Getting into medical school takes more than a high GPA and above-average MCAT score. With some medical schools, like the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, which accepted only 2.1% of all applicants in 2018, students have to find ways for their experiences and transcripts to stand out in a crowded applicant field. Medical schools want to admit a class of students who are not just book smart, but also have the compassion needed to become exceptional doctors.
To convince the medical school admissions committee that you have the personality traits and work ethic to succeed at medical school and beyond, you can draw on your volunteer experiences. Here’s how to maximize your medical volunteer experience.
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Volunteer In Underserved Areas
A growing number of people in the United States are either uninsured or lack access to health care. As a student, you can set yourself apart by taking on a leadership role in these underserved areas. With the increasing amount of uninsured patients, there are plenty of opportunities available. Many clinics in underserved areas are eager to accept volunteers, and these volunteers are afforded the opportunity to learn different aspects of the medical environment by undertaking a variety of roles. This could prove to be a valuable clinical experience for an aspiring physician.
Student-Run Clinics
Due to the shortage of doctors in underserved areas, students often have a more hands-on role than they would in other healthcare volunteer environments. There are more than 110 medical student-run clinics in 25 states that give students the primary responsibility of managing and running a clinic. These clinics serve as a place for underserved communities to access healthcare and gain more knowledge about health issues.
The Society of Student Run Free Clinics is an initiative, started by students, whose mission is to support the existence of student-run clinics at every health science center and to cultivate the growth of new clinics. These student-run free clinics are staffed completely by volunteers. Volunteers not only make a difference in the lives of the homeless and uninsured, but also enrich their learning with real-life patient care.
Because the clinics are all student-run, students have the opportunity to be at the forefront of the medical care provided. That allows the volunteers to understand how clinics work, participate in various procedures, provide patient education and present cases to the faculty physician.
Impacting Local Communities
Volunteering in underserved areas gives a pre-med student unique insight into the best ways to interact with patients and the health issues that a person in an underserved community might face. Students who volunteer in underserved areas significantly improve their knowledge, skills, attitude and self-efficacy.
If you are a pre-med student who wants to have their application truly stand out, volunteering in an underserved community is an excellent way to do it. Students who work in community medicine early on have better communication and caregiving skills and are also more sensitive to issues regarding underserved areas. The experience gives students a better understanding of diseases, healthcare challenges in local communities and even issues regarding insurance, which can give you confidence when working in the medical field in the future.
Use Your Experiences In Your Essay
When you apply to medical school, most schools have a secondary application where you can expand on your experiences volunteering in underserved communities. Here, you can talk about your motivation to work with a similar population in the future. You can draw on real-life experiences that you have had with patients and use that to bring your application to life. Having this volunteer experience can display a level of maturity and commitment that elevates your essay and medical school application.
Consistency Is Key
Volunteering for six months at a community health clinic and getting 200 service hours might not boost your medical school application that much. Instead, consistently volunteering is preferred. Don’t stuff all your volunteer, job shadowing or research experiences into a compact timeframe. If you volunteer throughout your undergraduate career, the medical admissions committee will look at the consistency, as well as the hours you have volunteered, more favorably since it shows a true passion for the field. The goal for volunteering shouldn’t simply be to check off that box once you have achieved the necessary hours: A genuine interest for medicine should be evident.
There is no set formula for how many hours you should volunteer. Focus on quality over quantity and consistently work with an organization whose cause you are passionate about. Find an opportunity where you can have as much patient interaction as possible to help maximize your medical volunteer experience.
