Non-Trad: Shadowing from 6 years ago still good?

[skeletor06]

I participated in Baylor College of Medicine's Summer Surgery Program in 2006; I had just finished my English undergrad degree, and was considering a post-bacc for med school. Long story short, I false-started a couple of times before going for it, and am 1 year into a 2 year informal, DIY post-bacc.

Will the 300 or so hours I spent shadowing and in the OR during 2006 cover my shadowing, as long as I get, say, a week or so shadowing primary care before I put my apps out? I also have experience during 2010 at Boston Medical Center in the psych department, where I co-facilitated support groups and after-care for the local mentally ill homeless population, as well as patients on the ward. That was probably 25-30 hours a week, for 3 months or so.

I have other (mental health) patient contact, albeit with psychologists and psychiatrists where I was a crisis counselor for a large university.

The big reason I ask is that I am pretty sure that unlike AMCAS, TMDSAS makes you put the time frame for each activity on the app, so I am just curious how how it will look, given that those things are from a LONG time ago.

Thanks!

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[syoung]

I participated in Baylor College of Medicine's Summer Surgery Program in 2006; I had just finished my English undergrad degree, and was considering a post-bacc for med school. Long story short, I false-started a couple of times before going for it, and am 1 year into a 2 year informal, DIY post-bacc. follow up on the baylor thing, get back in touch w/ those people!

Will the 300 or so hours I spent shadowing and in the OR during 2006 cover my shadowing, as long as I get, say, a week or so shadowing primary care before I put my apps out? get more than a week, get something recent and extensive (bimonthly) I also have experience during 2010 at Boston Medical Center in the psych department, where I co-facilitated support groups what did you do? is it with patients?and after-care for the local mentally ill homeless population, as well as patients on the ward.Good talk about this. can you continue this? It's 3 years ago. That was probably 25-30 hours a week, for 3 months or so.

I have other (mental health) patient contact, albeit with psychologists and psychiatrists where I was a crisis counselor for a large university. current or no?

The big reason I ask is that I am pretty sure that unlike AMCAS, TMDSAS makes you put the time frame for each activity on the app, so I am just curious how how it will look, given that those things are from a LONG time ago. it may not be bad since you did them for a while... (ie not just a month or a week), but I would suggest getting back into it, to show you're still interested in the field.

Thanks!

see bold

 

[DokterMom]

False starts? Looks like you vacillated between medicine and counseling?

If I were an admissions officer, my first instinct, on seeing your 2006, 2010 and 2013 medical stints would be to question your dedication and persistence. The last thing I'd want to do is give a spot to someone who might drop out...

You've got a great personal statement addressing this issue, right?

 

[skeletor06]

I'm working on the PS. I will address the vacillation. I always wanted to pursue medicine, ; however, a fear of hard sciences (as in, deathly afraid, and MUCH better at liberal arts) kept me out of getting deep down the med school path, and looking towards psychology as a career. After working as a pediatric psychology researcher (studying how medical issues affect families and kids), writing journal articles about families facing chronic medical conditions, and working with patients at BMC, I decided my goal was not to be a psychologist, but to be a physician. I am now carrying A's in my pre-med coursework, and have realized that what was a fear is not something to keep me out of medical school. I truly am enjoying the hard sciences, which was a strange thought before. I also will have an okay cGPA (TMDSAS: 3.6, AACOMAS: 3.5) and sciGPA (TMDSAS: 3.5, AACOMAS: 3.75) I am probably not applying AMCAS. But yes, I'll figure out how to address this in my personal statement.

To answer syoung:

It is likely close to impossible to follow up on the Baylor thing; there is probably a record that I attended the program in 2006, but that would be the extent of it. There were 50 of us in the program, and that was 7 years ago. I would doubt if any of the attendings I worked with (assuming they're still there) would know me from Adam.

I cannot continue work for BMC, as I no longer live in Boston. And I am not working for the crisis center anymore; that was for 2 years, probably 30 hours a week or more, from 2010-2012.

I will work to get volunteer experience at one of the hospitals here in Houston, and there are other volunteer options I can try. I guess I'm just trying to gauge how the medically-related ECs I have look so far, and what all I still need to do.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Goro]

The crisis counseling is very good, but shadowing is definitely NOT patient contact, so suggest that you refresh it. Think outside the box...it doesn't all have to be at a hospital. think: hospice, developmental centers, clinics, camps for disabled/ill children, EMT/paramedics.

Just enough to show that the "itch" for Medicine is still there.

I participated in Baylor College of Medicine's Summer Surgery Program in 2006; I had just finished my English undergrad degree, and was considering a post-bacc for med school. Long story short, I false-started a couple of times before going for it, and am 1 year into a 2 year informal, DIY post-bacc.

Will the 300 or so hours I spent shadowing and in the OR during 2006 cover my shadowing, as long as I get, say, a week or so shadowing primary care before I put my apps out? I also have experience during 2010 at Boston Medical Center in the psych department, where I co-facilitated support groups and after-care for the local mentally ill homeless population, as well as patients on the ward. That was probably 25-30 hours a week, for 3 months or so.

I have other (mental health) patient contact, albeit with psychologists and psychiatrists where I was a crisis counselor for a large university.

The big reason I ask is that I am pretty sure that unlike AMCAS, TMDSAS makes you put the time frame for each activity on the app, so I am just curious how how it will look, given that those things are from a LONG time ago.

Thanks!

 

[skeletor06]

The crisis counseling is very good, but shadowing is definitely NOT patient contact, so suggest that you refresh it. Think outside the box...it doesn't all have to be at a hospital. think: hospice, developmental centers, clinics, camps for disabled/ill children, EMT/paramedics.

Just enough to show that the "itch" for Medicine is still there.

Okay, will do. Thanks!