Shadowing
Hospital Volunteering: the 7 Best Resources to Get You Started
About Ryan
Ryan Hodge graduated from North Central College in May of 2021 as a biology major and Spanish minor on the pre-medicine track. After his sophomore year, he participated in the Atlantis Summer 2019 shadowing program in Tarragona, Spain.
I Want to Give Back. How?
All medical schools want to see you have done some type of shadowing during your years as a pre-medicine student. Volunteering shows admissions committees of medical schools that you will put yourself forward to help those who may be struggling, which is almost word-for-word the definition of a physician. On top of that, volunteering allows you to grow in personal ways. You learn to give, learn how different people live their lives, and observe some of the things they are going through by giving your time and energy. Some students may want to volunteer but aren’t sure where to start. Let’s look at 7 online resources that will help get you started on the path to healthcare volunteering.
College Pre-Health Organization and Pre-Health Advisor
The AAMC outlines that students should first start at the institution they are currently enrolled in. Many times clubs and organizations at universities have healthcare volunteering opportunities established for pre-medicine students, whether that be at a local hospital or clinic. Additionally, reach out to your pre-health advisor, whose main job is to help pre-medicine students get into medical schools. Often, the advisors have attended conferences that outline key volunteer opportunities for pre-medicine students.
Healthcare Volunteering During the Time of COVID-19
Although the pandemic has put an end to many in-person volunteer activities for the moment, volunteerism is still very much present. Relief efforts during the pandemic have focused on giving back to healthcare workers by donating masks. You don’t have to be the person who spearheads the initiative (although that will be a bonus when discussing the activity in your medical school application). The most important part is finding a volunteer opportunity that speaks to your passions beyond the mere desire to contribute.
U.S. News lists some other ideas on how to give back during the pandemic, including teaching senior adults new skills via a virtual platform such as Zoom, baking cookies or muffins for a neighbor, and sending emails or cards of encouragement particularly to those living in the hospital alone. All citizens should always do their part to help their fellow men and women. Having said that, pre-med students should select a safe and competency-based way of contributing to society during the coronavirus pandemic, especially those who have a chronic illness or who regularly have in-person contact with family members or others with an immune deficiency, cancer or chronic illness.
Volunteer Abroad
Some shadowing programs will allow you to shadow physicians while also volunteering. The Atlantis program allowed me to shadow physicians of several different specialties in Tarragona, Spain during the summer of 2019. During my three-week trip, I shadowed orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons, internists, and ER physicians. I also was able to volunteer as an English tutor for the hospital employees, whose main language was Spanish.
VolunteerMatch/Idealist
VolunteerMatch is a great outlet for students to use. The foundation works nationwide and helps students find opportunities to volunteer in both hospital and community settings. The website states they are the “largest network in the nonprofit world.”
Additionally, Idealist offers advice and leads for people interested in volunteering, whether in their own communities or in far-off places. They also provide advice and tips for anyone interested in volunteering abroad, whether on their own or through a volunteer-sending organization.
Medical School Headquarters
This website stresses the importance of a strong MCAT score and good grades but mentions academic scores alone will not get you into medical school. It demonstrates your commitment to helping people, a quality which is much better shown by time spent on a volunteer project than by just saying “I love helping people” when asked why you want to be a doctor. It can provide you with experience in an area of health care you may not otherwise be exposed.
Medical school applicants don’t have to have experience working in a hospital prior to matriculating as in other professional schools (business and architecture come to mind). Still, doing actual volunteer work in health care can give you a sense of what it’s like to work with patients. This experience can be extremely helpful when it comes to writing your personal statement, in that you can actually draw on that experience as opposed to just a generic statement saying that you’re smart and like helping people. It can also be a great thing to talk about at your medical school interviews.
Volunteering, and hospital volunteering, is a great way to benefit the community and those around you, grow personally, and demonstrate qualities that medical schools are looking for. I hope these suggestions are helpful in navigating the options available!
Our Alumni Enter Great Medical Schools
John Daines
- Atlantis '17
- Brigham Young University '19
- Washington U. in St. Louis MD '23
Zoey Petitt
- Atlantis '17
- U. of Arizona '18
- Duke MD '23
Zoey Petitt
Hungary ’17 || University of Arizona (undergraduate) ’18
Completed Atlantis Program Location and Date:
Hungary, Summer 2017
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
I believe it was very helpful.
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
For me, my Atlantis experience played a key role in confirming my decision to go into medicine. This was important for me to discuss during the admissions process.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews?
Yes
Yong-hun Kim
- Atlantis '17
- Stanford '19
- Mayo Clinic MD '24
Yong-Hun Kim
Budapest, Hungary ’17 || Stanford University
Program:
Budapest, Hungary – Winter 2017
Undergraduate:
Stanford University class of 2019
Major:
Computer Science
Honors:
Bio-X Grant (award for research)
Undergraduate Activities:
President and Founder of Stanford Undergraduate Hospice and Palliative Care, Volunteer for Pacific Free Clinic, Research Assistant in Wernig Pathology Lab, President of Hong Kong Student Association, violin performance
Describe Atlantis in three words:
Eye-opening. Spontaneous. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I chose the Atlantis program because it combines opportunities to shadow physicians and travel abroad, both of which I had little prior exposure to.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
My favorite experience as an Atlantis participant came in the stories exchanged over meals or excursions and the breadth of conversation that reflected the diversity of backgrounds within our cohort and site managers.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I appreciated the chance to speak with physicians in Budapest and hear their personal motivations for pursuing medicine because it really helped better contextualize and validate my own interest in medicine. The physicians were also just really welcoming, relatable, and down-to-earth people.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
The Atlantis program has equipped me with a better understanding of what a career in medicine looks like, which I think is an invaluable gift considering the long road ahead of those who aspire to be a physician.
How has Atlantis equipped you for active leadership in the medical field?
The ability to interact and empathize with patients of diverse backgrounds and communities is a necessity to be a leader in the medical field. I think the Atlantis program, through my interactions with mentors and their patients, has helped me take my first steps toward attaining the cultural vocabulary and literacy required of a physician.
Megan Branson
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Montana '19
- U. of Washington MD '24
Sarah Emerick
- Atlantis '19
- Eckerd College '20
- Indiana U. MD '25
Snow Nwankwo
- Atlantis '19
- Catholic U. of America '21
- Georgetown U. MD '26
Tiffany Hu
- Atlantis '16
- U. of Maryland '17
- U. of Michigan MD '22
Tiffany Hu
Tereul, Spain ’16 || U Michigan Medical School
Program:
Teruel, Spain – Summer 2016
Undergraduate:
University of Maryland class of 2017
Admitted medical student at:
University of Michigan Medical School
Major:
Neurobiology
Honors:
Honors Integrated Life Sciences Program, Banneker/Key Scholarship
Extracurricular Activities:
American Medical Student Association Co-President & Advocacy Day Liaison, Alternative Breaks Experience Leader, Health Professions Advising Office Student Advisory Board, Biology Teach Assistant, Health Leads, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, NIH Research Intern, Physicians for Social Responsibility Environment & Health Intern
Describe Atlantis in Three Words:
Educational. Eye-opening. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I wanted to expand my horizons and understand a culture of health different from the ones I am accustomed to. I had shadowed doctors in the United States and Taiwan prior to my Atlantis program experience, and being able to see first-hand the healthcare system in Spain allowed me to draw comparisons between the different complex healthcare systems.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
Bonding with the other participants and celebrating our time together along with the doctors we shadowed. We would discuss our interests, passions, and motivation for medicine, and it was an incredible experience to learn from and alongside them.
What was your experience with the doctors you were shadowing?
Because of the pre-established relationships with the hospitals in which we shadowed, all the doctors were very welcoming and accommodating. They were willing to translate for us and explain in detail all of their medical decisions. My doctors and I had wonderful conversations about the differences between life in Spain vs. the United States.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I was excited to scrub in on surgeries and watch as the doctor explained what he was doing throughout the operation. Before and after surgeries, as well as in my other rotations, I observed how the doctors reassured and communicated with their patients. I was able to glean insight into differences between the experience of health in Spain versus the United States through observation as well as conversations with the doctors.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
Besides the wealth of medical knowledge I gained from shadowing the doctors, I challenged myself to step outside of my cultural comfort zone and explore more than I thought I was capable of. Atlantis allowed me to make connections with people from all around the United States and abroad, and the friendships I gained helped me learn so much more than I would have on my own.
Lauren Cox
- Atlantis '18
- Louisiana Tech '20
- U. of Arkansas MD '24
Lauren Cox
Libson, Portugal ’18 || Louisiana Tech
Completed Atlantis Program Location(s):
Lisbon, Portugal
Year of most recent program:
Fall ’17 – Summer ’18
Season of most recent program:
Summer
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
Extremely helpful
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
It exposed me to shadowing that was hard to come by in the states. It also gave me a chance to see other systems of healthcare.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews? If so, how much relative to other topics?
Yes – they wanted to know about my experience, and specifically how the healthcare I saw in another country compared to what I had seen in the USA.
Kayla Riegler
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Kentucky '20
- U. of Kentucky MD '24
About Atlantis
Atlantis is the leader in pre-health shadowing and clinical experience, offering short-term programs (1-10 weeks) over academic breaks for U.S. pre-health undergraduates. Medical schools want 3 things: (1)healthcare exposure, (2)GPA/MCAT, and (3)certain competencies. Atlantis gives you a great version of (1), frees you to focus on (2), and cultivates/shows (3) to medical school admissions committees.
Watch Video: The Atlantis Shadowing Experience and How it Helps In Your Med/PA Admissions Future
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