Is this clinical experience enough

[EdLongshanks]

I have extensive experience in the medical industry - mainly insurance as a software engineer. My first commercial program was a program called "Epic 2000". When I quit that job I was glad to escape that monster. Decades later I went to after I went to work for a company and discovered to my horror that they owned this terrible piece of code and I would have to support it.

But this wasn't clinical experience. In thinking toward my med school app I remember that years ago I worked in a Nursing home. I mainly waxed the floors and carried furniture, but I also volunteered my time singing and playing for the residents and generally being their friend.

My mother had cancer (again, decades ago) and I helped with her hospice care.

I am now about to start some doctor following, 3 hours a week for 3 months.

What else should I do. Are my many years of industry experience with my limited clinical experience going to be enough or should I be seeking much more? For example, I could talk to the people at the homeless shelter where I volunteer about helping in their clinic.

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[apumic]

Since it was pretty limited sounding and so long ago, I'd definitely suggest getting more clinical experience as well as volunteer & research experience. Unfortunately, most of what you mentioned sounded pretty far out to even call clinical experience to be honest. Good luck!

 

[Stratego]

Sorry, but shadowing alone is not sufficient, and the experience with your mom happened too long ago, as did the nursing home activity. If they had a significant impact on you, you could mention these activities in your personal statement, however. You need face to face interactions with sick people in a hospital or clinic to show adcomms that you've tested the vocation and can work with patients. It is best done for 3-4 hours per week for at least a year. The clinic you mentioned sounds ideal.

 

[DrSukhijawitz]

Sorry, but shadowing alone is not sufficient, and the experience with your mom happened too long ago, as did the nursing home activity. If they had a significant impact on you, you could mention these activities in your personal statement, however. You need face to face interactions with sick people in a hospital or clinic to show adcomms that you've tested the vocation and can work with patients. It is best done for 3-4 hours per week for at least a year. The clinic you mentioned sounds ideal.

Is there a web site or a thread somewhere that outlines in more details how to get actual clinical experience as a pre-med?

I chatted with my dad (a gastro) about that and he said that clinical exposure done while in medical school---but he got his degree in the 1970's and works for Kaiser where I guess not too many pre-med people shadow?

 

[GoodmanBrown]

I don't know that there's a list or thread, but you need to be hanging out with actual patients for it to count as clinical experience. Every hospital has some volunteer program, so go to your nearest hospital's website and click your way around to the volunteer section. Fill out the app and go from there. Alternatively, many free clinics or small non-profit health clinics need volunteers. Give that a try as well. The key is that you need to be interacting first-hand with people who are sick.

One final note, you need to be doing this consistently over a long period of time. I'd say aim for at least 100 hours of clinical experience via a volunteer activity. I have about 100 hours volunteering and about 100 shadowing. You just gotta put in that time to show your dedication.

 

[BrainBox]

Hello

I agree. You should really volunteer or shadow an MD. A little bit of both would be good. Hard to say how much is enough. I guess as long as you look like a well rounded applicant, you should be good.