Rene_90 Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 hey, Im in grade 12 with almost no volunteer work so im thinking of starting up soon. So my question is were should i volunteer? Im thinking of doing some at the hospital that way in a few years it would be easier to find a Doctor to shadow and such. Also i want to start doing some research, but the problem is im only in grade 12 so its hard to find any one that would be willing to let me in. I don't even care if i would only be cleaning stuff i just want to be around and get a feel for it. So if you guys have any idea's or tips on either of these questions that would be very appreciated. Thanks Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 It's kind of hard to do research with very little science background...even for many first- and second-year university students, lack of knowledge/experience becomes an issue. However, you can always ask your science teachers if they have connections with anyone who might be willing to let you hang around their lab. You can also see if you can devise some sort of independent project where you do a literature review on a specific research topic to get the hang of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 volunteer in whatever interests you. if you dont enjoy yourself chances are that you wont stick with it for long. quality is always better than quantity - so it's better to have a few long term volunteer committments than to have 50 smaller ones just to fill up your resume/application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webshy Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 hey, Im in grade 12 with almost no volunteer work so im thinking of starting up soon. So my question is were should i volunteer? Im thinking of doing some at the hospital that way in a few years it would be easier to find a Doctor to shadow and such. Also i want to start doing some research, but the problem is im only in grade 12 so its hard to find any one that would be willing to let me in. I don't even care if i would only be cleaning stuff i just want to be around and get a feel for it. So if you guys have any idea's or tips on either of these questions that would be very appreciated. Thanks Rene There are definately ways to get involved in research as a high school student. Have you ever entered a science fair? What area are you from? Youth Science Foundation Canada is a national organization that works with regional and provincial associations to operate local and national science fairs. Through YSF Canada, it is very possible to get set up with a mentor. In fact, we have lists of researchers who are looking for students to mentor! This organization targets students in grade 7 through 12 (CEGEP 2 in Quebec). If you don't know your local contact, you can find out at http://www.ysf-fsj.ca. Alternatively, you can contact the national office and they'll be able to hook you up with a mentor. Oh, and as far as what you would be doing if you found a mentor - much more than cleaning things! Some of the work produced by Canadian high school students is rather amazing! Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedPen Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Some of the work produced by Canadian high school students is rather amazing! Elaine I would tend to disagree with that statement. Most high school students barely know what an erlenmeyer flask is. They definitely don't have the skills or knowledge to produce quality research. I'd say they'd be considered more than competent if they managed to follow instructions without destroying anyone else's work on the off chance that someone actually lets them touch their work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I would tend to disagree with that statement. Most high school students barely know what an erlenmeyer flask is. They definitely don't have the skills or knowledge to produce quality research. I'd say they'd be considered more than competent if they managed to follow instructions without destroying anyone else's work on the off chance that someone actually lets them touch their work. LOL, I sense bitterness....bad experience with HS students in your lab? Honestly, though, I waited till I had like 2 years of science under my belt in uni before I even started thinking about research. In fact, the very first question at my research interview for this spring's project was "tell me about your science background." The second was "tell me about your lab experience and the procedures you are familiar with." These 2 are tough to answer if you don't have either (I had, by virtue of having taken like 10 science courses). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webshy Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I would tend to disagree with that statement. Most high school students barely know what an erlenmeyer flask is. They definitely don't have the skills or knowledge to produce quality research. I'd say they'd be considered more than competent if they managed to follow instructions without destroying anyone else's work on the off chance that someone actually lets them touch their work. Respectfully, I disagree. The students who attend the Canada-Wide Science Fair each year do quite interesting and unique research. I am amazed each year at the types of projects that students bring, and the amount of knowledge that they have. These students are those who do a project because they are interested in research. It is (usually) not part of their high school curriculum, but instead something that that they choose to do. For a list of project titles, visit http://www.cwsf2007.ca/CWSF_07_Award_Recipients.pdf. That is a list of last year's award recipients. It will give you an idea of the types of topics that are researched, as well as the extent of prize money available. For instance, the best in the fair won $15,000 cash, plus a number of other awards. Opportunities exist; however, you have to do a little digging to find them. Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinknoodle Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 As has been stated already, volunteer in an area that you are interested in - it will motivate you to keep volunteering. If you are interested in volunteering at a hospital, I have found it to be quite competitive in the fall, especially if the hospital is close to a university. One way to get a head start would be to begin in the summer, when the regular volunteers may choose to go on a hiatus. With that in mind, there are a ton of places to volunteer, if you just look around a bit - I know many people have enjoyed working at Big Brothers & Sisters, or at the nearby long-term care facility, become a camp counsellor at Camp Oochigeas, become a public speaker for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, etc etc etc. Find out what appeals to you in your community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene_90 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 Thanks for all the info every one. Thanks for the research links Elaine they look very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I agree with Elaine, I was quite impressed at the depth of content of some of the research when I volunteered at the YSF event held in Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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