Advice on my volunteer/work experience hours

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LiFre

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So I am currently choosing between two summer jobs. The first is a caregiver for the elderly (feeding, bathing, cleaning etc.) and the second is working at a group home for the mentally disabled (social/skill development and behavior modification). The group home sounds more fun/interesting to me, but I am also told that I need patient care hours (ie. the caregiver job). What do you think I should take? "And what do you think I need more experience of in terms of research, patient care and leadership?

Here is a current list of my experience thus far:

Big Brother (1 year -current)
Lab assistant (3 months-current)
I will be taking surveys in a free clinic for 3 hours a week for 3 months, with possible authorship

Senior living volunteer (4 months in 2013, a little outdated)
Hurricane Sandy Relief (200 hours, 3 years ago)

I've only shadowed 1 plastic surgeon, so this area needs work.

I will be applying to Med school in July 2017.

Thanks for your help

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There is no discernible difference between the two. Based on what you have posted, the most glaring hole is that you have zero clinical medical exposure. Neither of these activities will get you that. Obviously, you put minimal information about each activity on here, but they seem par for the course among pre-meds. Won't really help you get in, but other than the lack of clinical exposure, won't particularly hurt.
 
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There is no discernible difference between the two. Based on what you have posted, the most glaring hole is that you have zero clinical medical exposure. Neither of these activities will get you that. Obviously, you put minimal information about each activity on here, but they seem par for the course among pre-meds. Won't really help you get in, but other than the lack of clinical exposure, won't particularly hurt.

Thanks for the advice! I neglected to put I have shadowed one plastic surgeon, and I plan on doing more. Is this what you meant by clinical exposure? The caregiver job actually involves caring for sick people, would you say this isn't more necessary for my app than working at a group home?
 
Definitely shadow more than just a plastic surgeon. All your clinical experience seem to be outdated. The free clinic thing doesn't sound too clinical, as the description was not too clear.
Depending on what you do at the caregiver job, do you have a CNA license? But this should not be your only clinical experience, have you tried consulting hospitals, other clinics for volunteering positions?
 
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