chances with very little clinical experience?

[flybynight]

How much does it hurt your application if you haven't done any "clinical" volunteering? I've done general volunteering consistently/ out the wazoo (800+ hrs) but nothing at a hospital.

Also, I pretty much (this past 7-8 months) made the whole hearted decision that I want to go to med school!! I have never shadowed a physician, but I have worked for an ambulatory company and interacted with patients for 5+ years - I feel very comfortable in hospitals, nursing homes, etc... and know how to operate a wheel chair/stretcher.

Does this count as clinical? I also plan to start shadowing within the next two weeks, and was wondering if this is ok given that I am applying June? (literally like 3-4 months of shadowing )

Here goes nothing!!
3.922 GPA - Molecular Biology major
Pre-engineering before wanting to go into research, and now med school!
(Got all A's in Calc 1, 2, and 3) GO ME! LOL
yet to take the MCAT (scheduled for April)
Will have 3 years research experience, 1 poster, and likely a publication by the time I matriculate.
800+ hrs of volunteering (blood drives, relay for life, making strides, etc..)
Microbiology TA
Anatomy TA
Research Methods TA
Undergrad Research Poster
Recipient of various Science Awards

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[BABSstudent]

How much does it hurt your application if you haven't done any "clinical" volunteering? I've done general volunteering consistently/ out the wazoo (800+ hrs) but nothing at a hospital.

Also, I pretty much (this past 7-8 months) made the whole hearted decision that I want to go to med school!! I have never shadowed a physician, but I have worked for an ambulatory company and interacted with patients for 5+ years - I feel very comfortable in hospitals, nursing homes, etc... and know how to operate a wheel chair/stretcher.

Does this count as clinical? I also plan to start shadowing within the next two weeks, and was wondering if this is ok given that I am applying June? (literally like 3-4 months of shadowing )

Here goes nothing!!
3.922 GPA - Molecular Biology major
Pre-engineering before wanting to go into research, and now med school!
(Got all A's in Calc 1, 2, and 3) GO ME! LOL
yet to take the MCAT (scheduled for April)
Will have 3 years research experience, 1 poster, and likely a publication by the time I matriculate.
800+ hrs of volunteering (blood drives, relay for life, making strides, etc..)
Microbiology TA
Anatomy TA
Research Methods TA
Undergrad Research Poster
Recipient of various Science Awards

Your ECs make it sound like research and teaching would best suit your future career. How do you prove you know what it is like to be a doctor. Without that, are you really making a knowledgable decision to go into medicine.

Do you even know what doctors do on a daily basis or are you going off what you see on tv? That's why medical schools look for shadowing or clinical volunteering or even just clinical experience (normally should be with a doctor if you lack the previous two).

 

[flybynight]

Your ECs make it sound like research and teaching would best suit your future career. How do you prove you know what it is like to be a doctor. Without that, are you really making a knowledgable decision to go into medicine.

Do you even know what doctors do on a daily basis or are you going off what you see on tv? That's why medical schools look for shadowing or clinical volunteering or even just clinical experience (normally should be with a doctor if you lack the previous two).

Thanks for the honesty! I definitely understand where you're coming from. I truly love the research/teaching side medicine.

While working for this med transport company, I've been around a lot of veterans and hospice patients, and it's been incredibly humbling experience - one that after a lot of soul searching and reflecting on what truly makes me happy, I feel like medicine is the most fulfilling career.

Now I know I can't really convey this with the most confidence given my lack of clinical experience and not being 1-on-1 with a doc. But I'm curious, is it too late to start? I don't want to run the risk of ruining my chances because of this, so should I take a year off and focus solely on clinical? Or should I start shadowing ASAP (already got a position in the works )

I take the MCAT April, Apply June, and for that whole year in between (if I get accepted and matriculate Fall 2014) I will do as much clinical experience as humanly possible.

What do you guys think!??

 

[Goro]

I think your patient experience counts as what we're looking for. Your numbers are stellar and you'll get tons of interview invites, assuming you do fine on your MCAT, which I expect. You may have to explain your lack of hospital hrs, but I don't see any bad outcomes.

We're rejcted people who had little or no patient contact experience. We just want ot see that you're willing to spend the next 40-50 year being around sick and injured people.

But, in order for you to know what you're getting into, you should see what hospital life is like. STRONGLY suggest shadowing, as this might be the only thing someone might hold against you. Again, you do need to know what you're getting into.

How much does it hurt your application if you haven't done any "clinical" volunteering? I've done general volunteering consistently/ out the wazoo (800+ hrs) but nothing at a hospital.

Also, I pretty much (this past 7-8 months) made the whole hearted decision that I want to go to med school!! I have never shadowed a physician, but I have worked for an ambulatory company and interacted with patients for 5+ years - I feel very comfortable in hospitals, nursing homes, etc... and know how to operate a wheel chair/stretcher.

Does this count as clinical? I also plan to start shadowing within the next two weeks, and was wondering if this is ok given that I am applying June? (literally like 3-4 months of shadowing )

Here goes nothing!!
3.922 GPA - Molecular Biology major
Pre-engineering before wanting to go into research, and now med school!
(Got all A's in Calc 1, 2, and 3) GO ME! LOL
yet to take the MCAT (scheduled for April)
Will have 3 years research experience, 1 poster, and likely a publication by the time I matriculate.
800+ hrs of volunteering (blood drives, relay for life, making strides, etc..)
Microbiology TA
Anatomy TA
Research Methods TA
Undergrad Research Poster
Recipient of various Science Awards

 

[BABSstudent]

It is never too late to shadow. Try to get 50+ hours before you apply. If you do 4 hours a week of shadowing, you could get that in 12.5 weeks.

 

[flybynight]

I think your patient experience counts as what we're looking for. Your numbers are stellar and you'll get tons of interview invites, assuming you do fine on your MCAT, which I expect. You may have to explain your lack of hospital hrs, but I don't see any bad outcomes.

We're rejcted people who had little or no patient contact experience. We just want ot see that you're willing to spend the next 40-50 year being around sick and injured people.

But, in order for you to know what you're getting into, you should see what hospital life is like. STRONGLY suggest shadowing, as this might be the only thing someone might hold against you. Again, you do need to know what you're getting into.

Thanks for the advice and good news! I am definitely going to start shadowing ASAP.The doctor I have in mind is an ER doc. I might have the chance to shadow a cardiologist as well, do you think it is better to shadow these two different physicians for less hours each, or just the ER doctor for more hours? Both fields seem really interesting

It is never too late to shadow. Try to get 50+ hours before you apply. If you do 4 hours a week of shadowing, you could get that in 12.5 weeks.

Thanks!, I definitely want to do whatever it takes to show I am committed to this field!

 

[PsychOut13]

"Thanks for the advice and good news! I am definitely going to start shadowing ASAP.The doctor I have in mind is an ER doc. I might have the chance to shadow a cardiologist as well, do you think it is better to shadow these two different physicians for less hours each, or just the ER doctor for more hours? Both fields seem really interesting "

I would recommend shadowing in two fields and split the time as long as it will still be a decent amount in each (at least ~15-20 hours). My reasoning being that during my interviews, it was pointed out as a positive by multiple interviewers that I had been exposed to different specialties.

 

[Catalystik]

How much does it hurt your application if you haven't done any "clinical" volunteering? I've done general volunteering consistently/ out the wazoo (800+ hrs) but nothing at a hospital.

Also, I pretty much (this past 7-8 months) made the whole hearted decision that I want to go to med school!! I have never shadowed a physician, but I have worked for an ambulatory company and interacted with patients for 5+ years - I feel very comfortable in hospitals, nursing homes, etc... and know how to operate a wheel chair/stretcher.

Does this count as clinical? I also plan to start shadowing within the next two weeks, and was wondering if this is ok given that I am applying June? (literally like 3-4 months of shadowing )

Here goes nothing!!
3.922 GPA - Molecular Biology major
Pre-engineering before wanting to go into research, and now med school!
(Got all A's in Calc 1, 2, and 3) GO ME! LOL
yet to take the MCAT (scheduled for April)
Will have 3 years research experience, 1 poster, and likely a publication by the time I matriculate.
800+ hrs of volunteering (blood drives, relay for life, making strides, etc..)
Microbiology TA
Anatomy TA
Research Methods TA
Undergrad Research Poster
Recipient of various Science Awards

Active clinical experience can be gained via a job, volunteering, through clinical research, or by classroom requirement. Your experience in the ambulatory clinic as an employee covers this expectation nicely.

It looks like you have plenty of nonmedical volunteerism, so you've covered that base well.

For the shadowing (considered a passive activity, since you mainly observe) following an ER doc will give you exposure to a hospital environment. I suggest that adding a primary care doc (family med, pediatrics, internal medicine, OBGYN) would be an ideal second choice to give you a view of longitudinal care. If you can also set things up with a cardiologist, then that's fine, too. There is no problem with getting shadowing done at the last minute. Longevity is more valued with clinical experience and altruistic activities, than with shadowing. About 50 hours of shadowing is the average listed on applications. Personally, I like to see 60-80, as these interviewees generally have a better grasp of related issues. JMO.

 

[SOMBound13]

Was it LizzieM who said that if you can smell the patient, it's clinical?

 

[Goro]

I'd say getting two different perspectives for a shorter time is more useful to you than one for a longer time.

Thanks for the advice and good news! I am definitely going to start shadowing ASAP.The doctor I have in mind is an ER doc. I might have the chance to shadow a cardiologist as well, do you think it is better to shadow these two different physicians for less hours each, or just the ER doctor for more hours? Both fields seem really interesting



Thanks!, I definitely want to do whatever it takes to show I am committed to this field!

 

[Aerus]

"Thanks for the advice and good news! I am definitely going to start shadowing ASAP.The doctor I have in mind is an ER doc. I might have the chance to shadow a cardiologist as well, do you think it is better to shadow these two different physicians for less hours each, or just the ER doctor for more hours? Both fields seem really interesting "

I would recommend shadowing in two fields and split the time as long as it will still be a decent amount in each (at least ~15-20 hours). My reasoning being that during my interviews, it was pointed out as a positive by multiple interviewers that I had been exposed to different specialties.

For shadowing, there's a margin of diminishing return. Once past that line, anymore shadowing of that same doctor in that same profession won't add too much value to your experiences. (Eg. Shadowing one doctor for 200 hours isn't that much better than shadowing that doctor for 50 hours).

I would go with the two professions for a shorter amount of time. I'd imagine 20-30 hours for one doctor would be more than enough. Variety is also key when it comes to shadowing.