Clinical Experience Advice!

[linneaand]

I'm currently trying to decide between getting clinical experience working as a medical assistant in a dermatology practice with 2 physicians and 2 PAs, or working as an ophthalmic tech at a big, prestigious specialty hospital. I'm more interested in optho than derm, and my application will be very neuro heavy so I think ophtho would be easier to tie into that, but the derm MA position would have me doing way more common clinical skills like injections and suture removal. I'm likely to get a physician letter out of both, and I keep going back and forth between the two . . . my big hangup with the derm MA position is the commute. So should I prioritize the skills I'll be learning? Or go with what I'm more interested in?

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[Mr.Smile12]

In no particular order of priority:
1) Do what you want to do.
2) Do what pays you more.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Go with what interests you more. My one regret as a premed was doing stuff I thought I was “supposed to do” over stuff I liked. I got in, but college was pretty miserable.

You need clinical experience, but if you have to pick, why not do what you like?

 

[AJS59]

This isn't residency, there's no reason to build an application centered around 1 specialty (and that may actually be a detriment to do so if you try and say I'm only going to med school to become a neurosurgeon or neurologist).

That being said, if the commute is longer for the Derm MA, save yourself the trouble.

 

[hommefatale]

agreed with everyone here! i'm writing my activity descriptions now and i'm realizing that even projects/experiences that have no relation to the narrative i'm trying to build - i can draw lessons learned/tangible takeaways that contribute to my 'why medicine', and i'm sure you can do the same with these two experiences.