What do you think?

[MD_Strategery]

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I am starting to volunteer just recently and the work that is to be done is pretty unrelated to medicine at all. Getting Coffee for nurses, getting blankets for beds,etc.... I was wondering if I became a transporter for the hospital (i would be paid, they allow volunteers to do this job) would it look bad on a med school record saying that you were paid for doing something like this when I should actually be volunteering. I also volunteer at a therapeutic horse riding farm (for disabled and terminally ill). I just figured I would rather get a closer look into what could be involved but getting paid wasn't what I was looking for. Maybe this is pointless, I was just wondering because nobody really knows.

 

[americanangel]

That is too cool!!! I volunteer at a handicap riding place in Florida...I know there are a bunch in the state and its a great thing to be involved in!!! Once you see those kids smile, it really changes your whole day!!

Oh yeah about volunteering at the hospital,
I say do what you love...and go with your heart it doesn't usually lead you wrong!!!

 

[peetie]

I am starting to volunteer just recently and the work that is to be done is pretty unrelated to medicine at all. Getting Coffee for nurses, getting blankets for beds,etc.... I was wondering if I became a transporter for the hospital (i would be paid, they allow volunteers to do this job) would it look bad on a med school record saying that you were paid for doing something like this when I should actually be volunteering. I also volunteer at a therapeutic horse riding farm (for disabled and terminally ill). I just figured I would rather get a closer look into what could be involved but getting paid wasn't what I was looking for. Maybe this is pointless, I was just wondering because nobody really knows.

Take the money! Don't sweat it. You need pt. contact - you'll get it and some money. You need to be a nice person - so keep volunteering at the thing.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Take the money! Don't sweat it. You need pt. contact - you'll get it and some money. You need to be a nice person - so keep volunteering at the thing.

yea, you're already doing an awesome job volunteering at one place. if you'd rather transport and would get better patient contact, sure take the job and the money you earn.

And i like the idea of teaching riding to disabled...i have horses and love to ride; perhaps when i go home i'll look into doing something similar..it sounds like an awesome experience; i'm disappointed i didn't think of it on my own.

 

[Elphie]

That is too cool!!! I volunteer at a handicap riding place in Florida...I know there are a bunch in the state and its a great thing to be involved in!!! Once you see those kids smile, it really changes your whole day!!

I have a disabled cousin (agenesis of the corpus collosum) who doesn't respond to very much. For several years he has been involved in the horse riding and has truly responded to it! He loves it and it calms him down considerably. I have several pictures of him on the horses with this huge grin on his face. It's so nice to see him express any kind of emotion, especially happiness! Thanks to all of you who volunteer with those groups!!

 

[iamgoaloriented]

I am starting to volunteer just recently and the work that is to be done is pretty unrelated to medicine at all. Getting Coffee for nurses, getting blankets for beds,etc.... I was wondering if I became a transporter for the hospital (i would be paid, they allow volunteers to do this job) would it look bad on a med school record saying that you were paid for doing something like this when I should actually be volunteering. I also volunteer at a therapeutic horse riding farm (for disabled and terminally ill). I just figured I would rather get a closer look into what could be involved but getting paid wasn't what I was looking for. Maybe this is pointless, I was just wondering because nobody really knows.

The horse riding farm experience is awesome! Definitely keep doing that.

If you need the money that is reason enough to have any job, relevant to medicine or not (I worked at the ballpark, which all of my interviewers so far thought was pretty cool). You gotta pay the bills and feed yourself, which med schools know and if you tell that to an interviewer it will be hard for them to critcize you.

If you want a job that also gives you clinical experience you could work as a nurse aide (all you need is a high school diploma and sometimes you have to take a course which you can often get paid for). You are still the nurse's b!+ch, but at least you are a certified, paid nurse's b!+ch with some responsibility. There are some other options to, like a PCA (glorified aide) or EMT (probably a lot better than either or those two). You might be able to find a lab job to.

If you can get casual status you will be able to work around your school schedule and tend to make more money (but no benefits).

 

[superdevil]

money = good

your volunteerism = good

your overall situational outlook = ...good

 

[MD_Strategery]

Thanks for all the great replys, this really helps me out. I didn't quite know if they would think differently when looking at an app. I was also wondering there is a position for an instrument tech? What does that job entail? Thanks for all the helpful comments. And yes I would agree that there is no better feeling in the world than seeing the children on the horseback with the hugest grin.

 

[iamgoaloriented]

Thanks for all the great replys, this really helps me out. I didn't quite know if they would think differently when looking at an app. I was also wondering there is a position for an instrument tech? What does that job entail? Thanks for all the helpful comments. And yes I would agree that there is no better feeling in the world than seeing the children on the horseback with the hugest grin.

I applied for a surgical tech job once, but didn't do it because it required 6 months of training and 6 months of orientation (is that what you mean or is an instrument tech something else that I am clueless about).

Perhaps you could still manage it, but obviously the more intensive the training, the harder it will be to work around. It would be great experience though and a lot more exciting than being an aide.

 

[MD_Strategery]

The job title was instrument tech... not sure if I misread or what... now that i think abuot it it doesn't even sound right.. Maybe somebody knows

 

[iamgoaloriented]

The job title was instrument tech... not sure if I misread or what... now that i think abuot it it doesn't even sound right.. Maybe somebody knows

Might have been a surgical tech basically, just different title, but I think there are also jobs in which you clean instruments and get them ready but don't work in the or. From the job description you should be able to get an idea of whether or not you would get worthwhile experience. If you will be working in or during surgery it will probably require extensive training.