Clinical Experience Question

[Hazydance]

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I plan to apply in the next cycle, and currently plan to shadow some physicians by the end of this year, along with working at a hospice home. Would medical school care if I didn't do like EMT, scribe, etc in the hospital? I don't think they would since I believe that I can gain those skills in the hospital later. I wanted to get some input. Thank you.

 

[Catalystik]

I plan to apply in the next cycle, and currently plan to shadow some physicians by the end of this year, along with working at a hospice home. Would medical school care if I didn't do like EMT, scribe, etc in the hospital? I don't think they would since I believe that I can gain those skills in the hospital later. I wanted to get some input. Thank you.

Med schools will want to know if you have a full view of what medicine entails. It would thus be wise to have some experience in a clinical setting where docs work (which could be via shadowing or active clinical experience). It's also a good idea to have contact with acutely ill or injured patients at some point (also possible through shadowing, but ideally, you'd interact with them in some fashion so you know if you like helping them.

BTW, if your help in a hospice home is primary cleaning, preparing meals, shopping for groceries, or doing laundry, it would not constitute active clinical experience, though it certainly would still be an excellent nonmedical community service.

 

[Hazydance]

Med schools will want to know if you have a full view of what medicine entails. It would thus be wise to have some experience in a clinical setting where docs work (which could be via shadowing or active clinical experience). It's also a good idea to have contact with acutely ill or injured patients at some point (also possible through shadowing, but ideally, you'd interact with them in some fashion so you know if you like helping them.

BTW, if your help in a hospice home is primary cleaning, preparing meals, shopping for groceries, or doing laundry, it would not constitute active clinical experience, though it certainly would still be an excellent nonmedical community service.

Thanks for the reply Catalystik, I am not allowed to make meal or shopping of any sort, liability issues.
The experience is mostly working directly with patients who have less than 6 months left, and whose family are not usually present. It involves talking with the patient through some end of life issues and reminiscing upon their life stories which can last up to hours per session over multiple visits per week.
Correct me if I am wrong Catalystik, I believe this would be clinical experience.

This is where I was conflicted since I plan to invest over a year on this, and it is something I care about. On the other hand, I don't believe I would have sufficient time to invest in hospital related exposure, not enough for it to be meaningful, but if you believe that it is a necessity, I will find a way to make it work. I can also understand that having hospital exposure will show that I understand the overall logistics that goes into being a doctor. On a side note, I did ER volunteer 5 years ago, but by the time I apply, I don't think that will be relevant exposure.

 

[Catalystik]

I am not allowed to make meal or shopping of any sort, liability issues.
The experience is mostly working directly with patients who have less than 6 months left, and whose family are not usually present. It involves talking with the patient through some end of life issues and reminiscing upon their life stories which can last up to hours per session over multiple visits per week.
1) Correct me if I am wrong Catalystik, I believe this would be clinical experience.

2) This is where I was conflicted since I plan to invest over a year on this, and it is something I care about. On the other hand, I don't believe I would have sufficient time to invest in hospital related exposure, not enough for it to be meaningful, but if you believe that it is a necessity, I will find a way to make it work.

1) Yes, like you, I would judge what you describe, namely direct interaction with hospice patients, to be a good clinical experience.

2) As mentioned, your shadowing experience has the potential to provide the recommended additional exposure. Whomever you shadow first, if they are not in an acute care environment (like a primary care office, ED, etc) can be asked to refer you to another clinician that might be closer to the needed experience.