Best way to get clinical experience?

[FutureFACS]

Hey guys, im sure this gets tossed around a lot, but I figured id ask anyways. What is the quickest way to get some clinical experience? Besides shadowing my GP I dont have any.

As far as I know my options are:
-Become a scribe
Pros: Earn some cash
Cons: May not work w/ my school schedule
-Find random doctors to shadow
Pros: Might be able to shadow some cool specialties
Cons: Probably difficult due to lack of connections
-Volunteer in ER
Pros: Might see some cool stuff, probably would have flexible hours
Cons: How do I do this? Some hospital volunteering I have seen just offers placement in the gift shop
-Become a medical assistant
Pros: Earn some money, very hands on w/patients
Cons: Hard to fit in my school schedule, need an EMT-B??
-Become an EMT/CNA
Pros: Very hands on
Cons: Time consuming to get certified (I will eventually, but I want some clinical experience this spring)



Are there any other options out there?
What is a quick way to get clinical experience?
Any advice is appreciated

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[Pacna]

Shadowing is rarely clinical experience.

For you I think volunteering is your best bet. I did scribing.

Edit: I also think part time scribing would be fine for you. It's not as demanding as they'll try to make it out to be.

 

[dancingmate]

Some hospitals have programs specifically for pre-medical/PA/Nursing college students. Talk to students that work at local hospitals to see what kind of experiences you will get. Granted, volunteering at a hospital, you will always have to do work that isn't glamorous like restocking, cleaning beds, etc. I volunteered at a hospital in the city where I went to college. There were many long, boring shifts, but I did get to shadow a number of sugeries in the OR and see tons of cool things in other hospital departments. In the end, the numerous interesting medical cases I saw definitely outweighed all the grunt work I did.

 

[eleveneleven]

I can 100% recommend scribing for excellent clinical experience. I wouldn't be overly concerned with it potentially not working with your schedule. Most scribes have fairly limited availability, and that's generally accepted at most hospitals. The initial training is fairly rigorous and a bit less flexible but once you're through that (about 1 month or so) you'll typically only be expected to work 2 shifts per week at hours of your choosing.

 

[Catalystik]

Hospitals aren't the only type of medical facility where you can volunteer and gain active experience working with patients. Also consider hospice, rehab facilities, skilled-level nursing homes, residential Alzheimers unit, physical therapy office, and clinics (free-, low-income, VA, family-planning, private), etc.

Shadowing is a passive clinical experience where all you do is observe physican-patient interaction. To have an application that appeals to the broadest number of med schools, it's a good idea to have this too. It is listed separately on the application.

 

[kp11]

Scribing is a good way to go. Sometimes being a "sitter" isn't all that bad for patients in the hospital.

 

[CyberMaxx]

Best way to get clinical experience... smell the patients???

 

[chondroblast]

Becoming an EMT isn't all that time consuming. It's just a one semester class (mine was condensed into about 3 months). Also, some volunteer squads allow uncertified people to have a role in care. My squad lets uncertified members take patient vitals and help out with the transport (you just can't do stuff like finger stick glucometers). You're even considered a full crew member.