health care experience

[Well of Slaine]

Hello! Sorry if this isn't quite the place for this question, but I'm sure you folk can help me out.

I'm not too far removed from my bachelors (aero eng), but I've become very interested in medicine over the last few years. I've only recently considered it seriously as a professional option, but I have no experience whatsoever in the field. I assume the first step is to try and get my feet wet and see if this is something I really want to do. My question is simple, and maybe a little dumb: How do I get involved, volunteer or otherwise? I don't really have any medical contacts, and I have this goofy scenario in my mind of just wandering into a hospital asking "Hey there, can I help?".

Please, cure my ignorance.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NTF]

Actually, you're not that far from the truth.
Every hospital will have a volunteer services department. Go in and fill out an application. That's a good place to start. Since I imagine that you have a full-time job your time is pretty constrained. But if it isn't, sometimes cold emailing PI's at academic labs can work. I did some work with a psych researcher from a cold email.

Plus, sometimes a volunteer position can segue into a paid patient care job. I got a guy I volunteered with a job on my unit.

Good luck! It's a wild ride.

 

[squiggle]

hi there,
i work one shift a week at the emergency women's shelter here. if you want to learn about health care, this is a great environment. you do usually need prior experience to be a staff person, but volunteering can be a great way to be of service. shelters always need support. so if you are a guy, try a men's shelter. it can be stressful work, (my shelter allows intoxicated and high people a safe place after 8pm) but you will learn tons. health care doesn't just happen in hospitals and clinics.

good luck!

 

[starl3tte]

When I first began looking for volunteering opportunities, I googled all of the nearest hospitals, browsed through their websites, and was almost always able to find a volunteering section with specific phone numbers. These hospitals have well-developed volunteering programs set up. The downside is that so many people apply to the programs, that they cannot all be accommodated. Hopefully, you live in an area that isn't quite so saturated with pre-meds. Or, as the other posters recommended, try places that aren't quite so "obvious."