<p>for a college freshman who hopes to go to med school?</p>
<p>Well, Im also going to be a college freshman this fall, I recently graduated from high school in august of 2005, and I have been volunteering at hospitals....for example I volunteered at 2 hospitals plus a veterans medical center Im trying to get 1000 hours in the hospital, also I volunteered at meals on wheels and american heart association, and american cancer society also I volunteered on thanksgiving at a nursing home and on christmas at a kitchen. Im sure this would look good on my resume. I hope this helps you out?</p>
<p>the stuff future doctor said is good, dont get me wrong, but u need to look for things that expose u to the medical field. Just because you volunteered at a hospital doesnt mean you necessarily know what its like to have a career in medicine, it may mean you know how to push wheelchairs, or give out food...lol thats been my experience.</p>
<p>Look for EC's such as shadowing doctors, EMS, phlebotomy...things like that.</p>
<p>I have 2000 hours in EMS, in addition to red cross, american canecer, hospital volunteering, shadowing, nursing home volunteering.</p>
<p>I would suggest shadowing and EMS if you wanna FEEL what its like to be a doctor...none of that stuff even gives u a taste. Think about it...how many "aspiring doctors" have really felt what its like to save a life, or to have one end in your hands. As a 17 year old ive experienced that, i cant tell you how many times...and let me tell you it will definatly make you see if you are cut out for medicine. Also it teaches you how to speak to people and be observant.</p>
<p>Or just volunteer in an ER assisting. You want to see hell, work in one of your states trauma centers. You will see some things that will really make your stomach churn. This job may entail bringing things to the attending that may be needed during an emergency. Going up to the patients family and telling them minute by minute info and the likes. It'll make your head spin though, you will have no free time in the ER. Its a good kick in the butt so you can see whether or not your ready for medicine.</p>
<p>ill agree with that...although i still stand by my statement about EMS, ive seen sum really intelligent kids who wanted to be doctors literally cry and puke their brains out after sum stuff ive seen...afterwards they were re-evalutating their career choice</p>
<p>ER does the same, you guys bring em in, then the trauma surgeons fix it. Amputations are always fun to watch, as is an emergency surgery right there in the ER. ER work is also easier to get then EMS since there really isn't training involved</p>
<p>true...but hey, dont u want the excitement of trying to find that thumb and index finger on the highway! haha we never did find that second part of the thumb....hmm</p>
<p>I don't know what country you live in... but you can't be an EMT until you are 18 in the US</p>
<p>I'd recommend curing cancer. That'a good one.</p>
<p>you dont need to be an EMT to ride on an ambulance...in New York the only thing OSHA requires is CPR and Blood Bourne Pathogens, whether you can ride or not, however, is up to your ambulance agency. This is as an observer btw, but you can still participate in emergency care on any call.</p>
<p>I rode for a year with jsut my basic requirements then when i turned 16 i got my New York State First Responder Certification which i have had for two years, now im in the EMT class.</p>
<p>doogie, isn't being an EMT dangerous, I mean isn't the job dangerous? Could you describe what you do on a day to day basis?</p>
<p>Hey Doogie, how'd you first get involved with working w/ EMS? Did the EMTs think it was wierd that you were so young when you first started riding along in ambulances? </p>
<p>I'm looking into doing something like this myself, either in my area or in a college campus volunteer program because it seems to be something that's genuinely rewarding (ie you're given responsibilities unlike 90% of the volunteer jobs I do).</p>
<p>my friend made me do it lol i honestly just did it at first for college, but then it got pretty addicting and i just loved doing it. it was definatly one of the best decisions of my life...i love every minute of it.</p>
<p>And i mean it can be dangerous, especially in some areas where i respond to...ive been punched, spit on, threatened....but the cops have always been there to help us out...by either arresting or tazing the skells.</p>
<p>Its also dangerous in terms of what you are exposed to...i mean i had a meningitis scare, a pneumonia scare, and have worked with many HIV positive patients so it can be very tough on the nerves, you gotta be careful.</p>
<p>But i mean it def is rewarding when you do get to help people, but then again it also sux alot of the time when you cant do anything else to help sum1...for instance, last week i had my first pediatric cardiac arrest...the kid was 14 months old, heart stopped as i carried him out of his room. When i tell you it was like sumthin u see on TV...it really was, we had a police escort to the hospital, but we couldnt bring him back.</p>
<p>Ive seen sum horrific car accidents and sum bad traumas, but like i said ive had a few life saves and 2 deliveries...so you get everything.</p>
<p>One of the worst things tho, in addition to having people die...is just seeing people who really dont have any control over their life and are basically just waiting to die...and when they do go into cardiac arrest, most of the time these people have a living will and you arent allowed to do CPR...so basically you just watch them die not even knowing if you couldve saved them...its a very tough job for a teenager</p>
<p>as for how you get involved...if you are under 18, you gotta look for a volunteer EMS agency...if you are in a city, chances are you only have a paid EMT crew and they dont let any1 under 18 ride...vollies usually do tho...just see who your EMS is and call them up.</p>
<p>So besides EMS and volunteeing at shelters/hopitals/health organizations, are there any other good ECs to go after?</p>
<p>depends on ur age, if ur 18 or older more opportunities....check out phlebotomy (you take blood-like at blood drives) or becoming a diener (morgue assistant)</p>
<p>how would an international volunteer term for lets say 3 weeks in south america or africa be?</p>
<p>as good as you make it</p>
<p>hey doogie, just a quick question. Were you ever queazy about blood, needles etc. Like i wanna go into medicine, but i sometimes get a bit dizzy when i see needles and blood and stuff like that. How did u get over that if u ever had it. And btw, i am joining my local EMS, cus of all ur posts, i was really inspired and i want to try this out. Lol</p>
<p>im curious about the EMS thing. I also live in NY (Brooklyn) and im 18, so I have to do is call up local EMS and ask them if I can ride with them?</p>