Pre-Med Volunteer Opportunities: Why Should Pre-Med Students Volunteer?
Hopefully, because you honestly care about improving others’ quality of life. In order to be a successful applicant to health professional schools and programs, you should demonstrate a commitment to helping others. Admissions committees for all health professional schools want to see that you have persisted in giving time despite your rigorous course load. In addition, medical school admissions committees look for clinical experience: Have you interacted with patients? Do you know what it’s really like to be a doctor?
Try to find a volunteer placement that is as closely related to the profession you have chosen to pursue as possible, and that will give you the best access to observing trained professionals in action, as well as the individuals the organization serves. Start volunteering early and stick with it. Although it is (almost) never too late to get the volunteer experience you need for your application, you want to document sincere dedication by volunteering over a substantial period of time.
Read these guidelines to get the most out of your "shadowing" experience.
Community Service Opportunities
The Morgridge Center for Public Service promotes, organizes and supports a variety of public service and service-learning opportunities for members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison community.
The Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Madison Area serves homeless families by mobilizing religious communities to provide shelter and meals, by working with families to overcome barriers to self-sufficiency, and by raising awareness of social justice issues.
Avodah - The Jewish Service Corps engages young people in year-long work with anti-poverty organizations in Chicago, New Orleans, New York, and Washington, DC.
MATCH Corps is an urban education service year program at the MATCH High and Middle Schools, both open-admission Charter Public Schools in Boston, MA.
City Year Corps brings together young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service as tutors, mentors and role models, making a difference in the lives of children, and transform schools and neighborhoods in 18 U.S. locations and Johannesburg, South Africa.
teachNola seeks recent graduates to teach in the public schools in New Orleans and help transform one of the nation’s lowest performing school systems.
Clinical Volunteering in the Madison Area
Access Community Health Centers
South Side Clinic William J. Evjue Clinic
2202 S. Park St. 3434 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53713 Madison, WI 53704
Meriter Hospital
Hospital Volunteer Information Retirement Community Volunteer Services
Volunteer Services, 2 Tower 344 W. Doty St.
202 S. Park Street plabadie@meriter.com
Madison, WI 53715
volunteer@meriter.com
St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center
707 South Mills Street
Madison, WI 53715
UW Hospital and Clinics
UW Children's Hospital
600 Highland Ave
Madison, WI 53792
volunteer.services@uwhealth.org
Ronald McDonald House
2716 Marshall Court
Madison, WI 53705
Neighborhood Asthma Clinic
4633D Verona Road (in Madison Plaza)Madison, WI 53711
(608) 446-3344
HospiceCare Inc. provides support to patients with life-limiting illnesses, and their families, to enhance the quality of life at the end of lives. To volunteer, contact Shawnee Parsil at (608) 327-7105, or via email, with your mailing address. Or, download an application.
International Volunteer Opportunities
Many pre-med students are interested in global health. To find out more about international volunteering, see the December 2006 Issue of the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics and this article from the December 2007 Issue of The New Physician.
Child Family Health International offers programs in Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mexico, and South Africa for students who would like to do service work abroad and who are interested in global health issues.
Global Medical Training offers opportunities to work with diverse populations in Central America.