My clinical experience: sufficient?

[qtpai]

I have probably over 400 or so hours of clinical experience. However, it is entirely in a psychiatric hospital. I haven't seen too much blood or anything like that; I've just seen and talked to a lot of patients, sometimes engaging in discussions that are incoherent, sometimes trying to reconcile my own religious views with someone claiming to be my deity, sometimes observing half a dozen grown men hauling ass through unlocked doors chased by floor techs, and so on. Do you think that medical schools would consider this sufficient volunteer experience for medical school, or do they want something more traditionally biomedically oriented?

I have a heavy volunteer commitment here, and I am also simultaneously conducting ethnographic research. So suffice to say, I am heavily invested in this volunteer arrangement, and I don't think I can feasibly schedule other volunteer duties with something more traditionally biomedically oriented considering that I consider myself quite overloaded already (I've been taking 20+ hours a semester for quite a while and will continue this trend next semester--trying to finish up a cultural anthropology/neurobiology double major, heavy research and finishing my thesis, increasing Spanish fluency, etc.).

I am currently applying this cycle. While I was only complete about a month ago at most of the places I applied to--many of these places being notorious for taking their time--and I haven't quite yet finished my final secondaries (intend on getting Pitt and Duke through the door a couple days before their respective deadlines), I also still haven't received any interviews. Do you think this has this hurt my application?

I guess I will probably end up shadowing in a more traditional environment or something if this cycle falls through.

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[brianmartin]

You sir, are a gunner!

 

[qtpai]

Just trying to cover all the bases. I only really did the psychiatric hospital stuff because I liked doing it, that's why I don't have any other shadowing. I am just wondering if this lack of traditional volunteering hurts me.

 

[brianmartin]

I'm just kidding around Your experience sounds extensive and interesting and I doubt anything will "hurt" you provided you have good gpa and MCAT. Maybe some shadowing would help, if you haven't done any. Good luck!

 

[154241]

it sounds great to me... my view was always that the important thing to get from clinical experience is knowing you'll be able to deal with distressed patients and understanding the life of a doctor. it sounds like you get plenty of the former, at least. plus it will make great interview fodder when you get to that stage. just my opinion.

 

[gujuDoc]

A psychiatric hospital is still a clinical setting so you'll be fine.

I had a couple of friends who worked in a mental health institution as well and would tell em many ories of their experiences and what they had todo to train to get a job there. One of them was going into pharmacy but if he took the MCAT and applied to med school he'd get in well above otherp eople because of his extensive experience working as a tech there while maintaining a 3.9 GPA and being really good at standardized tests.


I think any experience you have working with patients and showing that you know what you are getting yourself into is good.

P.S. Your experience would qualify under LizzyMs smell test. She says if you are close enough to smell the patients that's direct patient contact.
she's an adcom member who posts on here.

 

[UFMed]

A psychiatric hospital is still a clinical setting so you'll be fine.

I had a couple of friends who worked in a mental health institution as well and would tell em many ories of their experiences and what they had todo to train to get a job there. One of them was going into pharmacy but if he took the MCAT and applied to med school he'd get in well above otherp eople because of his extensive experience working as a tech there while maintaining a 3.9 GPA and being really good at standardized tests.


I think any experience you have working with patients and showing that you know what you are getting yourself into is good.

P.S. Your experience would qualify under LizzyMs smell test. She says if you are close enough to smell the patients that's direct patient contact.
she's an adcom member who posts on here.

I second what Guju said.

It is obvious that you have invested a lot of time and energy into this project. Your dedication will not go unheard. In my humble opinion, the quality of an event(s) is superior to the quantiy of events. You will make it easy for your interviewers to strike up interesting conversations with you- mainly because this experience has exposed you to a side of medicine people neglect. What is most important is your passion- you know this is important to you... it is genuine and heartfelt. An ADCOM will clearly see this and will not blame you for filling up your app with a bunch of less dedicated job shadowing binges.
I would say that you have enough experience, and way more than most people ever get before med school.
You're on your way!

 

[LizzyM]

Just trying to cover all the bases. I only really did the psychiatric hospital stuff because I liked doing it, that's why I don't have any other shadowing. I am just wondering if this lack of traditional volunteering hurts me.

Adcoms love to see this. I'm not kidding. In terms of volunteering, and how it will come across when you interview, you are in great shape.

 

[gujuDoc]

Adcoms love to see this. I'm not kidding. In terms of volunteering, and how it will come across when you interview, you are in great shape.

Wow I was just mentioning you and your smell test and you popped up.

Thanks for replying.

 

[UFMed]

Wow I was just mentioning you and your smell test and you popped up.

Thanks for replying.

Adcoms love to see this. I'm not kidding. In terms of volunteering, and how it will come across when you interview, you are in great shape.

I am just curious... who is pictured in LizzyM's avatar?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

The fruitcake lady!!!!!