Hey everyone! I hope you all have had a good spring break, and were able to decompress from midterms. This week, I wanted to briefly touch on the benefits of volunteering, as well as my own experience volunteering at the Capital City Rescue Mission nearby.

As many of you all know, volunteering is something that is highly valued by med schools, and is a core component of thousands of applications every year. But more than that, volunteering is an opportunity to provide for others, whether that be mental, physical, or emotional support. Playing bingo with patients at a rehabilitation center can provide them some comfort as they go through the tough period of recovery from injury or illness. Offering tutoring to elementary-, middle-, or high-schoolers in underserved areas can help them build confidence in their academics and spur them on in an environment without an abundance of resources. Even organizing food drives can support families that are struggling financially by providing them with meals, relieving them of the stress of food insecurity and allowing them to focus on other necessities. By helping other people, not only do you make their day a little bit better, it brings a sense of fulfillment to yourself as well.

My experience volunteering at Capital City Rescue Mission is something that has beem similarly rewarding. The free clinic primarily deals with people who do not have medical insurance or financially, preventing them from accessing healthcare services. We aim to address this by offering primary care to these patients, allowing them to recieve treatment free of charge which can help prevent any future ailments or injuries down the road. As a volunteer, I act as a pharmacy tech: this can involve arranging any medications which have been shipped to us, or prescribing those medications to the patient. I also conduct intake with patients, where I ask them preliminary questions regarding their health and status, and identify their vital signs before they meet with a provider. Volunteering at the clinic has been great for me, and I’ve been able to help so many people, as well as learn more about healthcare in the process.

It’s clear that volunteering is very important for med school. But beyond that, it also serves as a healthy way to network, give back, and improve your own mental health. It’s an opportunity to help change someone’s life for the better while gaining invaluable experience. If you have not started volunteering yet, I encourage you to get involved! There are numerous service opportunities throughout Albany, and many of them are listed on the UAlbany website. If you’re looking for a way to give back while gaining valuable experience, now is the perfect time to start!

In our next blog, we will be interviewing another cardiologist, who will give their own experience as a pre-med student, as well as offer some advice on the journey to med school. Stay tuned!