What are Some Examples of NonTraditional Ways of Earning Clinical Volunteer Experience?

[xxNightingalexx]

For example, does transporting patients with cancer from Site A to Site B count as clinical volunteer experience? This is assuming that the driver is in direct contact with the patients.


What are some other examples of gaining clinical exposure that are unheard/unrealized of?


This will greatly help students such as myself in their gap-years working in non-clinical jobs needing to gain more volunteer experience!

For my particular case, I am seeking for an opportunity to gain ~80 hours per month of clinical experience.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Yeah that would count if that isn't a hired job. you could go to any hospital and volunteer for what they need.

another option is to get a part time clinical job. prior to med school, I worked part time as a patient transport (exactly what you described) for about 80 hours per month. then I volunteered in other stuff that was non clinical.

 

[Goro]

For example, does transporting patients with cancer from Site A to Site B count as clinical volunteer experience? This is assuming that the driver is in direct contact with the patients.


What are some other examples of gaining clinical exposure that are unheard/unrealized of?


This will greatly help students such as myself in their gap-years working in non-clinical jobs needing to gain more volunteer experience!

For my particular case, I am seeking for an opportunity to gain ~80 hours per month of clinical experience.

Being such a transporter is patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

 

[cmk0302]

Being such a transporter is patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

I’m currently volunteering with a crisis hotline and wasn’t sure if it counted as clinical volunteering or not. Good to know.

 

[xxNightingalexx]

I’m currently volunteering with a crisis hotline and wasn’t sure if it counted as clinical volunteering or not. Good to know.

Right, I was in the works of applying for RAINN as a tele-volunteer after having navigated loved ones out of their crisis situations. When I was in the PD yesterday, a young adult came inside, breaking down in tears, looking to report a crime related to sexual assault; but, among other incidents I have witnessed since the lockdown began, I can testify covid19 is not pausing these sorts of emergencies/crisis...This lockdown may be good/tolerable for some but bad for others in ways that people like us are willing to dive deep in to figure out and hope to rectify.

So forreal I appreciate you volunteering with the crisis hotline - you are needed.

 

[esob]

I second hospice as an option if you have a heart for it. As a non-trad, the flexibility that it brings to your already hectic schedule can be a lifesaver. I also fostered some good relationships during the experience and still talk with the volunteer coordinator regularly even though I've been gone for more than a year.

 

[deleted1005514]

I did hospice too...one of the best experiences I‘ve had, but it is tough when you get close to patients and they die. I visited in homes as a respite care provider for two years.

 

[xxNightingalexx]

Yes I was strongly considering hospice and if was able to apply and volunteer hospice care, I definitely would. I was advising my relative also pre-med to consider CNA. I believe Red Cross offers free CNA training. For now I have decided to set up a volunteer profile with American Cancer Society to volunteer as a Road to Recovery driver. The hours of operation fit my schedule at the moment. I hope to be of much help to any patients I meet in the near future once the program is back online, but right now the transport service is down in response to the lockdown. The ACS Road to Recovery driver program comes with a volunteer log so you can log in all your hours including date and patient's initials/signature too if anybody was interested in learning a lil bit more about the program I might know more once things start to change/improve

 

[gollypogs]

I second (third? fourth?) hospice volunteering. I loved it so much, and you definitely get direct patient experience. I've also found the experience helpful in med school - just having a little bit of experience of what end of life care looks like.
I also found opportunities with my Community Health Center. Did some interesting patient education stuff. Not sure if you are in US, but I recommend looking into it.