good books and volunteer ideas? (Vancouver)

[Guest jm246]

Hi there,

 

I'm sorry if this question has already been asked...I've tried to search the forums several times and can't seem to get anything.

 

Medicine has interested me for a long time...so I decided to really explore if it's a right fit for me as a career.

 

I've been reading about the profession itself....just read a fantastic book about neurosurgery by Frank Vertosick called "When the Air Hits Your Brain". Any suggestions of other great books about medicine, medical school, etc?

 

I'm also looking for some really challenging volunteer work. Over the years past I've volunteered in a women's shelter, hospital, a detox center, and a crisis phone line. These were all great experiences where I learned alot but I feel like I haven't had much clinical exposure.

 

I'm looking for a chance to really learn and observe (respectfully to patients of course!) while helping out.

 

I'm in Vancouver and was thinking of hospice, or downtown eastside clinic work? Somewhere that really needs volunteers? Does anyone have other suggestions?

 

Thanks alot!

 

Janet

[Guest Ian Wong]

I think you'd probably get the most exposure to different things in a downtown east side clinic. There's one in Vancouver currently operating where many UBC students (med students, nurses, social work, etc) all help out. Unfortunately, I don't think it's open to volunteers from the outside, but maybe you could contact the people who run it, and get some further ideas. The name is CHIUS (Community Health Initiative by UBC Students), and their website is:

 

www.chius.ubc.ca

 

As far as books go, I meant to get around to posting a list of ones that I'd read, and never got around to it. There's one in the Med Student forum called "What your Doctor Really Thinks", and a few others which are a bit more depressing: House of God, Intern X, The Intern Blues, Rotations. You should be able to search for these titles through the web to get their ISBN#'s, and then can go to the library to look them up.

 

Hope this is a start!

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest jm246]

Hi Ian!

 

Thanks alot for the suggestions. That downtown eastside clinic is exactly what I'm looking for - even though they don't take public volunteers...I'm definitely going to get in touch with them for some suggestions.

 

Thanks for the book suggestions as well. I just finished another called "Emergency" - a collection of short interesting stories from many MDs....sorry I read it at the library and can't remember the author.

 

I'm starting two books right now called:

 

Second Opinions - Stories of Intuition and Choice in the Changing World of Medicine by Jerome Groopman MD

 

and

 

Wrong Medicine - Doctors, Patients, and Futile Treatment by Lawrence J. Schneiderman, MD

 

Thanks again for the volunteer recommendation. If anyone else had any thoughts..let me know.

 

Janet:)

[Guest brownie99]

hey there. im also looking for volunteer opportunities in vancouver and i was just wondering if you managed to find anything "good"? (im also not a ubc student so cant join up with CHIUS even though it looks REALLY COOL!)