Influence of extensive clinical experience on admissions

[iBro]

Hello!

I'm wondering how much weight extensive clinical experience pulls in the admissions process.

How impressive/unique is above average clinical experience? I will have about 4,000 hours as a nurse aid on an inpatient floor over 4 years. It is my major driving factor towards medicine. Will admissions committees see this is critical as I do, or will it be taken as just meeting the requirements of clinical experience?

Thanks!

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[Boolean]

It'll certainly help, but I do not foresee it making up for any deficits in your application

 

[Shams al Deen]

I had over 1000 hours of clinical experience and my interviewers definitely seemed impressed and asked questions about it.

 

[iBro]

It'll certainly help, but I do not foresee it making up for any deficits in your application

Thanks!

I definitely don't mean that I'm looking for it to make up for red flags. I have a good GPA, research, volunteering, leadership etc. I want to make my clinical experience central to my application, therefore I want to take care not to put too much weight on it if it doesn't come off as that impressive/unique.

 

[Boolean]

Thanks!

I definitely don't mean that I'm looking for it to make up for red flags. I have a good GPA, research, volunteering, leadership etc. I want to make my clinical experience central to my application, therefore I want to take care not to put too much weight on it if it doesn't come off as that impressive/unique.

It comes off as pretty unique, and if you have the rest of the ingredients you need (as you've mentioned), you should be set

 

[Goro]

100% concur.

It'll certainly help, but I do not foresee it making up for any deficits in your application

 

[Catalystik]

It'll certainly help, but I do not foresee it making up for any deficits in your application

I, OTOH, have seen extraordinary experience in this realm compensate for sparser/no experience in other areas. For you to get a bump up, it will depend on what each school is looking for, and how they "score" your application when it's evaluated.

 

[Boolean]

I, OTOH, have seen extraordinary experience in this realm compensate for sparser/no experience in other areas. For you to get a bump up, it will depend on what each school is looking for, and how they "score" your application when it's evaluated.

Can you elaborate on which these other areas may be? Shadowing or clinical volunteering/non-clinical volunteering? Or am I thinking in the wrong direction?

 

[Catalystik]

Can you elaborate on which these other areas may be? Shadowing or clinical volunteering/non-clinical volunteering? Or am I thinking in the wrong direction?

Research (even if absent), shadowing and volunteerism (depending on other factors, like duration and heaviness of work hours).

Clinical volunteering is not necessary when patient experience comes in other ways.

 

[iBro]

Research (even if absent), shadowing and volunteerism (depending on other factors, like duration and heaviness of work hours).

Clinical volunteering is not necessary when patient experience comes in other ways.

Thanks for your input!

Like I said before, I have a well rounded application. Wanted to wanted to clarify was that my experience is truly "above and beyond" the average applicant, meaning it's something I can emphasize heavily and expect good responses.

 

[DokterMom]

Almost any hospital employee could, if given enough time, accumulate an impressive number of hours in the field helping patients. But none of that would answer the question "Is this applicant intelligent enough to succeed in medical school?" or the question "Is this applicant a good person?"

Your application should address those concerns elsewhere --

 

[LizzyM]

Agree with all of the above. You should also spell "aide" correctly on your application; spell check can't help you with this one as Aid and Aide are both words but one is a verb and the other a noun.

 

[iBro]

Agree with all of the above. You should also spell "aide" correctly on your application; spell check can't help you with this one as Aid and Aide are both words but one is a verb and the other a noun.

Gotcha!

On my application though I'll probably use my official title given to me by the hospital.