Does volunteering as an EMT replace hospital volunteering?

[premedmind]

I know that regular hospital volunteer as a civilian is very important for the app (I've already done about two years on and off of that)...but now that I am an EMT doing calls for the fire dept., can this replace regular ol' hospital volunteering? Or do I still need to do it?

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[jbar]

Volunteering isn't required to apply to med school. They like to see some sort of activity that has patient contact so when you say that you want to be a doc and work with patients there is some grounding in reality. Bottom line, do what you find interesting, otherwise you won't be able to maintain it. If you want to do EMT do it but do it well. Learn all you can. Go to the medic CE classes, learn ECGs etc. If you are doing that not volunteering will be fine.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

Volunteering in a hospital is an incredibly worthless activity. You carry papers around for people, make beds, and occasionally bring a patient a cup of water. Don't waste your time doing it.

If you get really involved in EMS (which shouldn't be hard, since you've already put in the initial work to get the cert), it will trump volunteering in a hospital many times over.

 

[premedmind]

Volunteering in a hospital is an incredibly worthless activity. You carry papers around for people, make beds, and occasionally bring a patient a cup of water. Don't waste your time doing it.

If you get really involved in EMS (which shouldn't be hard, since you've already put in the initial work to get the cert), it will trump volunteering in a hospital many times over.

I already have my card and I am doing calls - it is absolutely a 100% more valuable experience than simply volunteering in a hospital. I guess volunteering in a hospital is for people who aren't EMT's - we are in a different league.

 

[TarHeelEMT]

If you really like what you're doing, I highly recommend taking the EMT-I course, if it's available to you. That's where you really start being a healthcare provider as opposed to a glorified first-aid provider. You learn a lot more about the medicine behind the major types of calls, and the introduction to cardiology is really helpful.

 

[jbar]

While I agree that more education is generally good, I'd be careful getting the next level of certification before feeling really comfortable at the basic level. I'm not clear on how long the OP has been an EMT. But I know a lot of people who jumped up to EMT-I or paramedic without getting down basic airway management, scene management etc. And they are suddenly in the position of being in charge of others on scene who have a lot more experience.

It also depends on the way your service is set up. If you have a medic on your rigs with you a lot of this doesn't apply. But I'd be nervous about trying to run a cardiac arrest as an I if I hadn't been on a few as an EMT first.

 

[viostorm]

No, EMT does not "replace" hospital volunteering. They are completely different experiences.

Some schools do give you extra points for "volunteer" work on your application irregardless of what the experience was.

However, I recommend if you want to be a doctor then volunteer in the setting in which you will be working ... ie the hospital or a clinic to see what your actual life will be like and make connections.

Volunteering as a EMS provider is a good for someone who wants to become a paid EMS provider ...

I think your time would be better served in hospital work or in research.

But, there is nothing that says you can't do a little of both. If you enjoy EMS then great go ahead, but I still suggest you spend time in the hospital or a clinic.

 

[premedmind]

No, EMT does not "replace" hospital volunteering. They are completely different experiences.

Some schools do give you extra points for "volunteer" work on your application irregardless of what the experience was.

However, I recommend if you want to be a doctor then volunteer in the setting in which you will be working ... ie the hospital or a clinic to see what your actual life will be like and make connections.

Volunteering as a EMS provider is a good for someone who wants to become a paid EMS provider ...

I think your time would be better served in hospital work or in research.

But, there is nothing that says you can't do a little of both. If you enjoy EMS then great go ahead, but I still suggest you spend time in the hospital or a clinic.

I don't think you fully understood my question.

I've already volunteered at a hospital, however I was turned off by the lack of patient interaction.

I wanted more of this patient exposure, and I figured practicing as an EMT would be a great way of obtaining that.

Now that I have this patient exposure, what is the point of volunteering in an ER where all you are allowed to do is change bed sheets and bring water?

Just BEING in a hospital, without the patient exposure, is surely not enough to find out if you really want to pursue a career in medicine. I believe the patient interaction is key, and being an EMT provides that.

Am I wrong to think this way?

 

[TarHeelEMT]

Am I wrong to think this way?

Nope

 

[MacBook]

Experience wise I don't know why you would want to do that. The experience you get from both is not comparable and would be a big loss to you if you were to skip out on doing it.

Here our EMT students have to go thru both the hospital and ambulance practicum. No way around it.

 

[nsx]

Just BEING in a hospital, without the patient exposure, is surely not enough to find out if you really want to pursue a career in medicine. I believe the patient interaction is key, and being an EMT provides that.

There are ways for EMTs to combine significant pt interaction while observing a hospital or clinic setting. Maybe even throw in a paycheck Think about it.

 

[leviathan]

Hospital volunteering is pretty useless...I don't know why premeds even do it like it's the Holy Grail, other than for the fact that it's maybe better than absolutely nothing (but not by much).

 

[MacBook]

Well folks, what am I missing here? is there a part of his post that I am missing or that I didn't read properly??

 

[homedum]

If you really like what you're doing, I highly recommend taking the EMT-I course, if it's available to you. That's where you really start being a healthcare provider as opposed to a glorified first-aid provider. You learn a lot more about the medicine behind the major types of calls, and the introduction to cardiology is really helpful.

being an working emt for about 5 years i would have to disagree with this. if you want to be an emt i, i would recommend becoming a paramedic instead. most states dont even recognize emt i's at this point. although, if your time constrained and are looking for more training then a emt-b, go for the i cert

 

[shindotp]

Hospital volunteering is pretty useless...I don't know why premeds even do it like it's the Holy Grail, other than for the fact that it's maybe better than absolutely nothing (but not by much).

Maybe I like helping out the hospital and the people there?

Isn't that what volunteering normally is about?

 

[leviathan]

Maybe I like helping out the hospital and the people there?

Isn't that what volunteering normally is about?

I was referring to its utility in gaining experience in the health care setting, and understanding the various roles of health care professionals including physicians. Normally it seems volunteers just stand around giving directions, or delivering juice and cookies to patients. Kudos to anyone who is willing to do it and I have nothing against it, I'm just saying it's not the best way to really answer that question of "Why do you want to be a doctor?"