Clinical Experience?

[mike_D]

I have a question for any who care to comment. I am hoping to attend med school in 2002, and take the MCAT this comming summer. I volunteer in the imaging (CT/MRI) dept of the local hospital (about 50 hours under my belt now), but obtaining a job there is a little tricky. I have also had a job as a veterinary assistant at an animal hosptial where I recieved alot of clinical experience with small animals (vitals, intubation, taking blood, analyzing feces, feline catsration, etc...). I am POSITIVE that I want to go to med school. I considered vet school for a short while, but being an MD has always been in my heart. This is my question.....do I add my animal experience to my AMCAS application?? I have a fear that it will discount my commitment to human medicine. My premed advisor said that it would be fine, but I would feel better with a little more input. Thanks in advance.

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[deziballer]

Use your animal experience to your advantage. In your personal statement, talk about all the enriching experiences you had working with animals, but how you realize your heart is in helping humans and in human biology.

 

[MSepo]

Definitely include this experience in your application. However, in order to balance out your application a little, you probably need some other human experiences as well - besides the volunteer thing you mention, which is pretty standard for all applicants. You still have a couple of years, so find something else where you can aid people. After all, you may KNOW you want to be a people doctor, but how are you going to prove that to the admissions committees?

 

[mike_D]

Thanks for resonding. Will I need a recomendation letter from the veterinarian I work for varifing my experience or will they take my word for it? I would rather not, because I really haven't talked to him about med school. I'm otherwise in good shape for recomendations. Thanks again.