I am currently a pre-med major with the hope of becoming a pediatric neurologist. I know one of the most important things I need to watch before medical school is the volunteering. I currently have the opportunity to go to a 4 day/ 3 night camp for the National Epilepsy Foundation. This would give me the opportunity to work with children that have epilepsy, but will it actually help me get into medical school since it isn’t working in a hospital. So is it medical related or not? Should I do it?
Are you in college?
There is not a single type of activity that counts as volunteering. You can do many types of volunteering and hospital volunteering is just one type. If you are specifially thinking of medical volunteering and believe that it means it is done at a hospital, then you have an incorrect idea of medical volunteering.
Clinical volunteering does not have to be at a hospital. It can be at a hospice, free clinic, planned parenthood, etc; anything that allows you to personally interact with patients/the ill. It sounds like your activity would count - do it if you have the time and feel that you would enjoy it.
I would caution you that you should find clinical volunteering that is more long-term in addition to the camp, such as volunteering at the same place every week for 1-4 hours for a year.
Items like this will always add to your application, not reduce it. Like someone mentioned it may be wise to invest time into something that is more long-term. This shows dedication and commitment and this reflects well on applicants. Hospital volunteering isn’t the only type of volunteering, but in my experience volunteering at a hospital for a long time, you become familiar with the way things work, the clinical staff, the layout of the hospital. It also provides great experiences that can be written about in a personal statement or discussed during an interview.
If you have a passion or interest for this particular event or topic, I urge you to go for the experience, regardless of the duration. Though keep in my mind that dedicating a few hours a week to volunteer in a hospital/clinic/nursing facility where you get to interact with patients and health professionals, will reflect well on your application and may even compliment the experience of going to this camp.
Best of luck
I don’t think that any one thing that you do for 4 days/3 nights will make or break an application. If it is something you want to do, if it is something you care about then definitely go ahead and do it as it could prove to be a wonderful experience. If it is something you are doing solely because you think it will help your chances for med school then don’t bother.