General Where can I get Clinical Volunteering?

[Question]

Hi I am a sophomore undergrad pre-med student. 1) I am wondering what is the best way to get clinical volunteering hours? 2) Is volunteering at surgery helpdesk in a major hospital considered clinical volunteering as you are helping getting patients to the OR? 3)- Is International volunteering in Europe or other countries considered bad as you have to pay to volunteer/Voluntour ??

— Experts please respond to this post —

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[Mr.Smile12]

Have you tried the SDN activity finder?

 

[Goro]

Hi I am a sophomore undergrad pre-med student. 1) I am wondering what is the best way to get clinical volunteering hours?

Not all clinical volunteering has to be in a hospital. Try clinics, Planned Parenthood, hospice, camps for sick kids, nursing homes,

2) Is volunteering at surgery helpdesk in a major hospital considered clinical volunteering as you are helping getting patients to the OR?

Yes

3)- Is International volunteering in Europe or other countries considered bad as you have to pay to volunteer/Voluntour ??

— Experts please respond to this post —

Yup. Medical tourism

 

[GoSpursGo]

Agree with above—try our activity finder!

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Yes, that may be clinical if you are directly interacting with patients. IMO, the best clinical experiences are those in which you are seeing what doctors do. For example, working as a scribe is great cause not only do you get to shadow, but you are learning how to document AND getting great clinical experience.

 

[WildWing]

Here's the link to the Activity Finder:

Activity Finder - Find Extracurriculars for Med School Application | Activity Finder

Activity Finder helps you find common premedical extracurricular activities: medical and clinical jobs, research opportunities, shadowing, and community service.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[Goro]

Hi I am a sophomore undergrad pre-med student. 1) I am wondering what is the best way to get clinical volunteering hours? 2) Is volunteering at surgery helpdesk in a major hospital considered clinical volunteering as you are helping getting patients to the OR?

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimer’s or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.

3)- Is International volunteering in Europe or other countries considered bad as you have to pay to volunteer/Voluntour ??

Yes. Medical tourism is bad.