Clinical experience for med apps: Medical Assistant or Clinical Research Coordinator

[saralinanguyen]

Hi, I plan on applying to med school in 2023. I have the opportunity to either take a position as a MA in a foot clinic that would give me lots of hands on experience (vitals, taking history, casts, xrays) and I also have an opportunity to work as a CRC in a cancer clinical trials office within a University that is affiliated with a hospital. This position would provide less hands on experience (vitals, taking history, coordinating patients). I dont have any direct patient care experience, as of now. My question is which position would make me a more competitive applicant, or is there not a significant difference on which job I pick? Ideally I would rather take the CRC role because its better pay, benefits, etc. But I definitely want to prioritize being a more competitive applicant.

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[Mr.Smile12]

Take the one where you have more opportunity to work in a healthcare team and pays you well. In other words, it doesn't really matter in my opinion based on your description. Get at least 150 hours by the time you submit your application.

 

[CatDad26]

Not sure if since one is research related it's better, so interested in what others say.
BUT
I will say, I was a CNA for 3 years and got to rotate in the ICU, Med/Surg, ER, and Tele and it was AMAZING. I learned so many critical soft skills, like how to speak with patients, how to diffuse bad situations with patients, how a care team actually works, etc. Genuinely priceless experience. Other students are really terrified to even start speaking to patients, where I feel I'll have full confidence from day 1.
Even more, the experiences I got with hands on clinical work gave me amazing stories to talk about in interviews and essays. So overall I would say hands on clinical >> clinical trial coordination (this is just a hyped up logistics job tbh)

 

[candbgirl]

In the MA position are you working with a MD/DO or DPM?
@SmallCalvesDon’tCare seems to have had extraordinary experience as a MA. A MA position usually provides great and diverse experience. I’m not sure it matters if you are a MA at a DPM office and not at a hospital on the various units. Maybe someone will come along and answer. But post if it’s a DPM vMD/DO..
I have mixed feelings on the CRC Job. Even you say you won’t have as much clinical experience. Hands on clinical jobs are always better than a quasi administrative data gathering gig.
Good luck.

 

[saralinanguyen]

In the MA position are you working with a MD/DO or DPM?
@SmallCalvesDon’tCare seems to have had extraordinary experience as a MA. A MA position usually provides great and diverse experience. I’m not sure it matters if you are a MA at a DPM office and not at a hospital on the various units. Maybe someone will come along and answer. But post if it’s a DPM vMD/DO..
I have mixed feelings on the CRC Job. Even you say you won’t have as much clinical experience. Hands on clinical jobs are always better than a quasi administrative data gathering gig.
Good luck.

Hi, I will be working for a DPM. Unfortunately, I have had difficulty finding MA positions in hospital settings/ working with MD/DOs because I do not have my certification. Would that potentially hinder my clinical experience? Would a letter of rec from a DPM to a MD/DO program look bad?

 

[chilly_md]

Take the one where you have more opportunity to work in a healthcare team and pays you well. In other words, it doesn't really matter in my opinion based on your description. Get at least 150 hours by the time you submit your application.

Merging duplicate threads.

 

[LizzyM]

A CRC job in a cancer center is likely to be purely looking at screens all day and pushing out emails and up-dating forms.

Get your foot in the door with the DPM; it sounds like you need clinical hours and that is a patient facing position which counts in my book as "clinical" even if the provider is not an MD or DO.