How Many Volunteer Hours Are Required for Medical School?

While volunteer hours aren't required for entry into most medical schools, it can be beneficial for prospective students to spend time volunteering within their field of study. The industry is very competitive, making any factors outside the specific school requirements a boost to your medical school application.

But, how many hours is deemed a good amount of time? And how can you get the most out of your volunteer services? We're here to answer these questions and provide guidance on volunteer opportunities.

The Importance of Volunteering Before Going to Medical School

Volunteering before medical school can significantly strengthen your application and deliver valuable insights into the healthcare field. While there's no golden number of volunteer hours, students admitted into medical school completed an average of 100 hours of volunteer work, unless a specific amount is required for a particular school.

Ultimately, it's important to value quality over quantity, selecting volunteer work that allows you to do something meaningful that you're passionate about. This will provide you with experiences that high school may not be able to deliver and help you find a niche in the medical field you may want to dive deeper into once you're in college.

But beyond growing your academic and professional prowess, volunteering enables you to put others above yourself, preparing you for a career in a very people-focused industry. This can lend aid in learning how to prioritize your mental and physical health while also caring for patients and the staff members around you.

By giving your time and energy to a program or institution, you can enjoy the following benefits:

Hands-On Experience

Volunteering in a healthcare setting offers invaluable hands-on experience that allows you to witness the inner workings of the medical field. You'll gain insight into the daily routines of medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and support staff, and better understand the profession's physical, mental, and emotional demands. This first-hand exposure helps you grasp the complexities of patient care, the intricacies of hospital environments, and the teamwork required to deliver high-quality healthcare.

Skill Development

Through volunteering, you can develop essential skills for this line of work. Communication is important in this setting, as you'll interact with patients, their families, and medical staff, learning to convey information clearly and compassionately. Volunteering fosters empathy, allowing you to put yourself in others' shoes, especially when working with vulnerable populations. Additionally, you need teamwork skills in healthcare to work alongside others in a volunteer setting to teach you how to collaborate effectively. Problem-solving is another crucial skill you'll hone, as you'll encounter real-life situations that require quick thinking and adaptability.

Networking Opportunities

Volunteering provides a unique chance to meet and build relationships with established medical professionals. By working closely with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff, you can develop connections that may lead to mentorship and valuable career advice. These relationships can help you navigate the complex path to higher education, offering guidance on how to strengthen your medical school application or gain additional experience. Moreover, having mentors in the field increases your chances of obtaining strong letters of recommendation, which are crucial for medical school applications. Networking through a volunteering experience may also open doors for shadowing opportunities and future employment.

Enhancing Your Application

Yes, medical school admissions committees are interested in academic performance but also in well-rounded candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to service and leadership. Volunteering shows your genuine interest in healthcare and dedication to serving others, which can set you apart from other applicants. It reflects your ability to handle real-world challenges and proves you're proactive about gaining skills outside the classroom. When a medical school admission officer sees you have a track record of volunteering experience, it highlights your initiative, compassion, and readiness to contribute to the medical field, all of which are highly desirable qualities in future physicians.

Types of Medical School Volunteer Work

While there's no end to the opportunities you can take advantage of, here are some popular volunteer services you can take advantage of both in and out of high school:

• Hospital work: Many pre-med students volunteer at hospitals to get clinical experience where they assist with administrative tasks, transport patients, deliver supplies, or spend time with individuals.
• Clinic or medical center volunteering: Volunteering at free or low-cost clinics allows students to help underserved populations, assisting with patient intake, health education, or shadowing a healthcare professional.
• Hospice volunteering: Hospice volunteers support terminally ill patients and their families, providing emotional comfort, companionship, and respite care.
• Community health initiatives: Some students volunteer for health fairs, vaccination drives, or outreach programs that focus on public health education.
• Global medical missions: Participating in medical mission trips abroad offers a unique chance to assist in healthcare delivery in developing countries.
• Nursing home or assisted living volunteering: Volunteering at nursing homes allows students to work with elderly residents, providing companionship and assisting with activities of daily living while also benefiting from increased clinical hours.
• Crisis hotlines or mental health support: Some medical school applicants volunteer for crisis hotlines or mental health support services, offering emotional support and resources to individuals in need.
• Blood drives or donor registries: Volunteering at blood drives or promoting donor registries, such as bone marrow registries, is a way to contribute to life-saving causes.

How To Make the Most Out of Your Volunteering

All volunteer work is important and beneficial to your future education and growth as a person. However, you can maximize the benefits of your clinical hours by taking a strategic and proactive approach:

Choose Meaningful Opportunities

Selecting volunteer opportunities that align with your interests in healthcare can make the experience much more rewarding. Whether you're passionate about pediatrics, geriatrics, or surgical care, finding a setting that sparks your curiosity will enhance your learning. These opportunities provide a hands-on perspective into the specific fields of healthcare that might shape your future career path. Volunteering in areas that resonate with your goals will also keep you more engaged, helping you stay motivated and absorb more from the experience.

When you choose an opportunity that reflects your interests, you're more likely to feel connected to the work and the patients you serve. This connection not only adds personal fulfillment but also prepares you for real-world challenges in healthcare. Meaningful volunteer experiences can strengthen your resume, showcasing your commitment to your chosen field. It's also an excellent way to test different environments, allowing you to refine your focus within healthcare.

Set Goals

Before starting a volunteer position, it's essential to determine what you hope to achieve. Setting clear goals will help you get the most out of your experience. You might want to develop specific skills, such as communication with patients or a deeper understanding of healthcare systems. Perhaps you're interested in improving your ability to work as part of a care team, or you want to gain exposure to patient care settings. Having clear objectives will make it easier to track your progress and measure your success.

Goals also provide a sense of purpose during your volunteer work. Whether you're observing procedures, interacting with patients, or assisting with administrative tasks, knowing what you want to gain will make the experience more impactful. These goals can shape how you approach tasks, interact with healthcare professionals, and reflect on your contributions. Ultimately, setting well-defined goals ensures that you walk away with tangible benefits, whether they are new skills or a stronger understanding of the healthcare field.

Be Consistent and Committed

Consistency is key to building trust and reliability in any volunteer role, particularly in healthcare settings. Committing to a regular schedule demonstrates your dedication and seriousness about contributing to the organization. While short-term volunteer stints can be beneficial, long-term commitments allow for deeper learning, stronger relationships, and a more meaningful impact. Healthcare environments value volunteers who can be relied upon, and staying consistent in your schedule will help you integrate into the team more fully.

A long-term commitment also helps you develop a more comprehensive understanding of the healthcare field. Over time, you'll observe patterns in patient care, build rapport with staff, and gain more responsibility in your role. This will give you a deeper appreciation of the complexities of healthcare systems and the importance of providing continuous care. Showing that you're dependable and committed can also lead to stronger references and potentially open doors to future job opportunities.

Engage Actively

Volunteering in healthcare is not a passive experience, so being proactive is essential. Show curiosity and actively engage with the tasks you're assigned, asking questions when appropriate and seeking ways to be helpful. Take the initiative to learn about various aspects of patient care, the flow of operations, and how healthcare teams collaborate. Demonstrating an eagerness to learn not only improves your experience but also positions you as a valuable member of the team.

Engagement extends beyond completing tasks; it involves immersing yourself in the environment, whether you're interacting with patients, observing procedures, or assisting behind the scenes. A positive attitude and a willingness to go the extra mile will leave a lasting impression on healthcare professionals. By staying engaged, you'll develop a more well-rounded understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the healthcare system.

Build Relationships

One of the most valuable aspects of volunteering is the chance to build relationships with healthcare professionals. Take advantage of doing community service in a healthcare setting by networking and seeking mentorship from more experienced people. Engaging with doctors, nurses, and administrative staff can offer you insight into different career paths, healthcare trends, and the realities of working in the field. These relationships can provide guidance, advice, and even recommendations for future positions or educational opportunities.

In addition to networking, building rapport with your fellow volunteers and patients is equally important. Healthcare is a team-oriented environment, and forming strong relationships with the people around you enhances your communication and collaboration skills. By fostering these connections, you'll not only gain a support system but also leave a lasting impression as someone who values teamwork and professional growth.

Demonstrate Professionalism

Even though you're not getting paid for your volunteer hours, you must act as if this role is your full-time job regarding how you present yourself. Always strive to be punctual and meet your commitments, as this reflects respect for the organization and the people it serves. Maintaining a positive attitude sets you apart as a dedicated individual, even if you're “just” a volunteer. Every shift you take on is a chance to showcase your commitment to healthcare.

By treating your community service role with the same seriousness as you would a paid position, you demonstrate that you can handle responsibility and are prepared to grow in the healthcare field. Professionalism also involves being adaptable and handling sensitive situations with care, showing that you respect the challenges of working in healthcare. These habits will help you build a solid reputation, potentially leading to future career opportunities.

Balancing School and Volunteer Work

Conducting volunteer work requires a conscious effort to manage both aspects without sacrificing the quality of either. To achieve this balance, it's important to recognize that while academics should remain your top priority, volunteering is also crucial in building your practical knowledge and experience. Finding harmony between schoolwork and volunteering involves creating boundaries and being realistic about your capacity to handle both. A clear, well-thought-out plan can help you stay committed to both your studies and volunteer duties without feeling overwhelmed:

Create a Schedule

Creating a schedule is essential for effectively managing both schoolwork and volunteering. Start by mapping out all your academic obligations, including classes, study sessions, and exams, then fit your volunteering hours around those commitments. Use digital tools like calendars or task management apps to stay organized and ensure you're allocating enough time for each area of your life. A structured schedule helps avoid last-minute cramming or rushing and allows you to approach both school and volunteering with full focus. By clearly defining when and where you'll be studying or volunteering, you can achieve a healthy balance.

Prioritize Tasks

Without creating a hierarchy of tasks to accomplish, your days may be more stressful than necessary. Identify the most important and time-sensitive tasks and tackle them first, whether it's preparing for an exam or meeting a volunteer shift obligation. Recognize that priorities will shift depending on deadlines and needs. For instance, during exam periods, you might need to cut back on volunteering, while at other times, you can increase your involvement. Understanding what needs immediate attention and what can wait helps you maintain focus and ensures that you're hitting academic and volunteer expectations without becoming overwhelmed.

Practice Time Management

Break your day into manageable chunks, assigning specific time slots to study, attend classes, volunteer, and have personal downtime. Stick to the time limits you set for yourself to prevent tasks from spilling into each other. By maximizing your efficiency during study time, you can free up more hours to volunteer without feeling like you're falling behind academically. Proper time management helps you stay organized, reduce stress, and maintain high performance in both areas.

Be Flexible and Adaptable

There may be times when a test or school project demands more attention, requiring you to adjust your volunteering hours. Similarly, volunteer opportunities or emergencies may arise that challenge your current routine. Being open to modifying your plans and making last-minute adjustments is essential to stay on top of both responsibilities. Rather than becoming frustrated by changes, view them as opportunities to practice problem-solving and resilience—skills that are valuable not only in school but also in your future medical career.

Take Care of Yourself

Amidst the demands of school and volunteering, it's easy to forget the importance of self-care. To sustain your academic and volunteer commitments, it's crucial to ensure you're getting enough rest, maintaining a healthy diet, and taking time for relaxation and activities you enjoy. Burnout can occur when you overextend yourself without giving your mind and body the chance to recharge. Set aside time for exercise, mindfulness, or even socializing with friends to better prioritize your physical and mental health. By taking care of yourself, you'll have more energy, focus, and motivation to excel in both school and volunteering, while maintaining a healthy life balance.

Start Volunteering Through MCPHS

If you're looking for ways to get volunteer hours, look no further than Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). No matter what campus you're on or how you hope to get involved, there are several options available to you.

Join the student chapter of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, spend time at the Hillsborough Nursing Home, and help at the New Horizon Food Pantry—and that's just on our Manchester campus.

In Worcester, students can get plugged into opportunities at local institutions, including senior centers, homeless shelters, and public schools. On our Boston campus, students can volunteer locally at Boston Children's Hospital or serve at-risk and under-represented communities at the Esther Wilkins Forsyth Dental Hygiene Clinic, among other opportunities.