Name: 當醫學預科志工是在浪費時間嗎？| 課外活動全解析！ (Is Volunteering as a Premed a Waste of Time? | Extracurriculars Explained)
Uploaded: 2025-11-10T18:13:46.000Z
Duration: 9 min 28 s

It's one thing to say you want to become a doctor in order to help people, but

說你想當醫生是為了幫助別人是一回事，

情態副詞

Dr. Jubbal medschoolinsiders.com While the pay is good, eventually being a doctor is an inherently altruistic vocation.

Jubbal 醫師 medschoolinsiders.com 雖然薪水不錯，但最終成為一名醫生本質上就是一種利他的職業。

Volunteering your time and energy to a worthy cause shows admissions committees you're serious about improving the lives of others, which is why extracurricular volunteering is an essential piece of your application.

投入你的時間和精力去做有意義的事情，能讓招生委員會知道你是真心想改善他人生活，這也是為什麼課外志工服務是你申請中不可或缺的一環。

This video is part of our Extracurriculars Explained series, where we take a deep dive into extracurriculars to help you decide which ones are right for you.

這支影片是我們「課外活動解析」系列的一部分，在這個系列中，我們會深入探討各種課外活動，幫助你決定哪些活動最適合你。

Let us know what you'd like us to cover next in the comments.

告訴我們你希望我們接下來介紹什麼內容。

First, let's discuss how to find volunteer work and what to look for since there are so many volunteering opportunities to choose from.

首先，我們來談談如何尋找志工工作，以及在眾多志工機會中該如何選擇。

The difficult part isn't finding a position, it's finding the ones that are truly meaningful to you.

困難的不是找到職位，而是找到那些對你來說真正有意義的。

Unlike research experience and clinical exposure, where you're limited to what your school has available, you'll have more than enough volunteering opportunities to choose from.

和研究經驗、臨床實習經驗不同，後者你只能侷限於學校提供的資源，但志工機會卻多到你選擇不完。

The main avenues for finding volunteer opportunities asking fellow classmates and upper year students about their volunteer experiences, asking your program advisors and pre med clubs for recommendations, and

尋找志工機會的主要管道包括詢問同學和高年級學生他們的志工經驗、請你的課程顧問和醫預社團推薦，以及

going to local clinics and hospitals to ask if they need help.

直接去當地的診所和醫院詢問是否需要幫忙。

once you figure out what you like, commit to a couple and discard the rest.

一旦你找到喜歡的，就專注在其中一兩個，然後捨棄其他的。

You only have so much time for unpaid experiences, so choose meaningful opportunities that will augment your clinical exposure and application narrative.

你的時間有限，只能做無薪實習經驗，所以要選擇有意義的機會，來豐富你的臨床實習經驗和申請敘事。

Limit the trial and error by speaking with your advisors as well as senior students.

透過和你的課程顧問及高年級學生聊聊，可以減少試誤的過程。

Ask about the student experience, the environment, and the people you'll be working with.

詢問他們學生的經驗、工作環境，以及你會一起共事的人。

For example, stocking the shelves at a hospital every week may feel unfulfilling.

舉例來說，每週去醫院補貨可能讓你覺得沒什麼成就感。

However, it could open the door to being a care coordinator at a free clinic, helping care for people who don't have health insurance.

但這可能會讓你更有機會成為免費診所的照護協調員，協助照顧沒有健康保險的人。

This will immerse you in the clinical environment, allowing you to work alongside residents, nurses and doctors.

這會讓你深入臨床環境，有機會和住院醫師、護理師及醫師一起工作。

Keep in mind that some medical schools will ask how you specifically plan to help underserved populations in your career.

請記得，有些醫學院會詢問你具體打算如何在職涯中幫助服務不足的族群。

You may not be paid in a monetary sense, but the experience you gain is invaluable.

你可能沒有金錢上的報酬，但你獲得的經驗是無價的。

First, and most importantly, volunteering can help you establish the overall narrative of your application.

首先，也是最重要的一點，志工服務能幫助你建立申請的整體敘事。

What's the story you want to convey to admissions committees?

你想向招生委員會傳達什麼樣的故事？

For example, let's say you want to show admissions committees you care deeply about helping the less fortunate.

舉例來說，假設你想讓招生委員會知道你非常關心幫助弱勢族群。

You are currently working as an EMT and often work with the homeless.

你目前是一名緊急救護技術員 (EMT)，經常與無家可歸者一起工作。

Regularly volunteering at a soup kitchen is an excellent complement to working as an emt as it supports your narrative that you want to help the less fortunate and shows your commitment to the population you want to serve.

定期在湯食供應處做志工，能極好地補充你身為 EMT 的工作，這能支持你幫助弱勢族群的敘事，並展現你對你想服務族群的承諾。

Second, volunteering opens the doors to meeting people who share your values as well as experiences you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else.

其次，志工服務能讓你認識到與你價值觀相同的人，也能獲得你在其他地方找不到的經驗。

If you're volunteering in a hospital or clinic, you'll get to work with medical students, residents, nurses, pharmacists and doctors.

如果你在醫院或診所做志工，你將有機會與醫學院學生、住院醫師、護理師、藥師和醫師一起工作。

You'll get to see how a hospital operates and pick the brains of people a few years further than you in their own medical journey.

你將能看到醫院的運作方式，並向那些在醫學旅程上比你早幾年的人請教。

When I was volunteering at my university hospital, I was able to hit three birds with one stone.

當我在大學醫院做志工時，我能夠一舉三得。

I was volunteering, doing clinical research, and interacting with patients.

我當時一邊做志工，一邊進行臨床研究，同時也與病患互動。

By combining these three different experiences into one, my volunteering time became that much more valuable.

透過將這三種不同的經驗結合在一起，我的志工時間變得更有價值。

It was through this experience experience that I got exposed to neurology and neurosurgery, which helped solidify my interest in neuroscience.

正是透過這段經驗，我接觸到了神經學和神經外科，這有助於我確立對神經科學的興趣。

I got to explore that curiosity and see what it was actually like to work as a practicing physician.

我得以探索我的好奇心，並親身體驗實際擔任執業醫師的感覺。

I wasn't just shadowing doctors, I was enrolling patients in a clinical study.

我不是單純地跟著醫師，而是招募病患參與臨床研究。

Alongside them, I was even able to observe some procedures.

在他們身邊，我甚至能觀察到一些手術過程。

This type of real world experience is much harder to find outside of volunteering.

這種真實世界的經驗，在志工服務之外是很難找到的。

Third, volunteering gives you the opportunity to stand out.

第三，志工服務能讓你脫穎而出。

It's easy to separate yourself from the competition through volunteering, since many people don't take it as seriously without the paycheck.

透過志工服務，你很容易就能在眾多競爭者中脫穎而出，因為很多人沒有薪水就不會那麼認真看待。

It's common for students to slack off, show up late, or put other commitments first.

學生們常常會鬆懈、遲到，或是將其他事務擺在前面。

They do it to check a box, not because they're passionate for and invested in the work.

他們只是為了打勾，而不是因為對工作充滿熱情和投入。

The more you put into volunteering, the more you get out.

志工服務投入越多，收穫就越多。

Impress your supervisors enough and they'll remember you down the road.

如果你讓你的主管印象深刻，他們日後就會記住你。

By putting in the work, you can get noticed and secure a strong letter of recommendation.

透過付出努力，你就能被注意到，並獲得一份強而有力的推薦信。

Volunteering allows the people you're working with to get to know you, your enthusiasm and your work ethic.

志工服務能讓和你一起工作的人認識你、你的熱情和你的工作態度。

Next, unlike more competitive extracurriculars like research, there's no shortage of volunteer opportunities.

接著，不像研究這種競爭更激烈的課外活動，志工機會多到數不清。

You'll find a wide variety of options, and

你會找到各式各樣的選擇，而且

since you're donating your time, there usually aren't many hoops to jump through to gain a position.

因為你是捐出時間，通常不需要經過太多關卡就能獲得職位。

if you find something you enjoy, you can work your way up from there, potentially even securing a leadership role.

如果你找到喜歡的事，你就能從那裡往上爬，甚至可能爭取到領導職位。

Speaking of negatives, let's discuss the drawbacks of volunteering.

說到缺點，我們來聊聊志工服務的不好之處。

First off, volunteering is not a paid position.

首先，志工服務不是有薪職位。

You are donating your time and energy to a worthy cause.

你是在為一個有意義的事業奉獻你的時間和精力。

As a pre med, you have very little time or money to donate.

身為醫預生，你根本沒什麼時間或金錢可以奉獻。

Not only are you not getting paid for your time, but

你不僅沒有為你的時間賺到錢，

you're also missing out on other opportunities that do pay.

還錯失了其他可以賺錢的機會。

Not making money for the hours upon hours you'll spend volunteering is a definite drawback, but

花費數小時的志工服務卻賺不到錢，這確實是個缺點，但

the beauty of volunteer work is that you're often getting a better experience where you have more opportunities to excel.

志工服務的美妙之處在於，你常常能獲得更好的經驗，有更多機會表現出色。

This is the trade off and the balancing act pre meds must manage.

這就是醫預生必須面對的取捨和平衡。

Another downside is that you may not feel as appreciated as you would in other paid positions.

另一個缺點是，你可能不像在其他有薪職位那樣感到被重視。

You're often doing the grunt work as a volunteer.

身為志工，你常常在做吃力不討好的工作。

You might go many days without hearing words of appreciation or affirmation from the people or community you're working with.

你可能會好幾天都聽不到你服務的對象或社區給予讚美或肯定。

This can sink your self esteem and enthusiasm.

這會讓你身心俱疲，壓力沉重。

You may also not see the impact of your work as certain volunteering experiences won't feel as rewarding as others.

你也可能看不到你工作的影響力，因為有些志工經驗不會像其他經驗那樣讓你覺得有成就感。

If you cannot see how your commitment is helping, your interest and motivation may wane.

如果你看不見你的付出如何有所幫助，你的興趣和動力可能會減退。

Volunteering is a huge opportunity for pre meds.

志工服務對醫預生來說是個絕佳的機會。

It is critical that you don't look at volunteering as a box to check off, but

關鍵是，你不能把志工服務當成一個要打勾的項目，

rather as a chance to network and expand your skills and build upon your application narrative.

而是把它當成一個拓展人脈、精進技能並豐富你申請敘事的機會。

Let's go over four tips for getting the most out of volunteering.

接下來，我們要來分享四個讓志工服務更有價值的祕訣。

Although there are countless opportunities to volunteer, you can't do everything.

雖然有數不清的志工機會，但你不可能全部都做。

Picking one or two opportunities and committing to them fully both gives you a richer experience and looks much better on your application.

選擇一兩個機會並全心投入，不僅能讓你獲得更豐富的體驗，在申請時也會更亮眼。

When you are helping those in need, it can be tough to say no because you want to help.

當你在幫助有需要的人時，因為你很想幫忙，所以很難拒絕。

But taking on more than you can handle hinders your schooling, application, mental and physical wellness, and

但如果你承擔的責任超過負荷，會影響你的課業、申請、身心健康，以及

ability to give your all to your volunteer work.

Second, treat volunteering experiences like a job.

其次，把志工經驗當成一份工作來對待。

Not being paid for your volunteering position doesn't make it any less important than your other commitments.

即使你的志工職位是無薪的，這也不代表它比你其他的承諾來得不重要。

You must take volunteering seriously as people are depending on you.

你必須認真看待志工服務，因為有人在依賴你。

Plus, it's your own integrity and possible letters of recommendation on the line.

而且，這也關係到你個人的誠信和可能獲得的推薦信。

Volunteering organizations are often understaffed.

If you notice gaps in how things are run, see if there's an opportunity for you to take on more ownership and responsibility.

如果你發現運作上有任何不足之處，看看是否有機會讓你承擔更多責任。

Admissions committees love to see students take on leadership roles.

招生委員會喜歡看到學生擔任領導角色。

It shows initiative and demonstrates the kind of skills it takes to become a successful doctor.

這展現了你的積極主動，並證明瞭成為一名成功醫師所需的技能。

Third, show up with passion and enthusiasm.

Be someone other people want to be around.

Medicine is a team sport and volunteering is a great opportunity to hone your social skills and work with the public.

醫學是一項團隊運動，而志工服務是磨練社交技巧和與大眾互動的好機會。

The more energy, enthusiasm, proactiveness and professionalism you bring to volunteering, the more you will be noticed by your supervisors.

你投入志工服務的能量、熱情、主動性和專業度越高，你的主管就越會注意到你。

They will likely aim to return the favor by offering to teach you a new skill or writing you a strong letter of recommendation.

他們很可能會回報你，主動教你新技能或寫一封有力的推薦信給你。

Lastly, treat everyone with empathy and remember your job is to help, not judge.

最後，請帶著同理心對待每一個人，記住你的工作是幫助，不是評判。

The population you're serving may not be particularly grateful for you and the people you work with may be stressed or overextended.

你所服務的對象可能不會特別感激你，而你共事的夥伴也可能壓力很大或分身乏術。

All connections and relationships are important.

You never know who you will meet and you never know who will see you on a bad day.

你永遠不知道會遇到誰，也不知道誰會在你不順遂的時候看到你。

Lead with empathy when dealing with each person you interact with.

在與你互動的每一個人打交道時，都要以同理心為先。

It won't always be easy and people will try your patience.

這不會總是那麼容易，而且人們會考驗你的耐心。

But but dealing with difficult people in a calm and empathetic way is an invaluable experience to take with you into medical school and beyond.

但以冷靜且富有同理心的方式應對難搞的人，是你能帶進醫學院及未來生涯的寶貴經驗。