<p>I'm doing volunteering and shadowing during the school year. I want to do something this summer that is meaningful and powerful that I can put on my resume for when I apply to medical schools. The deadline for applying to most internships is way over. There aren't many opportunities in my hometown, so I'm looking for something anywhere in the United States. Big cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago are places I'm looking into mostly.</p>
<p>I don't want to go somewhere and do something simple, but I want something that will be strong on my application, so some type of unique clinical work/research.</p>
<p>Anyone have any recommendations of work I could be doing?</p>
<p>Keep in mind I probably can't get any internships or anything this late into the year since I had to apply.</p>
<p>I would like a meaningful reason to leave my hometown and do something worthwhile over summer for 6-12 Weeks. Doesn't necessarily need to be something I am paid for, but that would also be great.</p>
<p>Some suggestions: community service volunteering of any type (not necessarily medical) in inner city communities. Like healthcare clinics for the homeless or undocumented. Summer tutoring programs for children in underperforming schools. Habitat for Humanity. Work for a food bank. Help start and run a community garden in a “food desert” while providing nutrition education to the local neighborhood. </p>
<p>There are literally hundred of ways to make an impact–and you really don’t need to leave your hometown to do them. Opportunities are everywhere to serve your fellow man–you just need to go looking for them.</p>
<p>It’s really difficult to have a “high impact” activity during just one 8-12 week summer period. You’re not going to cure cancer, solve homelessness, or find a solution to gun violence, poverty or mental illness.</p>
<p>Any “powerful” activities aren’t going to be neatly contained in 8 weeks, but are going to be contextual within a larger demonstration of your interests and commitments over a 3-4 year period prior to applying to med school.</p>
<p>Undergrads get hung up on the idea they need to fulfill a checklist to get an acceptance to medical school. It really doesn’t work that way. Every individual is different and will follow a different path.</p>
<p>You might even check out a discussion going on the Careers In Medicine subforum about why service jobs are good training experiences for future doctors.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/careers-medicine/1472922-summer-internship.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/careers-medicine/1472922-summer-internship.html</a></p>
<p>And if you’re really stuck on the idea of doing clinical or bench research–the best place to find summer volunteer opportunities is at your home school. Other colleges seldom (never?) accept random undergrads not from their own school into research settings.</p>