As a pre-medical student, one aspect that pre-medical advisors encourage students to have on their application is volunteer experience. This includes volunteer experience in a clinical setting but also volunteer experiences in other settings. Volunteer experience is valuable for not only pre-med students but students of all majors.

USG specifically encourages students to engage in volunteer experience in their own local community. The USG Career and Internship services center provides students with volunteer opportunities through career connector.

Register for Career connector at https://shadygrove.umd.edu/campus-services/career-services/usgcareerconnector

Clubs on campus are given the responsibility of engaging in community service as well. Last year, Student Event board engaged in holding a drive on campus to give toiletry items to the homeless (also supported by Student Council and the Muslim Student Association).

Volunteer internships are also an option available that helps students give back to their community as well as develop skills that may be important in obtaining a career later on in life. The career connector website is also great resource for finding these internships!

So why are medical schools interested in students that have volunteer experience? It helps develop leadership skills, skills of interacting with different populations, communication skills, and the list goes on. All these skills are vital in order to become a physician and for a range of other professions as well! Volunteering is not just great for potential employers and graduate school admissions though. It gives you a chance to give back. It also allows you to meet people that could potentially be your friends for life.

If you are looking for potential volunteer experiences in the Montgomery county area, also try looking through the Montgomery County Volunteer Center’s website at http://www.montgomeryserves.org/