I really hate long winded questions with plenty of background, but I think it’s pertinent to my question. So, I request your patience.
I still have a ways to go before I start applying, and classes to take before even thinking about the MCAT. And for EC’s, I have 2 months volunteering in an ICU (4 hrs/week) and 9, almost 10 months volunteering in an ED (also 4 hrs/week).
A few months ago, I became a certified EMT-B. I began volunteering at a local fire department in order to use it. With the meetings, I end up at about 8-9 hrs/week. I’ve only been there for a few weeks.
My plans were to use the EMT cert for a job. Well, that just didn’t pan out. However, through a doctor who had taken an interest in me at the ED, I landed a scribe job.
The scribe job basically means that I will chart for physicians (in real time which means if the physician is seeing a patient, I’m right there too) at an ED and between patients I pull up labs, or x-rays…whatever I can do to make the physician more efficient. In a nutshell, I’ll be paid to shadow. This is approx 20 hrs/week.
I have bills to pay and need to work more than that. So, I need to pick up another 20 hours somewhere (this might be picking up extra shifts or another part time job…not sure yet since I was just offered the job).
This on top of taking 13 hrs at school. I don’t think I can get good grades at school while volunteering 12-14 hours/week and working full time. I’d hate to quit the fire department since it means my EMT-B was a waste of time and then I’m just another applicant with an EMT-B pad.
I’ll probably need to quit the ED volunteer job (even though I really like the people there and would miss them), because the scribe job has hours that basically follow the physician’s hours. So, I wouldn’t be a regular there.
I guess my question is, would I still be a strong applicant with those EC’s and then little to no more volunteering? And where am I going to prove leadership skills?
Occasionally, I pick up some hours with Society of St. Andrews basically collecting food from farmers that will be thrown out and distributing to food shelters (been doing this for years), but with working 40 hrs per week and school full time, I don’t think I could maintain an excellent GPA (now that I’m into science classes) and stay with regular volunteer gigs. I’m one of the non-trads pulling up a piss poor GPA.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
I volunteered two hour shifts twice a month for two years with a hospice and was fine. It’s not the volume, it’s the consistency. Don’t worry too much. If you have an ongoing gig with the St. Andrews Society and you have other patient contact, you’re probably okay.
I think you can concentrate on your grades and your eating money right now.