What constitutes "clinical experience" and what doesn't?

[paul2752]

Does any activity that lets you interact with patients count as "clinical experience"? Like, any volunteers, internship, doctor shadowing, etc?

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[deleted407021]

The old SDN conventional wisdom is as follows -- if you can smell the patient, then it counts as clinical experience.

This can come in the form of work, internships, physician shadowing and clinical volunteerism. One typically separates out shadowing from other clinical exposure, for the purposes of applications.

 

[Lawpy]

Does any activity that lets you interact with patients count as "clinical experience"? Like, any volunteers, internship, doctor shadowing, etc?

LizzyM's clinical rule: If you are close enough to smell patients, then it is clinical experience

• Concrete examples of the clinical rule are outlined by the Goro Guidelines: "Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics."
• Nursing homes are a gray area. Safe bet is to call it nonclinical (see example)

Shadowing is clinical experience but is listed separately.

 

[paul2752]

I see. Another question:
Does volunteering in Elder care(lots of alzheimer patients there) in HIGH SCHOOL count?

 

[samac]

I think the general consensus is anything you did in high school is off the table for med school admissions unless it's something spectacular. I wouldn't say volunteering at an elder home qualifies as that.

 

[Catalystik]

Does any activity that lets you interact with patients count as "clinical experience"? Like, any volunteers, internship, doctor shadowing, etc?

Don't forget to include clinical research with current patients on the list.

 

[Catalystik]

I see. Another question:
Does volunteering in Elder care(lots of alzheimer patients there) in HIGH SCHOOL count?

If it was an inpatient Alzheimer's unit, it counts, provided you continued the activity after HS graduation. If it's a senior day care or senior living center, then no.

If you judge the activity as not suitable for your Activities list, you can still mention it in the PS as part of your journey to medicine.