As a pre-med student myself, I know the importance of having hundreds of volunteer hours under your belt. I also know it can be hard to volunteer during school, and most students get their volunteer hours during the summer. However, with COVID-19 leaving us with nothing but uncertainty, some of these opportunities have been canceled indefinitely. So, what are some ways to get some volunteer experience under your belt during these times? I got you covered with 3 virtual opportunities you can try:
Crisis Text Line Volunteer
As a crisis text line volunteer, you will be devoting 4 hours a week (separated into 2-hour shifts) until you reach 200 hours, so about a year. Your role will be to respond to people using the text line when they reach out for help, and you will always have a supervisor you can ask for help. There is a 30-hour virtual training required as well as a short application to fill out before you begin. This is a great way to refine your listening skills and truly help others in need.
National Eating Disorder Association Chat Volunteer
Volunteering for NEDA’s chat line is much like volunteering for the Crisis Text Line. As a volunteer, you will be helping people learn about treatment options and different eating disorders. Training is 25 hours and is done online. This is a great opportunity to learn about eating disorders and get acquainted with available treatment options.
Upchieve Volunteer
If you have a knack for tutoring others, consider volunteering for “Upchieve”. Upchieve is tailored for college students to tutor low-income high school students in the STEM field or offer college advice. Also, you can set your own schedule and work whenever you’re free.
If you’re still uncertain about how the AAMC would view virtual volunteering on your application, don’t fret, as they will most likely be understanding of the current situation we are all in. Just because a volunteering activity is online doesn’t mean that you didn’t learn something and add value to your undergraduate years.
If virtual volunteering just isn’t something for you, reach out to local nursing homes, schools, or medical facilities that may need your help. And if you know how to sew, use your spare time to make protective personal equipment such as face masks for your local hospital.
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