Im applying to volunteer at a hospital............?

Question

okay, im applying to work at a hospital but if i am looking for a career in medicine, what should i do in addition to volunteering in order to get accepted into a good medical school. No silly answers please

Answer 1

yo, i volunteer my self

cpr class for your resume

if your doing volunteer work, make sure to work with patients

doin any thing in a hospital should be fine

but try to do other things to that would be impressive

Answer 2

Ok are you going to work at a hospital or volunteer? You said both so I am not quite sure. The best thing to do is start where you can, I volunteered in the ER but I had to wait till i was of certain age (17 I think), before that i worked in the admittance department doing in and out patients (I was 16). Then after the ER i worked with a doctor helping him out with paper work (18) and then I stopped when I was 20. So as long as you are consistent they just care that you are determined to learn and willing to stay. Now in addition to volunteering try joining clubs that deal with medicine in college. Also, keep your GPA up and do well on the MCATs.

Answer 3

Basically the reasons to want to do medicine are all the same, and every candidate will say them. The key is to show them evidence that what you are saying is true, for example you like helping people "volunteer to help people"

Volunteering always looks good and it doesn't have to always be at a hospital

Oh and try to get as much work experience as you can, not just at medicine, but other branches as well. A very common question is 'you say you want to help people, why not become a nurse/scientist/dentist'. Honestly the best answer to that is "yes I've considered it, done work experience and didn't like it because of this, this and this". While I prefer medicine because of this this and this.

A really easy place to get volunteering/nursing experience is at a nursing home, at first it is a bit depressing because all you see are old people in wheel chairs, but you soon realise they are people with personalities too. You get to the point where you get excited when you meet someone in their 90's with no major diseases or problems and can walk. (I had a favourite little old lady). Then they all have their little querks about them which you do grow fond of.

Donate blood and try to get involved in student blood drives, always look good and I've always had a lot of fun with that.

If you are going to say 'I love the human body and is fascinated how it works' get some experience working as a research scientist, there are lots of programs you can do this. I did a program in which we were mutating genes to try and increase the levels of rinocelic acid in wheat >> one of the outcomes would be plants producing omega 3>> better diet yada yada yada. Wasn't always fun, I got bored quite a bit, but yet again it proves my interest vividly as to why although I want to help people and make a difference, I don't want to become a research scientist. (being on the cutting edge is fun though)

Also random co-curriculars are good, things that show you have a life outside of school, dance/acting/sport/politics whatever. Last thing they want are little medical nerds who can't speak to their patients in english.

Oh and the best thing that pretty much all schools go gaga over is being a volunteer paramedic. Basically you get your senior first aid and become one groups that is asked to appear at big functions ie carnivals, footy games, fetes etc. You aren't doing anything major medical wise... but you are still playing the part of a sorta doctor. Anyone in medicine who saw that would love it.

I can't think of any more... maybe will later, hope that helps and good luck

Answer 4

When I volunteered at a hospital, I worked in the Pulmonary Sub-Acute ward. Basically, it was the coma ward: people on ventilators who were largely non-responsive. Depressing.

I did a lot of other activities, though. The key is to stay well-rounded. I volunteered my time staffing a student-operated computer lab. I also worked with inner-city middle schoolers, tutoring them and spending time with them. And on campus, I was active in some political organizations.

Don't limit yourself to clinical experience. Have it under your belt, but look at allied health stuff, science research, and stuff that has NOTHING to do with medicine. Get involved with charity work, too. Work with the homeless, kids, the elderly etc. Humanitarian aid is always favorable.

I found a great niche in working with adolescents and women's health. STDs and reproductive health issues came really naturally to me, so I devote a lot of my free time to working with teens and teaching about STDs. Even did my masters thesis on it!

I think if you sample a lot of volunteer gigs (and paid ones, too. those count!), you will find a good fit for yourself along the way.