Clinical experience only over one summer?

[661874]

My only (major) clinical experience was two summers ago, where I worked as a scribe in a rural primary care clinic for close to 300 hours. I worked with one doctor who's become a kind of mentor to me since, and I'd say the experience definitively captures why I want to go into medicine.

Only problem is, I haven't done any clinical volunteering at my university since then. I'm planning to include this as one of my 3 most significant experiences, but might it look like I'm just box-checking since I only did it over one summer? I'll be applying this upcoming cycle.

Everything else is on par, I think. ~3.97 GPA, 522 MCAT, ~3000 hours of research with one first author paper, lots of non-clinical volunteering that spans a year and a half, planning a gap year with Americorps or possibly a lifesharing program for adults with disabilities. Tons of shadowing.

Any thoughts? Am I okay on the clinical side of things if I can talk extensively about my scribing experience?

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[chaim123]

It's going to depend on what you are aiming for. Based on your stats, you could be competitive for top tier programs, but without extensive clinical experience you could also fall short of other applicants at those same schools.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I would use your gap year to increase your clinical volunteering opportunities at hospitals, hospices, etc. Your app thus far is solid and that is the only hole that I see.

Scribing will not make up for active patient contact and interaction.

 

[LizzyM]

You have a work experience and shadowing to show that you know what medicine entails. You have non-clinical volunteering that shows that you have a giving spirit. You have research and a MCAT that can get you top-tier interviews. You look pretty typical of the applicants I've been interviewing at a top 20.

 

[numbersloth]

You have a work experience and shadowing to show that you know what medicine entails. You have non-clinical volunteering that shows that you have a giving spirit. You have research and a MCAT that can get you top-tier interviews. You look pretty typical of the applicants I've been interviewing at a top 20.

So, having *both* clinical and non-clinical volunteering isn't necessarily a strict requirement if the applicant can show knowledge of what clinical medicine entails through extensive shadowing or other experiences?

 

[LizzyM]

So, having *both* clinical and non-clinical volunteering isn't necessarily a strict requirement if the applicant can show knowledge of what clinical medicine entails through extensive shadowing or other experiences?

Correct. Non-clinical volunteering is considered valuable by many adcoms. A blend of experiences that give an applicant an idea of what medicine is all about is pretty important. That can be volunteer or paid employment. Shadowing is actually its own category in the experience section of the AMCAS and most applicants have some shadowing.

 

[21Rush12]

Do you really need a gap year? I’m curious, it seems like you’re ready to go now with an application

 

[661874]

@21Rush12 I'm pretty set on doing Americorps or something of that nature. I figure it's the last time I'll ever get an opportunity to do really immersive service and I think it will also be pretty valuable from a personal development standpoint, something that I hope will guide my career as a physician.

 

[vrazzles]

@21Rush12 I'm pretty set on doing Americorps or something of that nature. I figure it's the last time I'll ever get an opportunity to do really immersive service and I think it will also be pretty valuable from a personal development standpoint, something that I hope will guide my career as a physician.

Come to Peace Corps Tanzania for Education! We need more teachers and it'll be super immersive

 

[661874]

@vrazzles I really wish I could (and heavily considered it), but I took my MCAT in May, so the maximum number of gap years I could take is two, not three.

 

[vrazzles]

@vrazzles I really wish I could (and heavily considered it), but I took my MCAT in May, so the maximum number of gap years I could take is two, not three.

Good luck to you friend.