work in place of volunteering?

[fun8stuff]

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What I am wondering is if someone has a medically related job, could it take the place or make up for lack of volunteer work. Anyone have any guesses?

I work about 35 hrs a week and probably only have volunteered 25 total hrs this summer....

 

[Street Philosopher]

absolutely.

 

[Sweet Tea]

oh yeah.

the important thing is not whether or not you get paid...the important thing is that you're getting relevant experience. 🙂

 

[Mutterkuchen]

The key piece of volunteering/shadowing is that you get an understanding of what it means to be a doc. They don't want people who woke up one day and said, "I'll think that I'll try med school." Or people who "always wanted to be a doctor" but have not demonstrated any interest in the medical field.

Volunteering is a good think to do, since it shows a service to humanity. I know that every volunteering experience has touched my life in some way. However, getting near the medical profession, either through volunteering or through a medical job is the most critical part.

Congrats on getting paid! 25 hours of volunteer time over the course of a busy summer is no peanuts, in my opinion. It's all how you present it on your application. You want to make it sound significant and meaningful, but not too significant, since it did not take a huge chunk of time.

 

[efex101]

I agree with the above, but also beware that some medical schools put a lot of emphasis on "giving back to the community" aspect of volunteering. Of course this volunteering not need be health related, it could be anything...like Big Sis/Brother, Pregnancy Crisis Hotline, etc.

 

[Chode]

Originally posted by Sweet Tea
oh yeah.

the important thing is not whether or not you get paid...the important thing is that you're getting relevant experience. 🙂

what kind of " Experience" do you get standing around in a red vest, or selling coffee in a hospital gift shop?
Deliverin flowers to patient rooms? Yes a very valuable skill
I wish we would do away with the whole volunteer scam. It's really silly. total waste of time.

Want relevent experience in life in medicine?
Go to the local golf course.

 

[DD214_DOC]

This isn't entirely true. For my volunteer program, I wear scrubs and an ID badge. I get called, "Doctor" all the time (though I always correct them)

My duties involve visiting patients to provide support, liason between patients and their anxiously awaiting family members (I'm in the ER), taking patients out to be discharged, doing things for the clinical staff in the ER, and help keep patients stable while a procedure is being performed. We are considered part of the health care team, although we never do any clinical work.

Many times, I sit back and chill with the nurses or docs when there isn't much going on. Often, when something interesting comes in, the docs will call me over to observe. We have the benefit of being part of the team, but the added bonus of being completely autonomous. We're free to wander around and visit patients or do what needs to be done. If someone asks us to do something and we don't want to do it, then we don't do it. Plus we get little lists every shift showing us patient names and their conditions.

It's quite a great program and very rewarding. Then again, most programs ARE just delivering flowers and filling water pitchers.

Just recently I spent my entire shift sitting with a young girl who had come into the ER. I like to think I made her feel more secure and less frightened of the experience.

I intend to transfer out of the ER in 6-12 months and work in Oncology though, so I can develop longer relationships with patients.

 

[Sweet Tea]

Originally posted by Chode
what kind of " Experience" do you get standing around in a red vest, or selling coffee in a hospital gift shop?
Deliverin flowers to patient rooms? Yes a very valuable skill
I wish we would do away with the whole volunteer scam. It's really silly. total waste of time.

Want relevent experience in life in medicine?
Go to the local golf course.

That's why I said relevant experience, not just experience.🙄

Volunteering, just like anything else, is what you make of it. I never was one of the people in the red vests, but I had several friends who were. Some people stood around and restocked shelves. Others went out of their way to get to know the patients and the physicians in whichever part of the hospital they were working at. I was a volunteer EMT (doing 911 calls, not convalescent care) for 3 years, so yes my volunteer experiences were extremely relevant.

Any experience, be it paid or volunteer, is what you make of it. You can learn from any type of exposure to the medical field-- just be prepared to back yourself up and explain what it meant to you and how it helped you get a better understanding of the life/career of a physician. And not all experiences have to be medically related-- many schools like to see some kind of "giving back to the community", but don't do community service just so you can list it on your AMCAS. If working in a lab is more significant to you than volunteering with Habitat for Humanity on the weekends, then stay in the lab!!

And it's entirely possible to be accepted into medical school without ever having set foot on a golf course.

 

[Chode]

Originally posted by Sweet Tea

And it's entirely possible to be accepted into medical school without ever having set foot on a golf course.

do you know who Willie Sutton was?

Willie was a bank robber.
Whan they finally nabbed him, they said "willie, why did you rob all those banks"?
Willie smiled and said " Cuz that's where the money is"

I'll let you figure out the relevance of the Golf course

 

[Sweet Tea]

must...resist...urge...to...roll...eyes...

 

[fun8stuff]

Thanks for all of your responses!

Originally posted by Chode
what kind of " Experience" do you get standing around in a red vest, or selling coffee in a hospital gift shop?
Deliverin flowers to patient rooms? Yes a very valuable skill
I wish we would do away with the whole volunteer scam. It's really silly. total waste of time.

Want relevent experience in life in medicine?
Go to the local golf course.

lol... this is exactly the same experience that I have had volunteering at the hospital. All I did when I volunteered in the ER was clean rooms and file papers. No patient interaction! It was so disappointing! The staff even made a point to emphasize that there were strict rules against "fraternizing with patients". I was told to pretty much mind my own business and stay away from the action because of confidentiality purposes... so why did I sign those HIPAA papers? lol..😕

 

[zinjanthropus]

that's funny because the ER i volunteer in is basically the opposite. pretty much the only thing i'm allowed to do is chat with the patients.

other then down time spent making coffee and getting food trays etc, i actually find the experience fairly useful...there are 3 or 4 physicians who always go out of their way to explain what's going on if they have the time and the physician assistants and ER techs are really helpful and descriptive

 

[fun8stuff]

Originally posted by zinjanthropus
that's funny because the ER i volunteer in is basically the opposite. pretty much the only thing i'm allowed to do is chat with the patients.

other then down time spent making coffee and getting food trays etc, i actually find the experience fairly useful...there are 3 or 4 physicians who always go out of their way to explain what's going on if they have the time and the physician assistants and ER techs are really helpful and descriptive

I would kill to do be able to do that kind of thing!! haha... well not really... but it would be awesome.

The last time I volunteered I went into a room to hang up the phone for a patient and practically got my a$$ reamed for doing so... "What were you going in there? ... I thought I told you, please keep away from patients!" She is the only really mean nurse, but the others seem to agree with her...

 

[Paws]

Wow! That's sort of funny if it wasn't so awful ... volunteering can be such a mixed bag.

I think it's like finding a job, you sort of have to really check things out and get a feel for what's the deal, and what you'd be doing. It definitely takes some time sometimes to find the right fit for yourself.

 

[Karina]

Seems like a volunteer should not have access to patient information...not even the diagnosis...Doesn't seem like HIPPA would allow this. When I used to volunteer I got sheets, but they only included the patient's name, age, sex and room number. I was not supposed to know the diagnosis. Medical information is not to be shared, unless is necessary. Then again, I could be wrong. Where I volunteered I wasn't supposed to wear scrubs either, I did wear a shirt and a badge so everyone knew I was a volunteer. I offered distraction for the kids, talked to families, help the doctors and nurses during procedures and stuff. It was cool, I worked with kids with kidney problems (nephronic syndrome mostly) so they have to go in a few times a week for dialysis...got to form special bonds with them. I see them all the time now that I got a job there 🙂 I also worked with kids with gastro-intestinal problems and things of that sort. Once in a blue moon we would get a teen with anorexia...but overall it was a wonderful experience. Then again, each hospital is different 🙂
Karina

 

[DRANTWAN]

Hey you guys I have a question. I work at the student rec center at my college. Do med schools look down upon that since its not medically related???

 

[EMPOWERurSELF!]

Hey you guys I have a question. I work at the student rec center at my college. Do med schools look down upon that since its not medically related???

From everything I know--no way!! As long as you also have some medically-related work in to show adcoms you know what you're getting into and preferrably some genuine community service, there should not be a problem. If you like working at the Rec by all means keep doing it! Perhaps there are even some team doctors or trainers at your school you could help out or shadow... 🙂

 

[Sweet Tea]

Completely agree.

You don't have to have ALL your work or volunteer experience be medically related, just as long as some of it is. Quality wins out over quantity. 🙂

 

[Street Philosopher]

Originally posted by Sweet Tea
Completely agree.

You don't have to have ALL your work or volunteer experience be medically related, just as long as some of it is. Quality wins out over quantity. 🙂

Yeah it's probably better if some aren't medically related.

 

[turtles]

It seems as though I have been doing many trivial things as a hospital volunteer, such as cleaning beds, running errands, delivering equipments and tray, escorting patients, and keeping patient records. Even though I have not had much exposure to role of physician, I am very positive about my experience. One of things I learn from volunteer experience is that I am a blessed person who can walk, talk, listen, and see clearly. I see so many underprivileged people(who do not have feet, eyes, or even hands) and I sometimes take this privilege for granted but when I see these people, I realize that I am a blessed one. This experience just reminds me of a quote "I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." 🙂



By the way, am I supposed to have exposure to clinical works related to role of physician? If so, what would be a good way to do so?

 

[kenfused]

No one will "look down" on you because you are doing work that is not medically related, or the fact that you got paid vs. volunteer.

However, you hopefully have some work/volunteer/research in a medically relevant area. But hey, everyone has got to eat right?

 

[GoodMonkey]

i'm really annoyed by people who volunteer or get med-related experiences soley because they think it will help them get into med school or look good on apps... or people who think that if volunteer work is not medically related, it will somehow be looked down upon.

for the upteenth time people -- DO WHAT YOU ENJOY DOING!!! if you want to help build houses w/habitat - DO IT. if you like interacting w/patients in a nursing home - DO IT. if you want to be in every theater production on campus - DO IT! stop worrying about what will and will not look good on apps. you should be doing activities because you like them and find them rewarding, not to help you get into medical school. in an idea world, we'd be doing med-related work/volunteering because we like it and we'd be trying to get into med school because we enjoy the field of medicine.

blah. off the soapbox. bottom line is to participate in activites which engage, interest and excite you. if you're in it for the right reasons, it will shine through. if you're only doing it to look good on the med app, well then i hope that shines through too. otherwise you'll be miserable when you get actually into medicine and you realize some of the things you're doing are similar to that med-related volunteer experience you had that you loathed and then you're up $hit creek without a paddle.

 

[Califlower]

I agree with Mr./Ms. GoodMonkey on that! If you're doing this <I>solely</I> for the purpose of beefing up your application, it's not really "volunteering." Volunteering means the initiative comes from within you. I was shadowing at USC/LAC hospital over one summer, and I thoroughly <I>enjoyed</I> my time there and decided to volunteer there for another 100-150 hours afterwards. I did what I liked and it helped me reap the ultimate reward: I became 150% certain that I wanted to pursue this road! You gotta like it to do it! (I remained 150% certain <B>even</B> after a nurse invited me to help her put a catheter on a very old man... there was pee everywhere and the man was wailing! Worth every penny~)

I also noticed that many hospitals have different volunteer programs (probably the big hospitals). I've been at Children's in LA and they have volunteering related to direct, hands-on patient care, and volunteering related to clerical work. Don't get stuck doing paperwork! The papercuts aren't worth it!

 

[sunni]

Like the OP, I recently got a medically related job, which brings me into contact w/ physicians on a daily basis, one of them when she found out I plan to go to med school, offered to let me shadow her, which I'm excited about b/c she's a fellow in the field i think i want to go into. only thing is, that my actual volunteer work is not medical, it's more community service, so should I pass on the shadow and volunteer, or go w/ it and keep my current ECs.
I coach a little girls soccer team,
volunteer to watch little kids at my religious center (we usually do religious related lessons, then play while the adults do the adult study),
I'm a peer mentor at my school, the newbies come to me for advice, YIKES!!!
And then the perfunctory school sponsored groups etc.
Plus I'm going to apply to do HHMI next summer.
Another question: Does team in training count as an EC?
It's a group that raises money for luekeimia research by holding races, 5k, 1/2 marithons, marithons, bike races, run/walks. You raise your entry fee by donations, and then you participate in the race you chose. I think it's cheating to put it, but my friend who's doing it w/ me doesn't think so (we'll be filling out the AMCAS next cycle)

 

[TTSD]

It's the memories that are worth it 😛

Harassing the pretty doctors..

Trying to get away with offering free pelvic exams..

Telling me to get closer and then start drilling into the guys skull and I spend the next ten minutes washing my head in the sink..

The bountiful beers..

An MRI machine that always changed numbers on you..

Harassing the pretty nurses..

Stalking the pretty nurses..

Whipping them out and seeing whose gun is bigger..

And so many other memories that I'm probably not ever going to tell under threat of legal action.. but in short, some GREAT memories that would've made any MASH episode seem tame in comparison.

 

[princessd3]

would having a paid position as a pharmacy technician make up for volunteering/clinical experience in anyway? I don't plan on doing absolutely no clinical work but with work/school I don't have alot of time to work in a hospital etc.

 

[fun8stuff]

I also have worked as a pharmacy tech for 2 yrs (i started out pre-pharm)... heh... When I visited Michigan State University, I asked their dean of admissions (or whoever) pretty much the same question you just asked: so will working as a pharmacy tech be looked on favorably? They said that it could be used to my advantage because it is valid experience within the healthcare industry, although not directly with physicians. They also said that it would be good (if possible) to do some thing on top of that to find out exactly what a physcian's job entails. I would be creative in the way that you relate it to medicine... it is what I'm doing!

So to answer your question more directly, I do not think it will totally make up for volunteer experience or clinical experience. However, it can certainly add quite a bit to it. I definately plan on talking about my experiences as a tech because there have been many. Are you involved with any campus organizations? Most organizations do some volunteering, and I think that this could help make up for lack of volunteering plus it is an opportunity for leadership. To make up for clinical experience (besides pharmacy tech) I would shadow a few docs.

As I said earlier, I volunteered at my local hospital but it ended up to be a total drag. At the beginning of the summer, I quit the 2 pharmacies for a job as a home healthcare aide. The pay is much better, the job is much more fun, and the experience is priceless! I was so bored as a tech! AHhhhhhHH!

Good Luck.

 

[fun8stuff]

Originally posted by sunni
only thing is, that my actual volunteer work is not medical, it's more community service, so should I pass on the shadow and volunteer, or go w/ it and keep my current ECs.

---Why can't you do both? I would try and do both, whether it be you cut back on volunteer time or # of volunteer things or cut back on shadow hours... shadow the doc for 4 hrs a week... that's not a lot of time and it leaves a lot open. Also, you could shadow the doc for on part of year (summer) and do volunteering during school year or vice versa. I do about the same amount of things as you that I would guess take up the same amount of time and this is how I have managed my time. Although, I do work, volunteer, shadow, etc for about 60 to 70 hrs a week during the summer and I have been taking 17 to 19 credit hrs while TA'ing about 20 hrs a week during school + volunteer. I do believe shadowing is a very important experience and is well worth it. I thoroughly enjoy my time shadowing each week... kinda in the same way I enjoy a good movie or tv show on TLC... haha i'm such a dork.

Originally posted by sunni
Another question: Does team in training count as an EC?
[/B]

---Why would it be cheating to put it in? hmm... how often do you do it? I'm not sure on this one.... I would definately mention it some where though!


*plz excuse grammar & spelling... it's 3AM... heh... i'm working 3rd shift tonight...