A Guide to Volunteering
Written by: Sarah St. Germain, Pre-Health Peer Advisor
Volunteering is crucial for any pre-health journey. Beyond strengthening your application, it enhances your personal growth and skillset. Volunteering allows you to develop empathy, refine communication skills, foster teamwork, and demonstrate a commitment to service. Most importantly, it offers exposure to diverse populations, preparing you for future interactions with patients.
Many students are unsure where to start volunteering and often assume that all volunteering hours must be clinical. In reality, most professional health programs look for both clinical and non-clinical volunteering experiences in your application.
Clinical Volunteering
Clinical volunteering involves any unpaid experience within a healthcare setting. Hospitals are common choices to obtain these hours. For instance, I've volunteered at McLaren Hospital for three semesters, rotating across various departments. My favorite department is the OB/GYN floor, where I volunteer four hours weekly. My tasks range from creating packages for new mothers to ensuring patients are comfortable and ready for discharge.
Besides hospitals, there are plenty of other options for clinical volunteering, such as:
- Hospice Centers
- Free Clinics
- Rehabilitation and Outpatient Centers
- The American Red Cross
- Michigan Public Health Emergency Response Team
- Various non-profits (e.g. American Cancer Society)
Non-Clinical / Community Service Volunteering
Non-clinical volunteering is often underestimated, but it is equally valuable. It shows that your desire to help others goes beyond healthcare settings and enriches your capacity for community engagement. Contrary to popular belief, non-clinical opportunities are often easier to find, as many organizations are always in need of volunteers. I personally engage in various types of non-clincal community service. For instance:
- Greater Lansing Food Bank - I regularly help package and sort donated food for distribution.
- Crisis Text line Volunteer - I support people in moments of crisis and help guide them to calm and safe resolutions via text. This experience has really honed my communication skills and reinforced my patience.
- Mitten Misfits Farm Sanctuary - This is one of my favorite weekly activities. I assist an elderly couple in caring for abused animals on a farm, giving these animals a chance at a better life.
- Local Churches and Community Centers - From clothing drives to Christmas fundraisers, I've been involved in many small, but impactful efforts.
Where to Look for Volunteering
If you are just beginning your volunteer journey, knowing where to look can make a big difference. Here are some resources that I used to find volunteering experiences:
- MSU Center for Community Engaged Learning - They regularly post various volunteer opportunities on campus as well as through other local organizations.
- Volunteer Platforms - There are website databases such as VolunteerMatch or Idealist that list a large variety of volunteer opportunities that you can look through based on location and interest.
- Directly Contacting Organizations - As I stated above, many organizations are in need of volunteers and would gladly accept them. Calling or emailing organizations that you are interested in volunteering in could result in you securing an amazing opportunity!
Whether clinical or non-clinical, finding the right volunteer opportunities can profoundly enhance your skills and enrich your pre-health journey. Choose opportunities that resonate with your passions to ensure you gain the most valuable experiences. Each experience should help you grow personally and professionally, shaping you into a compassionate and capable future healthcare provider!
