Choosing Clinical Experience

[RiceBoy]

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I know clinical experience is an important aspect before applying to med schools, so I have 2 options I don't know what to choose...

1-Working in a rehab center (~3 min away), worked there last year and helped senior citizens in physical therapy exercises.

2-Working in a respectable university hospital (~20-25min away), never been there, but I anticipate helping the doctors.

Which do you think is better? And is working within a "hospital environment" really necessary?

 

[Stratego]

I would choose the job with more physician contact. I guess it would depend on what the job was at the hospital. No, it isn't essential that you experience a hospital environment.

The rehab center work sounds great too, and would have the advantage of longevity and proximity. If you have physician contact there, too, then stay with what you have. Perhaps you are primarily working with physical therapists with nary a doctor in sight?

What about working at one and volunteering at the other?

 

[FloatOn]

Are you still in school? If so, I would say rehab center because of the short distance away in addition to the patient contact. You should definitely found out what you would be doing at the hospital. You don't want to go in expecting one thing and doing something completely different. Since you worked at the rehab center before, did you enjoy what you did? I don't see a problem returning to this unless you hate it and are up for anything else.

 

[musafirah]

personally, i think if you did the rehab center already, and you have to ask us, then you probably didn't like the experience as much as you should. because if you liked it, you'd know that you want to go back. so i would check out the hospital first. or just go with the one that is paid (if both are, then the higher pay) if you need the money.

 

[Naijaba]

I would choose the job with more physician contact. I guess it would depend on what the job was at the hospital. No, it isn't essential that you experience a hospital environment.

The rehab center work sounds great too, and would have the advantage of longevity and proximity. If you have physician contact there, too, then stay with what you have. Perhaps you are primarily working with physical therapists with nary a doctor in sight?

What about working at one and volunteering at the other?

I disagree with this: choose the job with more PATIENT contact. You need to be exposed to extensive experiences in patient care. It will be much more meaningful for you if you have a hands-on role in patient care. This can range from merely conversing with patients to bathing, feeding, ambulating, and interacting on a more personal level.

 

[randombetch]

i disagree with this: Choose the job with more patient contact. You need to be exposed to extensive experiences in patient care. It will be much more meaningful for you if you have a hands-on role in patient care. This can range from merely conversing with patients to bathing, feeding, ambulating, and interacting on a more personal level.

+1

 

[RiceBoy]

So I contacted the university hospital today (choice no. 2), they said I will not be working directly with a doctor, prob behind some counter.

I actually did enjoy working at the rehab center (choice no. 1), the only reason I posted this is because I thought working in an actual hospital is somewhat important. When I worked at the rehab center last year, I worked with about 10 physical therapists, and did not work with any doctors really. In addition, the patients at this rehab center are all senior citizens. Do you think I should stick with this?

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[Stratego]

I would choose the job with more physician contact.

I disagree with this: choose the job with more PATIENT contact.

Naijaba is right. I ought to have said first that I was assuming patient contact would be similiar in both activities.

From what you've added, it sounds like you'd have less patient contact at the hospital. So, I'd stick with the rehab position.

 

[J ROD]

I would look around some more for a place where i could get more patient contact around physicians....

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I think that one huge mistake many premeds make is thinking that they have to volunteer in a hospital. In my experience, volunteer positions at hospitals are mostly useless. You'll be stuck behind a desk, or doing paperwork. Rarely will you have actual patient contact. I think the rehab center sounds much better. You can shadow a physician to get physician contact. But working behind a desk at a hospital doesn't give you any clue as to what physicians do. I know because one of my volunteer gigs is to sit behind a desk, and I hate it. I'd quit if I hadn't made the commitment already.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

Another plus for continuing your work at the rehab center ... you will be looking for LORs, and if you have been working/volunteering in this capacity for a long time, you are well-positioned to get a great letter of recommendation that talks about how great you are working with patients. It will also look (on your application) like this was something you took seriously and committed to for a significant length of time, not just something you did to "check it off" your list of required pre-med experiences. Bottom line I'd stick with the rehab center.

FWIW, I am serving on an adcom this year and hospital volunteer experience doesn't seem to be particularly impressive to the committee - especially if there's not a lot of patient contact.

Best of luck to you.🙂