RaeAnna
Where should I look to volunteer to gain good experience for my resume to apply to a Physician Assistant graduate program?
Most graduate schools require the potential student to have observation hours. What is the easiest way to gain those? What are other volunteer jobs that would look good on a resume? How should I contact a potential working PA to ask if I can job shadow them? Is job shadowing enough? So, in the end: where should I be looking, and how do I go about doing so? #doctor #nurse #graduate-school #physicians-assistant #job-application
3 answers
Rahul B
Rahul’s Answer
Start from your own doctor or any pharmacist. Most people want to help - if you reach out to those who are directly associated to the field in whic you want to drive your career.
Thanks, Rahul!
Angelina
Noel Rivers
Noel’s Answer
RaeAnna,
I am not in the medical field, but my mother was a nurse practitioner. You can volunteer at the local first aid squad in your town while you are a teenager. You should also check out the requirements to volunteer with the Red Cross or at your local hospital. No matter what area they allow you to volunteer, if it's at a medical facility it will look amazing on a resume. Also, if you're not already, go get CPR and first aid certified!
I hope this information helps and good luck with your career plans. Becoming a PA is a profitable idea and due to the increasing cost of medical care in this country, there will be more of a demand for PA's and NP's.
Thank you for the answer! I am hoping to become a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant, and both this question and your answer were very helpful to me! I had a follow-up question for you, if you don't mind. I have been volunteering at my local medical campus in Outpatient Registration for the past 6 months. If I am hoping to become a Pediatric NP/PA, will this be enough to make me stand out, or should I focus on trying to find a volunteer area in Pediatrics?
Thanks again!
Angelina
Volunteer experience in the medical field will help you stand out no matter if it's in pediatrics or not. That said, I strongly recommend you volunteer as much as possible. It looks great on a resume and it provides you with skill sets required in the medical field. If you have a free health care clinic near you, reach out to them. My mom opened a free health care clinic in Florida several years ago and they accept volunteers so I'm sure other free clinics do as well. Good luck with your career plans. Becoming a pediatric NP or PA would be an amazing career where you could do a lot of good.
Noel Rivers
Vickey Manning
Vickey’s Answer
Contact the school you are planning to apply to, they should have that kind of information for you. You can also try hospitals, nursing homes, facilities for people with special needs. Good Luck.