Volunteering.....how much?

[Philippa*]

Hi everyone,

I'm a little bit worried about my lack of volunteer work. I joined the Red Cross in June and should have finished my training to do event first aid by the end of October, so will have done several events hopefully by the time it gets round to interviews, assuming I get 1!!
However I'm concerned that this won't be sufficient - I see people on here with months of various things - hospices, hospitals, care work etc which is so much more than I do.
Will it go against me if I just have my Red Cross work? Should I try to do something else? Anyone able to offer any pearls of wisdom?

Thanks

[sjk]

Why don't you see if you can get some voluntary work done at a hospice? The only problem now is time, and you may find that your Application to Appointment time will be quite long due to CRB checks that need to be obtained.

The Red Cross is a good start, but what you've got to remember is giving someone first aid compared to caring for a terminally ill patient is a lot different type of medicine and requires different skills. The more you do, the more confident you will be at the interview stage.

[Philippa*]

I have a CRB from the Red Cross that is only a week old so could use that. I've found it difficult getting to help in places because I'm not a school student - bizarre as it may seem!
The real question is though, if I can't get this, will it go against me?

[ghettofabulous]

Hey Philippa, at the moment CRB checks aren't transferable i.e. you need one from every institution that requires one. Irritating I know but they're working on centralising it soon thankfully.

[terrified_tony]

I am also worried regarding the amount of time i have given but given my current feelings about this friday's gamsat i will certainly have a year to extend my list.

I agree with the above, the experiences will most likely be of the same nature, this isn't a bad thing but given the variation enountered by the profession, they might wish to see that you have some experiences from different settings. I have just started one day a week at my local hosp (who are bloody nice people) and the actual experience is in the freedom to talk to patients, i don't actually do anything but make tea but the insight gained is amazing!

Regarding the CRB... I applied for two on the 4th of august, and i haven't heard a peep! But i do remember when job hunting that there are some places that might take an existing CRB, i believe the practice is called "porting" (Portability)
I know my local health authority insists on doing its own checks and so won't accept ported forms but it might be worth checking with other organisations. (I did hear a rumor that it is hard to get into the umbrella organisation that arranges the checks, so i guess smaller organisations might be more likely to accept ported forms, I expect there is nothing stopping you contacting a local community centre and offering to help out or offering some home help?!? maybe seek some guidance?!?)

On a kind of related theme, when you do start try to keep a diary, not to count the time but useful to write feelings and thoughts down!

One last thing...
They have mentioned many times that they were going to use a central store for CRB checks to save this repeated request but it was meant to be happening this month, but it has been put back. I have been told that the new scheme will be optional and the local hospital has said they will still insist on their own check, so i fear it will save nothing!

[BGG]

My tuppence worth is that it depends a bit on a few things:

- How well you can write about/talk about your experience (even if it is quite limited)
- What other competing demands you have - for example if you have a demanding long hours job a relative lack of work experience will probably be viewed more positively (and may also give you relevant experience to draw on)
- Where you apply to

For what its worth though I think many people on here have done far more than is actually necessary to get in to (grad) med school - though doing it obviously has benefits beyond simply getting offers.

[sjk]

You shouldn't find it too difficult becoming a volunteer at a hospice, they bend over backwards to employ people who can do anything they can for free!

[emmabelle]

If you want a wider range of work experience it might be worth asking if your Red Cross branch or one nearby do anything else you could help out with. I also volunteer with them, and know that in the region I'm in they do lots of other care orientated stuff- medical loans, carer support, refugee support, etc. Lots of first aiders seem to get involved with these other things, and as you're working within the same organisation you shouldn't need another CRB.

I'd also second everything BGG has said above- especially the bit about how you write about your experiences. I'm sure that at more than one open day an admissions tutor said they wanted to know, "what you've learnt, not what you've done", from your work experience.

[Philippa*]

Thanks guys. I think I will try and find something else to do but I do have a full-time job and with it being in scientific research, the hours aren't necessarily totally regular.