you can create a project that can mend this issue. At that point, you should quit just about everything else and focus on that one project. It'll help you for so many reasons:
1. you'll have a WA entry literally no other applicant will have.
2. it'll make it easy to tell a unique story for your personal statement.
3. apart from patient care, which is what every physician will do, you'll bring something beyond the usual responsibilities.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Keep working. Build those experience hours. Talk with mentors and experts in food and housing insecurity where you work. Journal and reflect about it.