<p>I have the opportunity (and time) to volunteer at two hospitals, but I was wondering if this would benefit me in any way...at one hospital I am going to be shadowing once a week, at the other I still need to attend the orientation..what should I do?</p>
<p>You're a busy dude, jonathan06. First, two research projects, and now two hospitals to volunteer at? :)</p>
<p>What would you be able to do at the second hospital that you couldn't do at the first? It might be better for you to focus your efforts on one institution in order to get better LORs, but that's not to say that you might be able to get great LORs from both schools.</p>
<p>Well, I'm not that busy, I'm going to start at my local hospital #1 once a week, shadowing a PA. I need more time, so I was wondering if I should take into consideration another hospital, or is it a waste of time? I am also doing research with a professor at my local college, but I was wondering if I could also research at the hospital and get good experience? They said they have labs open to students, but should I take up two researching positions (including the one at my local college)?</p>
<p>BY the way, it looks like the I am not going to be doing the second research project at my local college, so thats out of the question.</p>
<p>I am kind of stressing out right now (mostly because I don't know if medical schools will care or look favorably upon what I am doing), I don't know what to do. Bascially these are my options:</p>
<ol>
<li>research with professor, shadow at a local hospital</li>
<li>research with proff, shadow at local hospital, and research at another local hospital</li>
<li>research with proff., shadow AND research at local hospital.</li>
</ol>
<p>what you might find is volunteering at the local hospital is little more than inventory restocking. Depending on what you want to be, you might find it better to js at a office with an md. </p>
<p>Mine did both and found worlds of information shadowing at an ortho surgeon's office. He was able to sit on patient meetings, followups and was able to see the surgeon at work outside the operating room. The hospital gig, was basically take these boxes of swabs and put them in this drawer...
no interaction with patients or md's. Maybe it was just the hospital here, but basically his volunteering was almost janitorial rather than medical.</p>
<p>Well first off, what is "js" at an MD's office? How would I get such a position?...thats why I am going to shadow a PA...to get CLINICAL experience, and I am pretty sure that is what med schools want. Am I right?</p>
<p>if ur shadowing at one hospital, then how are you volunteering at both? It is fine to shadow at one hospital and volunteer at another, just don't overload yourself. </p>
<p>also, its not a bad idea to shadow a PA to get started, but you should eventually ask some doctors (MD/DO's) to let you shadow them as well.</p>
<p>I actually shadow a plastic surgeon in a small (only one physician) private practice. So far, it has been a really great experience. I go in on patient days and sit in on patient/physician meetings as well as post-op checkups. Additionally, i go into the OR and see the surgeries up close. Its really easy to get involved in a smaller, more personal environment.</p>
<p>I also volunteered at the local hospital and found that i didn't learn much of anything about being a doctor. I was stuck in the ER lobby giving patients the check-in form.</p>