Favourite Hosipital Volunteer Experience

[nonzerosum]

Out of all the hospitals that you've volunteered at which is your favorite?

Can anyone recommend a good one in Toronto where I could get a great reference letter?

 

The problem is I am currently doing volunteer work at Sunnybrook (few hundred hours) but my placement is quite boring (basically organizing stuff, not much exposure to patients or doctors) so I doubt that they would be able to write me a good reference letter.

 

Also, has anyone received transportation reimbursements (like they'll give u ttc tickets for each time you volunteer?) because I heard of some ppl who got them but others who didn't?

 

Thanks

[deeman101]

TGH is your best bet. I'm in TWH, and the only reason I'm still there is because I'm in a volunteer team-leader position (which is bull, I'm planning to quit it soon ). Otherwise I'd jump ship to TGH.

 

On the other hand, if (like me) you need very flexible hours then TWH is ideal.

 

 

UHN has no reimbursing program for transport. Although that is something I wanted to bring up with volunteer resources, I'm sure it'll be shot down. I think its kinda bull because I checked out the volunteering program at a US hospital and they offer their volunteers a parking pass or a bus pass. FREE!

[iwh333]

here at VGH in vancity, we get reimbursed for parking ticket!

[Microbiodude]

I was at Credit Valley for a number of years and of all my placements the Pediatrics garden was the best for me. Lots of hard labour, but watching the kids play after was definitely worth every ounce of sweat and blood. I also worked with an old couple who had been maintaining the garden for over 10 years. They were very appreciative of my willingness to return every summer and help out and they were a joy to work with, always lots of stories to share.

[bj89]

TGH is your best bet. I'm in TWH, and the only reason I'm still there is because I'm in a volunteer team-leader position (which is bull, I'm planning to quit it soon ). Otherwise I'd jump ship to TGH.

 

On the other hand, if (like me) you need very flexible hours then TWH is ideal.

 

 

UHN has no reimbursing program for transport. Although that is something I wanted to bring up with volunteer resources, I'm sure it'll be shot down. I think its kinda bull because I checked out the volunteering program at a US hospital and they offer their volunteers a parking pass or a bus pass. FREE!

 

hospitals in windsor give free parking passes for volunteers

[leviathan]

Hospital volunteering is lame...honestly, 99.9% of the positions are there to exploit premeds into doing things that the hospital should be paying others to do. That said, I used to volunteer at the hospital in an ER, and I actually did really enjoy it. It was my only exposure to patient care in the hospital that I could get, and I liked seeing all the people come in and be able to do at least *something* for them, even if it was just something simple ike grabbing some ice for their broken bone. Of course when I became a paramedic, it quickly lost its appeal. I remember bringing a stabbing victim into the same ER, and there was a volunteer there about my age just staring at my partner and I all wide-eyed in surprise/excitement, or disgust, I'm not sure what.

 

The important part is finding a position where you can actually do something meaningful, where you are actually making a difference, even just a small one. Organizing paperwork, working in the gift shop, or pushing a cart around don't really seem to fit that criteria. I think they help the hospital, but not the patients.

[cateyes0223]

I volunteered at a hospital for a few years, and honestly, I mostly hated it. It was usually quite boring, and mundane work when there was any to actually be done. Most of the time it just involved doing nothing much of importance. Even when I was responsible for keeping the patients company, it was hard to find anyone who wanted to chat.

 

I had two much better volunteer experiences that offered a lot of experience in health care settings and were MUCH more enjoyable:

 

1) Volunteering at the local cancer care centre

- It was very hands on, especially when I got to work in the chemotherapy room and assist the nurses, and it kept me a lot busier

 

2) Volunteering with a therapy dog program

- Basically taking the dogs to visit various health care facilities, thereby being exposed to everything from the Psychiatric ward to Physiotherapy rooms to Women's abuse shelters, and people are actually much more interested in talking to you, and I found I got to learn a lot more about the different areas of medicine that way than doing the same thing over and over

 

Just wanted to throw it out there that volunteering at a hospital isn't the ONLY way to get exposure to the healthcare field, and sometimes isn't even all it's cracked up to be (and I was accepted by 4 med schools without having done any hospital volunteering, as the hospital volunteering I'd done was in high school so I didn't bother including it on my application).

[nonzerosum]

Thanks for all the replies

 

TGH is your best bet. I'm in TWH, and the only reason I'm still there is because I'm in a volunteer team-leader position (which is bull, I'm planning to quit it soon ). Otherwise I'd jump ship to TGH.

 

On the other hand, if (like me) you need very flexible hours then TWH is ideal.

 

Why is TGH so good? What wrong with TWH?

 

I know right now is very late to try to get some exposure to health care for this summer but does anyone know of anywhere I can still possibly get some good experience for this summer?

 

Thanks

[Microbiodude]

What cities are you looking at? I think the Halton Region Hospital are underserved and could use more volunteers, and they have some pretty good placements. I personally also enjoyed Day Surgery where you just chat with patients and bring them juice, etc. Palliative Care can be nice, though a bit depressing at times. ER...was mostly paperwork when I was there.

[WaveSense]

If you go into a volunteer position with that goal you'll probably end up with a pretty crappy experience no matter where you go.

 

Out of all the hospitals that you've volunteered at which is your favorite?

Can anyone recommend a good one in Toronto where I could get a great reference letter?

 

The problem is I am currently doing volunteer work at Sunnybrook (few hundred hours) but my placement is quite boring (basically organizing stuff, not much exposure to patients or doctors) so I doubt that they would be able to write me a good reference letter.

 

Also, has anyone received transportation reimbursements (like they'll give u ttc tickets for each time you volunteer?) because I heard of some ppl who got them but others who didn't?

 

 

Thanks

[nonzerosum]

If you go into a volunteer position with that goal you'll probably end up with a pretty crappy experience no matter where you go.

 

Your reasoning makes no sense. From what you're saying, I should be glad that I am sorting stuff and having NO interaction with patients or doctors. Is that how I should be getting exposure to health care careers? Sorry WaveSense but you clearly don't have much insight.

 

I don't know about you but usually good experience in a hospital leads to a good reference letter. I highly doubt that my current volunteer coordinator can write me a meaningful reference letter about how well I keep things organized...

 

What cities are you looking at?

 

I forgot to mention earlier, it's Toronto. Sorry.

[Toodlee]

Do you know have regular contact with your volunteer coordinator. Maybe you can express how you would like to gain some experience interacting with patients and staff. Volunteering in a hospital can give you a great understanding of the application of Canada's healthcare policy. Long lines, different demographics of patients accessing care etc.

 

Its a volunteer experience at the end of the day, you are giving your time to help, so I can't see why someone would not be responsive to making your time worthwhile as well.

[future_doc]

I volunteered once at a teaching hospital in Montreal and my job description sounded great. All I did was move TVs into and out of patient rooms. So, I did the right thing and quit. I found other amazing replacements. Think outside the box, you don't need to be in a hospital, rather be of compassionate and meaningful service to others. Isn't there a Hellen Keller House in TO., or work with a food shelter, or helping disabled or disadvantaged into transition for independent living. There must be an Association for the Blind or a Meals on Wheels providing subsidized food for the elderly unable to cook their own food. Good luck.

[deeman101]

I cannot go into specifics about TWH's flaws without jeopardizing my position, in case someone reads this board .

 

TGH gets more extreme cases that are IMO more fun. Plus from what the volunteers at the TGH ICU told me, it sounds like they have more opportunities to do meaningful things over there. Only catch is you need to be able to volunteer during regular 9-5 working hours.

[silvrsleuth]

i worked (and volunteered) at community health centres since high school, and i often gave guest lectures at the u of o medical school... i was always a little surprized by how few of them had ever volunteered in a chc, especially when you can get some amazing experiences there that hospital red tape would never let you have.

 

example: counselling clients taking HIV tests; contraceptive and pregnancy counselling; designing information packages on breast cancer. the smaller the agency, the more work you can be doing directly with people, even in a volunteer capacity. plus, if you go to a chc with a clinic, you still get to interact with doctors and nurses, but regardless, you have the added benefits of (a) giving back to your community (and showing the adcom that you give back to your community); (2) learning that doctors don't work in silos, and there is a whole health care team out there (and showing the adcom that you understand this); and (3) developing some decent people skills, including how to get people to trust you with personal information in a short period of time... a skill doctors definitely need, but it certainly wouldn't hurt for your admission interview!

 

seriously, consider the poor CHC's out there just trying to help their communities!! hospitals are important, and you should go there, but it's REALLY unlikely that you're going to stand out there, volunteer-wise. finally, CHC's give great references, if you aren't a total d*uche. AND you may get job out of it (i did!).

[Jochi1543]

i worked (and volunteered) at community health centres since high school, and i often gave guest lectures at the u of o medical school... i was always a little surprized by how few of them had ever volunteered in a chc, especially when you can get some amazing experiences there that hospital red tape would never let you have.

 

example: counselling clients taking HIV tests; contraceptive and pregnancy counselling; designing information packages on breast cancer. the smaller the agency, the more work you can be doing directly with people, even in a volunteer capacity. plus, if you go to a chc with a clinic, you still get to interact with doctors and nurses, but regardless, you have the added benefits of (a) giving back to your community (and showing the adcom that you give back to your community); (2) learning that doctors don't work in silos, and there is a whole health care team out there (and showing the adcom that you understand this); and (3) developing some decent people skills, including how to get people to trust you with personal information in a short period of time... a skill doctors definitely need, but it certainly wouldn't hurt for your admission interview!

 

seriously, consider the poor CHC's out there just trying to help their communities!! hospitals are important, and you should go there, but it's REALLY unlikely that you're going to stand out there, volunteer-wise. finally, CHC's give great references, if you aren't a total d*uche. AND you may get job out of it (i did!).

 

QFT. I volunteered at a community health clinic for 3 years (reproductive health/family planning), and it was a WAY richer volunteering experience than the hospital. The hospital's only bonus was that I got to observe surgeries.

[nonzerosum]

Thanks for the replies,

 

I'll definitely look into CHCs. Does anyone have a specific one in Toronto in mind? because I am not really sure where to start looking.

 

Thanks

[silvrsleuth]

in toronto, there are dozens and dozens of amazing places, depending on what health subjects interest you, and/or the populations you want to work with, and/or where you live in toronto, and/or whether you want it to have a medical clinic attached.

 

some amazing ones off the top of my head: access alliance; women's health in women's hands; 519 community centre; sherbourne HC; parkdale CHC, planned parenthood toronto; hassle free clinic; SHOUT; regent park CHC; Anishnawbe; Flemingdon HC; St Michael's Hospital Health Centre at 410; Anne Johnston Health Station... these are bigger ones, but there are so many more. there are also places like kids help phone, and other mental health crisis lines, or sexual assault lines.

[JeraJaclyn]

I have never volunteered in an acute care setting, but I found long-term care to be very valuable. I learned so much about human dignity by working with chronically ill patients in a long-term care facility in Kingston. I volunteered in a nursing home in my town and that was very eye-opening as well.

[iwh333]

volunteering in the ED in a teaching hospital... first shift saw real life CPR amongst a few other things. was really interesting.