Clinical Experience among other things....

Started by donkeykong1
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donkeykong1

donkeykong1

Full Member
10+ Year Member
I've been involved in some heavy research duties for the past 9 months and am now kind of regretting the long hours i've put into it just for a poster presentation. honestly after some posts i've read in the what are my chances forum about how important clinical experience/patient contact is, i feel that it in some ways it trumps research activities.

some of the time i put into research these past months included getting patient consents and basically talking to folks about their condition/disease. is this clinical experience? i was in a really, and i mean really busy faculty practice. does clinical mean ER or bust?
 
donkeykong1 said:
I've been involved in some heavy research duties for the past 9 months and am now kind of regretting the long hours i've put into it just for a poster presentation. honestly after some posts i've read in the what are my chances forum about how important clinical experience/patient contact is, i feel that it in some ways it trumps research activities.

some of the time i put into research these past months included getting patient consents and basically talking to folks about their condition/disease. is this clinical experience? i was in a really, and i mean really busy faculty practice. does clinical mean ER or bust?
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LizzyM claims that if you are close enough to smell a patient ... it's a clinical experience.

Anyway, in an ideal world, people who do a ton of research as an undergrad would do so because they enjoy it. However, also in this ideal world ... pre-medical students don't exist. Ergo, you get people who force themselves to do research for years JUST to throw it on an app. Now, I'm sure there are a lot of people who enjoy it, but wouldn't do it if not for the app, or some middle ground, BUT ... I think my point is that you're done with what you were doing, you have the poster project, it will look good, now move on and do some clinical stuff. I'd say ER volunteering, as you stated, is a good choice.
 
In the ideal world, transporting patients and cleaning hospital beds wouldn't be necessary, because jesus christ what does this have to do with medicine. I love research. I love physiology. I love restocking water stations in the desert. I absolutely hate hospital volunteering.

Your poster will look good, and at least now you don't have to think about filling the research gap anymore. Now get your gloves on, cause there's an ER with beds to be cleaned!
 
Another big benefit when doing research is if you can get something published with your name on it, whether its 100% your own work, or your just part of a group thing.

Publications stand out on apps. Although they will not fill the gaps for other missing things. With all the work you have put in on your project, is there any chance if getting it published somehow? What did you do your research on?
 
Morsetlis said:
In the ideal world, transporting patients and cleaning hospital beds wouldn't be necessary, because jesus christ what does this have to do with medicine. I love research. I love physiology. I love restocking water stations in the desert. I absolutely hate hospital volunteering.

Your poster will look good, and at least now you don't have to think about filling the research gap anymore. Now get your gloves on, cause there's an ER with beds to be cleaned!
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Ahh me too...nothing is more challenging than carrying 2x12 gallon jugs of water, up hill and over a mile in distance, in 120 degree heat...with rattle snakes under every bush... Good memories

donkeykong1 said:
I've been involved in some heavy research duties for the past 9 months and am now kind of regretting the long hours i've put into it just for a poster presentation. honestly after some posts i've read in the what are my chances forum about how important clinical experience/patient contact is, i feel that it in some ways it trumps research activities.

some of the time i put into research these past months included getting patient consents and basically talking to folks about their condition/disease. is this clinical experience? i was in a really, and i mean really busy faculty practice. does clinical mean ER or bust?
Click to expand...

I think you should be happy you have your name on a poster. Thats a lot more than some people get after putting in years of research.
 
the thing is that i'm not even allowed to be present at the poster presentation b/c i'm just a pre med. but i did all the leg work, recruited 90 percent of the patients, and the data was given to a statistician. leaving me as a second author. the project was in the realm of ophthalmology and biotechnology.

1)btw how do i start volunteering in the ER w/o any EMS certification. is this required, i'm assuming no? do i just tell the voulnteer office that i'm interested in ER duties?

2)on a different note, you know how some schools like KCOM and Howard university look for students who served in underserved communities, does volunteering in a community hospital in such a community suffice? also what types of communities are these?
 
donkeykong1 said:
the thing is that i'm not even allowed to be present at the poster presentation b/c i'm just a pre med. but i did all the leg work, recruited 90 percent of the patients, and the data was given to a statistician. leaving me as a second author. the project was in the realm of ophthalmology and biotechnology.

1)btw how do i start volunteering in the ER w/o any EMS certification. is this required, i'm assuming no? do i just tell the voulnteer office that i'm interested in ER duties?

2)on a different note, you know how some schools like KCOM and Howard university look for students who served in underserved communities, does volunteering in a community hospital in such a community suffice? also what types of communities are these?
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I'm too lazy to find a link for you, put search for "how to get a clinical/hospital job" on this forum.

Most hospital volunteering is doing menial tasks, when not sitting behind a desk. There are places which actually let volunteers do stuff, but I haven't seen any. So no, you don't need EMT cert to be a volunteer (lolz). If you want to do "underserved" work, look for free clinics in ****ty neighborhoods. That oughta cover you.

(I wasn't being snotty - it's what I'm doing)
 
yeah, i checked out the free clinic in my area. it doesnt fit into my schedule.

Does any one have any other ideas that would fit into the underserved variety E.C?
 
donkeykong1 said:
yeah, i checked out the free clinic in my area. it doesnt fit into my schedule.

Does any one have any other ideas that would fit into the underserved variety E.C?
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Any place that serves a majority of low-income patients. ER in crappy neighborhood? Pediatrics clinic in crappy neighborhood? Even if not a "free" clinic, any city or rural clinic should do the trick.
 
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