Would volunteering in high school and summer before college count?

IceFire · 06-02-2010, 11:49 AM

Basically the title...my mom has been going after me about doing something more productive with my life over the summer and since I really can't bring myself back to a lab (due to general disinterest in the labs that would take me...immunology? not my thing) I'm wondering if I should volunteer at a nearby hospital and would it count for much? I also have another 200 hours for high school...how much does that count?
Originally I decided to spend the summer relaxing and enjoy life because I haven't really been able to for four years but my parents are not really understanding that...let me know what you guys think! thanks!

milkandsugar · 06-02-2010, 11:57 AM

It is always good to be productive at something, instead of lying around in the summer. you can volunteer and still enjoy your summer before college starts. With that said, why don't you like labs? If you are going to be pre med, this is going to be a very large part of your education.

If your question is, will it make a difference for college? I don't think so. I am assuming that you are already accepted to college and that part of the process is over.
So there is really nothing wrong with being happy that this is all behind you. So it is understandable that you would want to enjoy the summer. But why not get employment and make some money for some of the expenses needed for college. that may be a better idea.

curmudgeon · 06-02-2010, 11:59 AM

( I am replying to what I think your question is about....med school applications years from now.)

If it (the volunteering) produces an experience you can write about, then write about it when the time comes. It's not just about hours.

As to your previous time.....My D had lots of high school hospital volunteering and she found a way to talk about it as she continued the experience in college.

As to this summer....You don't list high school stuff on AMCAS, but you've graduated . You're not in high school anymore. This summer counts.

IceFire · 06-02-2010, 12:05 PM

I do have a part time job and I work around 20 hours a week, and I don't like labs because I don't like being placed in a lab whose topics I am not interested in, and I think that's pretty fair because the summer before senior year I spent 6 weeks in an immunology lab and I wasn't really intrigued and I am generally pretty interested in science. And I am asking about med schools as curmudgeon said haha

mmmcdowe · 06-02-2010, 12:18 PM

Many pre-meds never touch research (which is not the same thing as a lab for a class), and the same also goes for many medical students. If you don't want to work in research don't worry about it, but just realize that you won't be getting into top research schools without it.

You can count the volunteering on your application if you want, but if you don't continue it into future summers it won't be terribly valuable. I also wouldn't expect it to be enough clinical experience by itself for applying to medical school years later.

MiamiDAP · 06-02-2010, 01:02 PM

Count for what? If you mean Medical School, the answer is no.

IceFire · 06-02-2010, 01:09 PM

Yeah I meant for med school

MiamiDAP · 06-02-2010, 01:26 PM

HS EC's do not count, maybe if you have saved humanity from Aids or malaria, than it would be OK to include in Med. School application. Regular volunteering, Research Lab, shadow only relevant for UG application.

mmmcdowe · 06-02-2010, 05:53 PM

But if you continue it you can list the start date for before medical school. There is no actual restriction on submitting HS ECs to AMCAS, but they aren't very valuable in most cases because of the fact that it has been so long in the past.

smarts1 · 06-02-2010, 06:58 PM

What if I've been doing research at a lab for about 3 years now and my papers (three-four of them) are going to be published while I'm in college? Can I write down my research experience on AMCAS?

mmmcdowe · 06-02-2010, 08:58 PM

Yes there's no reason not to, especially if there are pubs involved.