Clinical Experience

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

uvache

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2012
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
Two questions:

1. Does working at a nursing home/rehab care facility count as clinical experience? I worked there as a therapeutic recreation assistant.

2. Does working in a lab that does research for the medical field (AKA Biomedical research) count as clinical as well?

Members don't see this ad.
 
Two questions:

1. Does working at a nursing home/rehab care facility count as clinical experience? I worked there as a therapeutic recreation assistant.

2. Does working in a lab that does research for the medical field (AKA Biomedical research) count as clinical as well?

Clinical experience implies direct patient contact and patient care. Given that, you can make the call.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
#1) Similar jobs and whether they count as clinical experience have been debated ad nauseum, but based on that job title, I'd say no.

#2) No, that is research, I don't understand where the confusion is on that one.

I don't agree on #1. If he's working in a nursing home and helping out with therapy he's definitely going to be in direct contact with the residents.
 
I always thought "clinical experience" meant that your job description entailed interacting with patients. Wouldn't talking to patients on the phone count as clinical as well?

patient contact is different than patient interaction. If the encounter isn't taking place in a clinic of some form, then it is obviously not clinical experience
 
patient contact is different than patient interaction. If the encounter isn't taking place in a clinic of some form, then it is obviously not clinical experience

On AMCAS it's listed as medical/clinical. It doesn't have to be in a clinic to be medical.

In a similar question to OP, I work as a caregiver to my mom (it is paid and taxed), should be be considered "paid employment - clinical/medical" or something else?

This is not my only medical/clinical experience.
 
Last edited:
On AMCAS it's listed as medical/clinical. It doesn't have to be in a clinic to be medical.

In a similar question to OP, I work as a caregiver to my mom (it is paid and taxed), should be be considered "paid employment - clinical/medical" or something else?

It doesn't matter what it's listed as on AMCAS it only matters whether or not an admissions committee considers its clinical experience. i.e. in a hospital, caring for patients in some way - touching and talking face to face with patients as an employee or caregiver (volunteer, registrar, nurse, etc.). You can maybe list caring for your mom in this category (this definitely would not be my only patient care experience), but it is not clinical experience because it didn't happen in a "clinic". Taking care of your mom does not give you a feel of working in a hospital.
 
It doesn't matter what it's listed as on AMCAS it only matters whether or not an admissions committee considers its clinical experience. i.e. in a hospital, caring for patients in some way - touching and talking face to face with patients as an employee or caregiver (volunteer, registrar, nurse, etc.). You can maybe list caring for your mom in this category (this definitely would not be my only patient care experience), but it is not clinical experience because it didn't happen in a "clinic". Taking care of your mom does not give you a feel of working in a hospital.

Registrar at a hospital counts as clinical experience?
 
There are a few different things that adcoms are looking for. Sometimes you can kill two birds with one stone but sometimes it is going to take a number of different activities to get all the experiences you'll want to have.

Do you know what a doctor does including: the length of the work day, the proportion of time spent in various tasks including direct patient contact, documentation and reimbursement tasks, seeking and providing consultation with colleagues and staff, continuing education, contact with patient's families in the absence of the patient, the various work environments/locations for that physician? Have you seen a variety of physicians enough to be able to compare and contrast among them?

Have you spent time with sick or injured people who are not your loved ones? (Being with loved ones can be an inspiration but will you really care about people you don't know and will never see again?) Given your experiences can you say that you are comfortable interacting with people who are in pain or distress, or bleeding profusely or deformed?

Have you had experiences that required you to interact with people you did not know well and to help them develop a sense of trust in you? Have you had experience dealing with people who are angry, frustrated, depressed, anxious, frightened, uncooperative, distraught? Given your past experience, do you feel comfortable handling people who are exhibiting those emotions?

Have you had experience that put you in a position of giving your time and talent to those who could not pay you for your services? Was that a one-time (temporary) thing or something that is a regular part of your life and something that you consider an obligation that you have to serve others (noblesse oblige, if you will) ?

So, how will you acquire these various experiences? There are plenty of different combinations of experiences that fit the bill and not all need to be clinical/medical settings.
 
If you can smell the patients, then it's clinical experience.

This quotes need updating to...

"If you can smell the patients, and there is a doctor/nurse/PA/healthcare provider around, then it's clinical experience."
 
This quotes need updating to...

"If you can smell the patients, and there is a doctor/nurse/PA/healthcare provider around, then it's clinical experience."

""If you can smell the patients, then it's a clinical experience. -LizzyM" and there is a doctor/nurse/PA/healthcare provider around" - Lamel
 
This quotes need updating to...

"If you can smell the patients, and there is a doctor/nurse/PA/healthcare provider around, then it's clinical experience."

actually the second part is redundant with LizzyM's definition of a patient. If a doctor/nurse/PA/health care provider is not around, then the person you are smelling isn't a patient and it is not a clinical experience.
 
Registrar at a hospital counts as clinical experience?

Registrar's (maybe depends on the department) go room to room getting insurance and social information from patients. They also can offer comfort measures such as blankets, water/food when applicable, pillows, basic re-positioning, etc. They relay requests to nurses or techs when patients ask about their care or require care that is outside of their scope or training. I'm sure if time permits, they would be more than welcome to observe some procedures. They certainly get a feel of how to interact with patients, how a clinic works, and how the different members of a medical team function.

If hospital volunteering is clinical experience, then being a registrar is definitely clinical experience.
 
actually the second part is redundant with LizzyM's definition of a patient. If a doctor/nurse/PA/health care provider is not around, then the person you are smelling isn't a patient and it is not a clinical experience.

:laugh:

So true. Otherwise, I'd be getting 10 hours of clinical experience per week just riding public transportation.😉
 
Two questions:

1. Does working at a nursing home/rehab care facility count as clinical experience? I worked there as a therapeutic recreation assistant.

2. Does working in a lab that does research for the medical field (AKA Biomedical research) count as clinical as well?

2) Is research. I currently work in a lab in which I work with organic materials. But in general that is considered non-clinical research.
 
1) I worked for two summers at a residential camp for children and adults with disabilities. The staff, including myself, were 100% responsible for the personal care and monitoring their unique medical requirements during their stay (it was also overnight). We also worked very closely with the nurses. I am considering it to be medical/clinical, since it was essentially taking hospital duties and putting it in the great outdoors. This kind of experience is in a grey area, but I worked very closely with those with illness and disability, and I think that I was able to learn just as much there than if I were in a hospital (I consider my shadowing hours to be the "hospital experience" that med schools are looking for to make sure I understand what a doctor's day to day work life is like).

2) I also work in a lab and agree with everyone in that it is not medical. I am counting mine strictly as research even though I work with patient samples.
 
Top