Acceptable Clinical Experience

[TheZaLord]

Hello all. I've been lurking for a while, after a Google search and fortunately stumbling upon this place.

I have to say, you're as entertaining as you are informative and helpful, so thanks for that. It is a huge relief, because there are many I've talked to since making my decision to go back to school and prepare for med school application in the next few years that have been- undercutting? Overly competitive? Idk, just, making something already stressful that much more so.

So this place is a relief.

Now on to my question. I'm currently a therapist, worked in the rehab field for four years primarily in a nursing home, now with kids in an early childhood center. So I have a lot of time working in direct patient care, alongside nurses and doctors, consulting with them regarding plans of care, etc...

My question is- I realize I will still need to do shadowing, but is this amount of clinical experience acceptable? Or the wrong "flavor"?
I would like to get more in a clinic or hospital, but realistically, I'm not sure when that can happen.
I work full time at the school, have almost a full load of classes, and do some home health rehab on the side.
I don't want to skate by with the bare minimum, but I'm not sure I can get enough other experience to show I'm in this and am serious about health care (if my rehab experience isn't accounted for).

Additionally, volunteering is also a time constraint. I did so in college, and have helped with various 1day things here and there over the years. And I tutor kids once a week after school for my district. So I'm lacking health related volunteering. But again- difficult to find time for that/clinical experience, work, school, and shadowing. Weekends are pretty much the only somewhat open time I have, and finding a work study in clinical field, or even volunteering needing those hours has not been so successful.

So I guess I'm asking for practical advice- I'm sure I'm not the first and won't be the last. How did you all pull it off?

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[andrek82]

As a nontraditional now a 4th year, when I was applying I did not add any extra activities. I was in research full time and did teaching at night but did no volunteering and had left my last healthcare job 5 years prior. In contrast you have current patient care experience and can say that you know you want to work in healthcare because you are already there. If your other stuff is in order that is even better. Good luck!

 

[TheZaLord]

Thanks, man, that is good to know.

 

[Goro]

My two cents is that your clinical experience is stellar, but I strongly recommend shadowing because you need to see what a doctor's day is like....even better is seeing how doctors in different specialties approach the practice of Medicine.

Being a non-trad, you get cut some slack for actually having a life, the the need for other volunteering is probably not necessary.

Hello all. I've been lurking for a while, after a Google search and fortunately stumbling upon this place.

I have to say, you're as entertaining as you are informative and helpful, so thanks for that. It is a huge relief, because there are many I've talked to since making my decision to go back to school and prepare for med school application in the next few years that have been- undercutting? Overly competitive? Idk, just, making something already stressful that much more so.

So this place is a relief.

Now on to my question. I'm currently a therapist, worked in the rehab field for four years primarily in a nursing home, now with kids in an early childhood center. So I have a lot of time working in direct patient care, alongside nurses and doctors, consulting with them regarding plans of care, etc...

My question is- I realize I will still need to do shadowing, but is this amount of clinical experience acceptable? Or the wrong "flavor"?
I would like to get more in a clinic or hospital, but realistically, I'm not sure when that can happen.
I work full time at the school, have almost a full load of classes, and do some home health rehab on the side.
I don't want to skate by with the bare minimum, but I'm not sure I can get enough other experience to show I'm in this and am serious about health care (if my rehab experience isn't accounted for).

Additionally, volunteering is also a time constraint. I did so in college, and have helped with various 1day things here and there over the years. And I tutor kids once a week after school for my district. So I'm lacking health related volunteering. But again- difficult to find time for that/clinical experience, work, school, and shadowing. Weekends are pretty much the only somewhat open time I have, and finding a work study in clinical field, or even volunteering needing those hours has not been so successful.

So I guess I'm asking for practical advice- I'm sure I'm not the first and won't be the last. How did you all pull it off?

 

[TheZaLord]

Thank you, Goro, that's very helpful. Eases some stress!

*sorry for typo Goro- sausage fingers and touch screen= bad.