What kinds of work or volunteer experiences are medical schools looking for?
Medical schools encourage you to pursue opportunities, both paid and volunteer, which will help you learn about the medical profession, your personal skills and abilities, and your own likes and dislikes. Examples of experiences that will give you a taste of a medical career include: • Caring for an ill or elderly family member; • Participating in basic or clinical science research efforts; • Working as an emergency medical technician; • “Shadowing” a physician; and/or • Volunteering at a crisis center, emergency room, or social service agency. These experiences will help you gain skills such as tolerance for stress, the ability to communicate and empathize with people of different backgrounds and cultures, problem solving, and the willingness to put others’ needs before your own.
