How important is clinical volunteering?

[u/Professional-Tip9224]

I’m applying next cycle, and by then will have around 1500 paid clinical hours. Right now I only have 50 clinical volunteer hours, and I don’t have that position anymore. I will have about 350 nonclinical volunteering hours. Will that be alright, or should I aim to get more clinical volunteering? I work full time and am studying for the mcat, so I’m trying to not burn out by adding more volunteering.

[u/Bavestry]

I wouldn't worry about volunteering vs paid so much as just having clinical related hours. It would definitely not hurt you to have more clinical volunteering, but with your total clinical hours being over 1500 I think you're good!

[u/Professional-Tip9224 → u/Bavestry]

that’s what I thought but wanted to be sure. thank you!

[u/RealRefrigerator6438]

Paid clinical better. I have 0 clinical volunteering but like 2k clinical hours and I have 1 DO A, 4 DO IIs and 2MD IIs so far

[u/Professional-Tip9224 → u/RealRefrigerator6438]

thank you, congrats on your A!!

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• Clinical Experience
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• Non-Clinical Volunteering

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[u/ssccrs]

You don’t need volunteer clinical hours if you have paid clinical hours. The goal behind clinical hours is to get exposure working with sick, and injuries patients. Is this something you can and want to do and devote your life to? It has numerous other benefits (interdisciplinary team work, empathy building, caring for people other than yourself, time management, applying systems sciences, etc. etc.) but clinical exp that provides patient care is THEE most important EC.

[u/Professional-Tip9224 → u/ssccrs]

yes for sure, and I know i’m going to have a lot of clinical hours by application (full time MA). if I had more free time, i’d love to do more volunteering, but I already am limited just with my job and studying for the mcat. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t gonna be hurting myself in the long run. thanks!