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Volunteer Experience and Other Opportunities

Medical schools are interested in well rounded, broadly educated students. The classroom is only one component of the educational experience.  A strong community service record and experience in a health-related field are important components of an application to a health professional program. Opportunities can be found through community involvement, medically related activities, undergraduate research, and campus organizations, as well as national and international exchange programs. Find something you like to do, not just something you think will look good to an admission committee.

In addition to health related volunteering, extracurricular activities should demonstrate a commitment to caring, encourage personal growth, leadership and teamwork, and show that you are people centered. Five hundred hours of sustained involvement is generally the accepted minimum, and a significant portion of an applicant's experience should involve direct patient contact. Participating in a formal “internship” is not required.  Medically related experience may be paid as well as volunteer. Seek out opportunities that help you learn more about the medical field. Admission committees want to know that your decision to become a health care professional is well informed and based on actual exposure to the profession.

Health-related experience can be found by volunteering at local hospitals, hospice centers, Aids prevention programs, community health clinics, rehabilitation centers, long term care and skilled nursing homes, etc. Many organizations will expect a set time commitment from the volunteer over a period of months. Although a volunteer, organizations depend on your reliability and commitment to the schedule. Volunteers should expect to attend training sessions and, in most hospitals, will be required to obtain specific immunizations. 

Job shadowing, or volunteering, with an individual practitioner is another means of gaining experience/knowledge. You may want to approach your family practitioner or a doctor who has seen you previously as a patient. The experience may allow more one-on-one in-office exposure. In addition, your family doctor may be willing to recommend you to other colleagues who can offer additional opportunities.

Local Hospitals

Students are usually asked to make a commitment for the semester to volunteer for up to four hours a week.
•    Portsmouth Hospital: 433-4002.
•    Exeter Hospital: 778-7311, ext. 6331.
•    Frisbie Memorial Hospital ( Rochester )

            Volunteer Services Assistant, (603) 332-3100 ext. 8329
            http://www.frisbiehospital.com

York (ME) Hospital: 207-351-2224.

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital ( Dover ): 740-2818.

Wentworth Douglass Hospital Dental Center           http://www.wdhospital.com/about/news/press.php?NewsID=428

 For exposure to  busier and more urban/diverse settings consider the 45 minute drive to Manchester:

Manchester VA Medical Center, Catholic Medical Center, Elliot Hospital or Concord Hospital

Check the yellow pages/or do an on-line search for Clinics, Hospitals, Hospices, Nursing Homes, and Physicians to find other local health-related settings in which to volunteer.

Local Opportunities

Office of Community Service and Learning, Community service at UNH

Student Service Organizations

The Leadership Center

Families First Health and Support Center
: MEDICAL AND DENTAL

Compass Care:
A nonprofit organization with a clear and unwavering focus: to enhance the health and quality of life of seniors

Coalition For New Hamphsire Oral Health Action

New Hampshire Health Care Association

Avis Goodwin Community Health Center

The Homemakers Of Strafford County Aka The Homemakers Health Services

Riverside Rest Home Dover, NH

Jerry Reese, Director Of Volunteers, (603) 742-1348

New Hampshire Health Policy Institute

International Medical Equipment Collaborative - based in Portsmouth, NH

McGregor Memorial EMS (formerly Durham Ambulance Corps) (DAC) 862-3674
A volunteer organization, located on the UNH campus, providing primary emergency medical care to the communities of Durham, Lee, Madbury and UNH. Currently about one third of the 55 volunteers are UNH students. Volunteer opportunities are available for UNH students who have an interest in medicine and either have obtained or are interested in obtaining their EMT certification. DAC provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable field experience and provide actual hands-on medical care.

EMT Certification
Some health professions students gain paid experience by working as a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The UNH Kinesiology Department offers a 5-credit course (KIN 684/685) called Emergency Medical Care: Principles and Practices that prepares students to take the EMT certifying exam. This course is very popular, so students should obtain a permission slip from the Kinesiology Department as soon as registration begins.

Volunteer Action Center, United Way of Greater Seacoast, Portsmouth NH (603) 436- 5554   

Volunteer NH

National Volunteer Opportunities

Americorps

Habitat for Humanity

SERVEnet:

The Corporation for National and Community Service

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps

Volunteer Match

International Volunteer Opportunities

The following organizations provide opportunities for exposure to healthcare in a wide variety of settings. A listing here in no way endorses a program. It is simply a resource for students to explore.

Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS)

Child and Family Health International

Cross Cultural Solutions

Flying Doctors of America

Global Service Corps

Health Career Connection

International Medical Volunteers Association

International Service Learning.

Medical Ministry International

Peace Corps

Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad - Medical and Dental.

Remote Area Medical  U.S. and International

School for International Training

Unite for Sight

USC Somos Hermanos Student Immersion Program

Visions in Action
Institute for International Cooperation and Development

Volunteer International

Summer Courses / Internships

Most summer programs have application deadlines in February and March if not earlier.

Summer Medical Education Program (SMEP) SMDEP is a free (full tuition, housing, and meals) six-week summer medical and dental school preparatory program that offers eligible students intensive and personalized medical and dental school preparation.

 Bellevue Hospital in New York City offers a 10-week summer volunteer program for premed students called Project Health Care. Elissa Moore Research Coordinator bellevueprojecthealthcare@yahoo.com or 212-263-2858.

Department of Emergency Medicine

Bellevue Hospital Center/ NYU School of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Summer PremedicalAcademicEnrichment Program SPAEP Level II is a summer research program that includes admission skills seminars and MCAT prep.  Programs are targeted toward underrepresented and disadvantaged premedical students, and feature clinical shadow time, a great range of enrichment activities, and a bus trip to tour the NIH.  See the red link under the student profile

Univ. of Cincinnati Summer Surgery Experience

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Summer Programs: Click on "Special Programs" or "Prospective Students" and then on "Summer Programs"

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Summer Institute in Anatomy, the Institute will offer a four week Human Anatomy course in June, on the campus of the JHU School of Medicine in Baltimore  

Health Professions Summer Programs Listing from Syracuse University.  Look under "Enhancing Credentials"

Podiatry Internships

The Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine

Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

 Optometry Internships

Univ. of California Berkeley Optometry Opto-Camp

UNH Research Opportunities

Research may be an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of your academic commitment. You may develop your own research project, work as part of an ongoing research project or develop an independent study supervised by a professor.  The value is not solely in the research itself but the quality of your personal involvement. Opportunities are available in all disciplines. Talk with your professors/advisors and investigate UROP and IROP

External Research / Clinical Opportunities:

Most summer programs have application deadlines in February and March if not earlier

Maine Medical Center Research Institute Summer Student Research Program

University of Connecticut Undergraduate Summer Research Internships

Research Associate (RA) in the clinical research program at St. Vincent 's Medical Center Emergency Department  in Bridgeport , Connecticut . Positions are available for the fall, spring and summer semesters.  Summer deadline for receiving application materials is 1 May. Details about the program can be found at www.RAProgram.com.

New York University Medical Center Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)

National Institute of Health Research and Training Opportunities, Lists multiple opportunities for undergrads and grads.

 NIH: Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research

MayoGraduateSchool Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Roswell Park Cancer Institute Summer Program, Buffalo, NY Click on Education, then Summer Programs

 Sloan-Kettering Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Undergraduate Student Scholars Program in the NIH Center for Molecular Studies University of Pennsylvania

Gateways to the Laboratory Summer Program Freshman and sophomore underrepresented minority and/or disadvantaged students experience life as a MD-PhD student. 

PostBaccalaureat Opportunities:

For more information on post-bac programs:

Postbac Programs for Medical School Applicants and search for programs at: http://services.aamc.org/postbac

National Institute of Health Research and Training Opportunities

Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award
For recent college graduates who plan to apply to graduate or professional school.

NIH Graduate Partnerships Program MD/PhD programs