When to volunteer?!

[Pandatree2]

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So I am about to start taking premed classes since I have decided to double major (I do not really want to be a teacher anymore but I will complete that degree). I have signed up for about three volunteer activities, and was wondering when is usually a good time to dedicate yourself to getting your volunteer hours in. After premed classes are done, during or before? does it matter how long ago you did your volunteering when it comes to applying to med school?

I am currently volunteering with the UN, a student/doctor ambassador network, the Red Cross and in the ER dept at the local hospital.

thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[aprilfools]

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(I do not really want to be a teacher anymore but I will complete that degree

Why? This makes no sense and will not help you if you are not going to be a teacher.

Regardless, volunteer now.

 

[LizzyM]

Do you want to help people? Do people need help? Help.

If you are doing this not because you want to help people and you have identified people who need help, but because you want to have a "good" application, I don't have any advice.

 

[Pandatree2]

Why? This makes no sense and will not help you if you are not going to be a teacher.

Regardless, volunteer now.

I am almost done with it (maybe two more classes to go) so might as well finish it. I have a very bad past habit of switching majors when I was almost done with the degree and I would just to obtain it for myself at this point.

 

[Pandatree2]

Do you want to help people? Do people need help? Help.

If you are doing this not because you want to help people and you have identified people who need help, but because you want to have a "good" application, I don't have any advice.

thanks I think..

I have been volunteering for many years out of the goodness of my heart. I love doing it, but now I want to focus on volunteering in the medical field which before this year I have never done. I guess I was asking when the majority of people decide to do it to complete their volunteer hours experience. when would it be the best time to juggle it all? I am finding the volunteer spots for the medical field are very very time committing whereas an organization like habitat for humanity (which is SO awesome to work with btw) is more of an event basis, building or helping build houses maybe every few months.

 

[LizzyM]

How did you decide to go into medicine as a career? Have you worked in a medical setting? Have you shadowed? If you have done those things, you don't need medical volunteering. In fact, doing non-clinical volunteering out of the goodness of your heart is highly valued by adcoms -- as long as you have also tested your interest in medicine in some way. Why would you go through all the pre-med classes if you haven't figured out whether or not you want to do that kind of work? That seems like a recipe for another change of major. Check out the career in some way before you go whole hog into the major.

 

[Pandatree2]

How did you decide to go into medicine as a career? Have you worked in a medical setting? Have you shadowed? If you have done those things, you don't need medical volunteering. In fact, doing non-clinical volunteering out of the goodness of your heart is highly valued by adcoms -- as long as you have also tested your interest in medicine in some way. Why would you go through all the pre-med classes if you haven't figured out whether or not you want to do that kind of work? That seems like a recipe for another change of major. Check out the career in some way before you go whole hog into the major.

thank you. I have been shadowing a pulmonary doctor who specializes in cystic fibrosis for roughly a total of two years and have been volunteering with childrens hospital for cystic fibrosis events since 2012, as well as led a charity hike on mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for cystic fibrosis. I have been inspired to become an pulmonologist and I know I don't have A LOT of knowledge but I wont know more about it until I start school for that. thank you for your input I will just start keeping track of all my volunteering opportunities I have been involved in, medical and nonmedical. 😀

 

[LizzyM]

Get the doctor who you've shadowed to introduce you to other docs in other specialties who you might shadow. That, with your other activites, should be enough. You can always plan on a gap year with a job as a scribe or in another paid clinical activity.

 

[Verity]

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So I am about to start taking premed classes since I have decided to double major (I do not really want to be a teacher anymore but I will complete that degree)

Which teaching degree? For every education degree that I am aware of, you have to complete at least one semester of full-time student teaching. You don't have time to take any other classes, or really commit to much else. It's exhausting, at times frustratingly tedious, and incredibly time-consuming to create full lesson plans and grade material. It is unfair to divide your time when student teaching, because your students are the priority. You can always do more to help them. Are you willing to set aside this time? If the teaching degree does not have this component, a.) I'm confused, because I'm pretty sure that's required for licensure, b.) the teaching degree alone doesn't mean much. The above based on me completely dropping my education degree before student teaching to pursue (well, at the time a PhD), and being a roommate of three friends who student taught.

 

[Pandatree2]

Which teaching degree? For every education degree that I am aware of, you have to complete at least one semester of full-time student teaching. You don't have time to take any other classes, or really commit to much else. It's exhausting, at times frustratingly tedious, and incredibly time-consuming to create full lesson plans and grade material. It is unfair to divide your time when student teaching, because your students are the priority. You can always do more to help them. Are you willing to set aside this time? If the teaching degree does not have this component, a.) I'm confused, because I'm pretty sure that's required for licensure, b.) the teaching degree alone doesn't mean much. The above based on me completely dropping my education degree before student teaching to pursue (well, at the time a PhD), and being a roommate of three friends who student taught.

hmm I will look into that since that was never told to me. if that is the requirement I will obviously be choosing medicine. I was told my requirements for the student teaching is actually only 8 hours and to obtain the actual license it is the passing of the test you need to be more worried about. I don't see how suddenly they could have just been hiding the requirement of teaching for an entire semester for the very end as I have been in this program for a few years. I will check though, that is something I do not want to run into and I rather be safe than sorry!!

 

[Verity]

.... 8 hours of student teaching to get a TEACHING LICENSE? If that's the case, I'm honestly horrified that they're licensing teachers with that. That's absurd. During student teaching is when you actually see how everything you learn comes together, and you have a mentor to breach the transition between random dude who has never taught and a practicing teacher. There's no way 8 hours could accomplish that. I would be shocked - FLOORED - if they'd allow you to be a practicing teacher with 8 hours of student teaching. Student teaching is what makes that degree valuable... tough to see how it all fits together until then.

 

[LizzyM]

.... 8 hours of student teaching to get a TEACHING LICENSE? If that's the case, I'm honestly horrified that they're licensing teachers with that. That's absurd. During student teaching is when you actually see how everything you learn comes together, and you have a mentor to breach the transition between random dude who has never taught and a practicing teacher. There's no way 8 hours could accomplish that. I would be shocked - FLOORED - if they'd allow you to be a practicing teacher with 8 hours of student teaching. Student teaching is what makes that degree valuable... tough to see how it all fits together until then.

I'll bet it is 8 semester hours. Reading is fundamental.

 

[Pandatree2]

.... 8 hours of student teaching to get a TEACHING LICENSE? If that's the case, I'm honestly horrified that they're licensing teachers with that. That's absurd. During student teaching is when you actually see how everything you learn comes together, and you have a mentor to breach the transition between random dude who has never taught and a practicing teacher. There's no way 8 hours could accomplish that. I would be shocked - FLOORED - if they'd allow you to be a practicing teacher with 8 hours of student teaching. Student teaching is what makes that degree valuable... tough to see how it all fits together until then.

I don't disagree with you but that is all I have been told so far. you brought up a really good point and it is really worth looking into how much of my time will be dedicated to that. thank you!! 🙂