What is a good minimum for volunteering?

[CountinCavities]

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I've got research, volunteering, shadowing..


We often say a good minimum for shadowing is 50 hrs.
What is a good minimum for volunteering?

Has any interviewer shared this with you? Perhaps they said you had too little volunteering or something? That would be really good advice!

I "volunteer" at a free clinic, but I spend most of my time shadowing. So I'm using these hrs towards shadowing instead of volunteering.

Thank you as always!!!

 

[chessxwizard]

OVER 9000 HOURS!

j/k. Do as much as you want. I think the general consensus among predents and adcoms is that schools value quality of volunteering over quantity.

 

[CountinCavities]

OVER 9000 HOURS!

j/k. Do as much as you want. I think the general consensus among predents and adcoms is that schools value quality of volunteering over quantity.

is 30 hrs acceptable? I have 50 hrs of shadowing.

 

[allstardentist]

i think you should about 100 hours although it doesnt really matter if you have good gpa and DAT score

 

[CountinCavities]

i think you should about 100 hours although it doesnt really matter if you have good gpa and DAT score

yeah there's no way I could do that many. I guess, I'm screwwweed..

 

[vlct0ria]

I'll only have about 40 hours total by the time I apply...and honestly, there are only SO many procedures you can watch a general dentist do. I've done about 20 hours so far and I have seen pretty much every possible procedure that he offers. Plus, I feel I have already had adequate exposure to dentistry to be sure that it is what I want to do, and that right there is the whole reason dschools want exposure in the first place. 100 hours just sounds tedious and repetitive to me. There's only so much to be learned from shadowing...other than that it's all hands-ON learning.

 

[CountinCavities]

I'll only have about 40 hours total by the time I apply...and honestly, there are only SO many procedures you can watch a general dentist do. I've done about 20 hours so far and I have seen pretty much every possible procedure that he offers. Plus, I feel I have already had adequate exposure to dentistry to be sure that it is what I want to do, and that right there is the whole reason dschools want exposure in the first place. 100 hours just sounds tedious and repetitive to me. There's only so much to be learned from shadowing...other than that it's all hands-ON learning.

Yeah, also..a lot of these kids are probably embellishing on their hours.

 

[r2thekesh]

I'm currently doing mine. I did 3 days (x6 hr) of following around a friend who is faculty at a D school as well as has a private practice. I followed around a perio for a day for another 6. Now I am in a public aid clinic and I'm up to 8 Fridays for 4 hrs. I have asked every question possible. Now I'm reading old JADAs and talking about articles with the dentist whenever there's no shows which is like every time I'm there. 100hrs is ridic to get up to. on top of all the akwardness, I have to ask for a reccomendation from her.

 

[uclaDDS101]

There can be an upward limit to the amount of shadowing hours you have. At a certain point, you just feel pretty useless, and you have to move on to more interactive dental endeavors. However, with volunteering, I don't really see an upward limit. Volunteering isn't something that you should be aiming at the minimum. It should be an ongoing effort. Just try to find volunteering activities that you enjoy, so you can keep at them. Don't be worried about being condemned for too little hours. Focus on the potential to be proud of your worthwhile commitments. This can only help you. Volunteering your effort and your time is a great gift that you can give to those who need it. It's not just another requirement for getting into dental school (in my opinion).

 

[coolrunner]

I'm currently doing mine. I did 3 days (x6 hr) of following around a friend who is faculty at a D school as well as has a private practice. I followed around a perio for a day for another 6. Now I am in a public aid clinic and I'm up to 8 Fridays for 4 hrs. I have asked every question possible. Now I'm reading old JADAs and talking about articles with the dentist whenever there's no shows which is like every time I'm there. 100hrs is ridic to get up to. on top of all the akwardness, I have to ask for a reccomendation from her.

how did you find this free clinic??

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527523

 

[CountinCavities]

There can be an upward limit to the amount of shadowing hours you have. At a certain point, you just feel pretty useless, and you have to move on to more interactive dental endeavors. However, with volunteering, I don't really see an upward limit. Volunteering isn't something that you should be aiming at the minimum. It should be an ongoing effort. Just try to find volunteering activities that you enjoy, so you can keep at them. Don't be worried about being condemned for too little hours. Focus on the potential to be proud of your worthwhile commitments. This can only help you. Volunteering your effort and your time is a great gift that you can give to those who need it. It's not just another requirement for getting into dental school (in my opinion).

Lets be real here..there IS a minimum for everything. The average successful dental school applicant completes X number of volunteer hours..that would be the minimum.

Unfortunately, I was not lucky enough to have the time to volunteer because I have lived on my own and received no scholarships/support from family for the first few years of college. This leaves no time for shadowing/volunteering. You can say that.."there is always time." But in all honesty, you cannot say that unless you are in someone else's shoes. As you know, southern CA is extrememly expensive and my rent was insane, my car broke down, paid for school in full, yadda yadda yadda.

Shadowing/volunteering is just another requirement for those of us that are willing to admit that time is valuable and I am not in the position to be working for free. I wish I could volunteer everyday, but I can't. I understand where you are coming from, but not everyone is in your shoes. I really admire your sense of commitment to volunteering. You are amazing and kudos to all of your hard work.

 

[DrReo]

If you do not have A LOT of volunteering, do not apply to ASDOH.

 

[vlct0ria]

Oops, I just realized I misread your post...sorry!

 

[cybermech]

I know OHSU and Tufts require shadowing and volunteering. OHSU is 50 hours... I think that should be a bare-arse-minimum.

100+ is preferable.
200+ looks better.
Anything above 500+ is a serious commitment... and I think that will speak well for you.

But yes, GPA and DAT are still more important.

 

[enfuego]

If you go on a volunteering trip - like a mission trip or an alternative spring break trip - how would you count those hours? You would only count the hours you actually spend doing volunteer work, right?

Because some people I know who went on trips counted the whole day towards volunteering hours even if they only actually worked 9am - 3pm or something.

 

[enfuego]

100+ is preferable.
200+ looks better.
Anything above 500+ is a serious commitment... and I think that will speak well for you.

Really? 500 hours of SHADOWING? I think that's a waste of time, and I would question how someone would have 500 idle hours to just sit around and watch procedures. At some point, there are better things you could be doing with your time like research or volunteering.

I think there are some people who started out shadowing, and then slowly started helping out around the office and maybe doing some assisting, and they put it all under shadowing hours. I would probably specify that you weren't just sitting in the corner staring for 500 hours. Maybe you could count some of that under work experience.

 

[doc3232]

Really? 500 hours of SHADOWING? I think that's a waste of time, and I would question how someone would have 500 idle hours to just sit around and watch procedures. At some point, there are better things you could be doing with your time like research or volunteering.

I think there are some people who started out shadowing, and then slowly started helping out around the office and maybe doing some assisting, and they put it all under shadowing hours. I would probably specify that you weren't just sitting in the corner staring for 500 hours. Maybe you could count some of that under work experience.

Well, it's true that most people lie about the numbers of hours they have done. But for the few who actually have done that many hours may have done it over a long period of time. Also, there is A LOT of downtime in undergrad for us. 😎

Also, for the schools that require X hours: I doubt they would reject a great candidate (gpa, DAT, research, volunteering) for not having shadowed enough.

 

[DrReo]

Well, it's true that most people lie about the numbers of hours they have done. But for the few who actually have done that many hours may have done it over a long period of time. Also, there is A LOT of downtime in undergrad for us. 😎

Also, for the schools that require X hours: I doubt they would reject a great candidate (gpa, DAT, research, volunteering) for not having shadowed enough.

I would not test Tufts who states 30 hours is required. You're not an amazing applicant if you do not reach their requirements.

 

[DrReo]

I know OHSU and Tufts require shadowing and volunteering. OHSU is 50 hours... I think that should be a bare-arse-minimum.

100+ is preferable.
200+ looks better.
Anything above 500+ is a serious commitment... and I think that will speak well for you.

But yes, GPA and DAT are still more important.

What do you gain from the 150th hour verses the 300th hour? You will be observing the same procedures. However, if you are assistant for that period of time, that time investment would be worthwhile.

I'd say 500 hours is significant overkill. 75 hrs of shadowing and 425 hours of volunteering is better. Remember, dentistry is not a sepctator sport 😀

 

[Mazmel]

If you go on a volunteering trip - like a mission trip or an alternative spring break trip - how would you count those hours? You would only count the hours you actually spend doing volunteer work, right?

Because some people I know who went on trips counted the whole day towards volunteering hours even if they only actually worked 9am - 3pm or something.

I hung around a dental school for 2.5 days, and although I wasnt shadowing the whole time, I'm counting that as 20 hours.