clinical experience?

[sumet]

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I was wondering what the average amount of volunteer clinical experience most MSTP applicants have. My pre-med-non-MSTP friends have tons, but I don't have much because I spend most of my time in the lab. I know medical schools expect some, but I'm not sure how much weight they put on it if you are MSTP...any thoughts?

 

[Neuronix]

My roommate had absolutely none when he applied and got into a number of programs. I had a pretty good amount, but that's because I decided upon MSTP fairly late. In any case, it's always a safe bet to have some, but you shouldn't worry about having alot. Also, not having any is not going to exclude you, and may not even hurt you.

Someone may point out a program where the MD admissions has a significant say or must admit you first. I've seen first hand where the MD committees say "It's okay they don't have clinical experience, they have alot of research and they're going for MD/PhD. No problem." Of course this won't work for ALL schools, but I think this general advice holds.

 

[Cal_Irish04]

I in fact have had no clinical experience since hs. However, I didn't decide to do MSTP utnil the middle of my junior year. I changed from previously being set on doing my PhD in organic chemistry. I don't know how they'll view this, but I think there will be plenty of schools who won't care. If you still have time, try to get in at least a little bit or shadow a physician...cuz I sure hate those blank boxes on the secondary apps for clinical work.

 

[noy]

I get the feeling any MSTP adcom is looking to see clinical experience to know that 'you know what you are getting yourself into', not for the pure love of serving patients. Just make it clear you won't head for the hills the first time you see an infected foot or crying 2 year old...

That's my 2 cents...

 

[drdr2010]

even though i am in a non-MSTP program, i did interview at 2 MSTP programs (and was accepted at one!!). in all my interviews, they seemed extremely interested in my clinical experience ( i worked as a certified nurse aide for several years). it was brought up by the interviewers every time and they always wanted me to talk about it extensively. at the Univ of Virginia, they thought it was great, and they had me tell one of their pre-med advisors about my experience and how students can get certified.
so i guess it can never hurt...it was definitely an advantage to someone like me, who had a high GPA and a lot of research, but not the greatest MCAT score (sigh.)

 

[saco]

I hardly had any experience and i was rarely asked about it in most of my interviews.

 

[ImmunoANT]

really? I had three months of volunteer experience, ~ 50 hours in total (feeling almost shameful to put such experience on my application). But I thought I pretty much got what I wanted to know within such short period of time - ie mostly what the clinical work is like. Do most MSTP admissions look heavily for clinical experience??? 😕

 

[pathdr2b]

Originally posted by drdr2010
in all my interviews, they seemed extremely interested in my clinical experience ( i worked as a certified nurse aide for several years). it was brought up by the interviewers every time and they always wanted me to talk about it extensively

I also have quite a bit of clinical expereince (although the bulk of it is over 10 years old ) but my most recenet clinical expereince complements my lab experience that I would be quite upset if no one asked me anything about it (in which case I'll volunteer the info).

As an aside drdr2010, I usually don't comment on the personal messages of people's post/s (except when I was being viturally stalked by the Street Philosopher), but why do you have nonMSTP in yours? Of the many, many, many MD/PhD's I know not one of them has MSTP MD/PhD next to their names on their ID badges and at least a few of them finished from MSTP programs.

 

[drdr2010]

hahaha, although i like the idea of a lot of letters after my name.....i do not plan on using the "nonMSTP" in the future for self identification.
i am only using it here because there is, at least i think, a big difference between MSTP and independent programs (not the least of which is the funding source!!!). i just wanted to call attention to that without naming my specific program, although i might just do that....

 

[wgu]

Originally posted by noy
I get the feeling any MSTP adcom is looking to see clinical experience to know that 'you know what you are getting yourself into', not for the pure love of serving patients. Just make it clear you won't head for the hills the first time you see an infected foot or crying 2 year old...

That's my 2 cents...

I think there's some truth in what you're saying. The ratio of those who come to volunteer over those who signed up to volunteer in the ER is ~20% (vaguely calculated from personal experience and talking w/ nurses/techs). Not too many people seem to care either.

 

[pathdr2b]

Originally posted by drdr2010
i am only using it here because there is, at least i think, a big difference between MSTP and independent programs (not the least of which is the funding source!!!).

\

And I guess the only real difference I'm aware of is the NIH funding. My current PI is the chief of surgical path at NIH and they recently interviewed residents for their anatomic pathology residency program. When I asked around to see who was on the list and from what school, not one of the interviewing pathologist responded "well, we have 2 MSTP MD/PhD students and 5 nonMSTP MD/PhD students.

But I'm curious as to what the "big differences" in the two programs really are. Sounds like I either need to dig up this thread or start a new one..................