Clinical Exposure

[motherof3bsh]

I have a question regarding clinical exposure. Before I ask, I just want to say that I am planning on pursuing clinical experience on my own. But my question is whether you are able to include personal experience as clinical exposure in your application. My father had ALS from when I was 9 until 12 years old. I helped take care of him, my mom had to eventually put him in a nursing home, and we were there every single day. When I was 20 years old, my mom was in a 6 week coma in ICU and ended up passing away anyway. Since my dad was already deceased and my mom wasn't married, I had to make a lot of decisions due to being the oldest child. I was also there every single day, taking care of her, talking with doctors, watching them work etc. I also have Crohn's and colitis, which in the past led to multiple ER visits, surgeries, and hospitalizations. My youngest child was also in NICU for weeks and I had a lot of decisions to make with that. Like I said, I am planning on gaining clinical exposure that I personally go seek. But I can't but feel like that my personal experiences shaped me into who I am. I want to be a doctor because of my experience and because of what I have been exposed to in various situations. I will not soley use this as my "clinical exposure" category, but I can't help but want to use this because this is what ultimately makes me want to be a doctor. Sorry for the long paragraph. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts?

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[saltypug]

I can see this as an appropriate PS topic, but not as one of your activity slots. Seems pretty important to you.

 

[LizzyM]

You have experience as a patient, as a parent and as the child of an individual with a disabling chronic illness and as the adult child of a critically ill parent. Your perspective having been in those roles is valuable to you and will be valuable to your fellow trainees, and someday to your patients and your own trainees. That said, your role as a clinician will be to care for people with whom you do not have filial bonds. Do test your interest in taking care of strangers, of people who distrust you or don't respect you, of people who have made bad choices. If you still want a career in medicine after a peek at what it is to be on the other side, then go for it.

I do agree that it belongs in the personal statement or maybe in an "overcoming adversity" essay rather than as an "experience".

 

[mimelim]

I have a question regarding clinical exposure. Before I ask, I just want to say that I am planning on pursuing clinical experience on my own. But my question is whether you are able to include personal experience as clinical exposure in your application. My father had ALS from when I was 9 until 12 years old. I helped take care of him, my mom had to eventually put him in a nursing home, and we were there every single day. When I was 20 years old, my mom was in a 6 week coma in ICU and ended up passing away anyway. Since my dad was already deceased and my mom wasn't married, I had to make a lot of decisions due to being the oldest child. I was also there every single day, taking care of her, talking with doctors, watching them work etc. I also have Crohn's and colitis, which in the past led to multiple ER visits, surgeries, and hospitalizations. My youngest child was also in NICU for weeks and I had a lot of decisions to make with that. Like I said, I am planning on gaining clinical exposure that I personally go seek. But I can't but feel like that my personal experiences shaped me into who I am. I want to be a doctor because of my experience and because of what I have been exposed to in various situations. I will not soley use this as my "clinical exposure" category, but I can't help but want to use this because this is what ultimately makes me want to be a doctor. Sorry for the long paragraph. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts?

This should be a part of your application. It is most appropriate for your personal statement and depending on how much it impacted your studies/other aspects of life your adversity essay. Just understand (which by your post, I assume that you do) that being a patient or family member of a patient is not exactly the same as clinical exposure for medical school. While an important part is seeing patients, an equally important part is observing/interacting with healthcare providers in a more objective fashion. Certainly believable that you want to be a physician for emotional reasons after what you have talked about here. But, emotional reasons can not be the only reasons and that is where other clinical experiences are going to be invaluable. You need to be able to demonstrate that you understand the differences between the emotional attraction of being a physician and the practical reality of being a physician and the road to becoming one. Subtle point and it is lost on many students. While it certainly won't exclude someone who is otherwise a strong applicant, if the objective is to put forth the most complete and best application that you can, it must be considered.

 

[Goro]

Very sorry to hear of your woes, but trying to get EC credit for taking care of loved ones is like trying to get credit for breathing.

Medicine is a service profession; you need to show us your altruism for strangers.

I have a question regarding clinical exposure. Before I ask, I just want to say that I am planning on pursuing clinical experience on my own. But my question is whether you are able to include personal experience as clinical exposure in your application. My father had ALS from when I was 9 until 12 years old. I helped take care of him, my mom had to eventually put him in a nursing home, and we were there every single day. When I was 20 years old, my mom was in a 6 week coma in ICU and ended up passing away anyway. Since my dad was already deceased and my mom wasn't married, I had to make a lot of decisions due to being the oldest child. I was also there every single day, taking care of her, talking with doctors, watching them work etc. I also have Crohn's and colitis, which in the past led to multiple ER visits, surgeries, and hospitalizations. My youngest child was also in NICU for weeks and I had a lot of decisions to make with that. Like I said, I am planning on gaining clinical exposure that I personally go seek. But I can't but feel like that my personal experiences shaped me into who I am. I want to be a doctor because of my experience and because of what I have been exposed to in various situations. I will not soley use this as my "clinical exposure" category, but I can't help but want to use this because this is what ultimately makes me want to be a doctor. Sorry for the long paragraph. Does anyone have any advice or thoughts?

 

[motherof3bsh]

This should be a part of your application. It is most appropriate for your personal statement and depending on how much it impacted your studies/other aspects of life your adversity essay. Just understand (which by your post, I assume that you do) that being a patient or family member of a patient is not exactly the same as clinical exposure for medical school. While an important part is seeing patients, an equally important part is observing/interacting with healthcare providers in a more objective fashion. Certainly believable that you want to be a physician for emotional reasons after what you have talked about here. But, emotional reasons can not be the only reasons and that is where other clinical experiences are going to be invaluable. You need to be able to demonstrate that you understand the differences between the emotional attraction of being a physician and the practical reality of being a physician and the road to becoming one. Subtle point and it is lost on many students. While it certainly won't exclude someone who is otherwise a strong applicant, if the objective is to put forth the most complete and best application that you can, it must be considered.

Thank you for your advice, everyone! I do have other reasons as to why I want to be a doctor, but I was just wondering how to incorporate some of these experiences into my application. There are several reason why I want to be a doctor, and this has mainly been an accumulation of factors over the years. I am an emotional person, that I can agree with. I plan on seeking a few clinical opportunities so I can be sure that this is what I really want to do.

Very sorry to hear of your woes, but trying to get EC credit for taking care of loved ones is like trying to get credit for breathing.

Medicine is a service profession; you need to show us your altruism for strangers.

I believe that I stated a few times that I am showing my altruism for strangers by seeking our volunteer clinical experience. And while family is not like taking care of strangers, this is still not like breathing. I witnessed one too many people who just simply not there for their loved ones. I'm not looking for a pat on the back. You know how you are asked why you want to be a doctor? Those are some of the reasons as to why I do want to be a doctor. All I am asking is whether that can be considered as any type of clinical exposure, even though it is not necessarily volunteered work. Since some of my past events are some reasons why I want to help others, I'm wondering exactly how this fits into whatever category. I have been told that clinical exposure is clinical exposure, but I would consider this more as just stating that these are some of the reasons as to why I would like to be a doctor. It's not my sole reason, it's only part of it.

 

[motherof3bsh]

You have experience as a patient, as a parent and as the child of an individual with a disabling chronic illness and as the adult child of a critically ill parent. Your perspective having been in those roles is valuable to you and will be valuable to your fellow trainees, and someday to your patients and your own trainees. That said, your role as a clinician will be to care for people with whom you do not have filial bonds. Do test your interest in taking care of strangers, of people who distrust you or don't respect you, of people who have made bad choices. If you still want a career in medicine after a peek at what it is to be on the other side, then go for it.

I do agree that it belongs in the personal statement or maybe in an "overcoming adversity" essay rather than as an "experience".

I am seeking out volunteer clinical experience. You are right, that will be the ultimate test!

 

[LizzyM]

I am rather famous (or infamous ) for my sig line. Every one of those words is specific. It means that you don't have to be laying hands on the patient to have a clinical experience but you have to be close. It also specifies that you are in the presence of a "patient". (not a client, a customer, or a student).

Would you have said to someone, I'm going to see a patient? No, you went to see your child, your mother, your father, or you were going there to BE the patient. I don't devalue this life experience but it really can't be a clinical experience and you shouldn't try to "sell it" as that. What it was was life experience which opened your eyes to the circumstances and needs of those with acute and chronic illnesses and those who are dying and what it feels like to be a family member in those circumstances. You've been in those shoes, you have developed empathy for others walking that road. That's good. Now through volunteering and shadowing you need to see if you can stomach being on the other side and dealing daily for decades with people who are living tragic circumstances that are similar, or different, from your own and whose choices are similar, or different, from those you made.

 

[motherof3bsh]

I am rather famous (or infamous ) for my sig line. Every one of those words is specific. It means that you don't have to be laying hands on the patient to have a clinical experience but you have to be close. It also specifies that you are in the presence of a "patient". (not a client, a customer, or a student).

Would you have said to someone, I'm going to see a patient? No, you went to see your child, your mother, your father, or you were going there to BE the patient. I don't devalue this life experience but it really can't be a clinical experience and you shouldn't try to "sell it" as that. What it was was life experience which opened your eyes to the circumstances and needs of those with acute and chronic illnesses and those who are dying and what it feels like to be a family member in those circumstances. You've been in those shoes, you have developed empathy for others walking that road. That's good. Now through volunteering and shadowing you need to see if you can stomach being on the other side and dealing daily for decades with people who are living tragic circumstances that are similar, or different, from your own and whose choices are similar, or different, from those you made.

This is a great response. Thank you! That was a great way to put it. I think it would be a good idea to say that my past experiences led me to wanting to help others. It's probably more for a personal statement. Also, this can be the beginning to me answering why I chose to be a doctor. Because this is true, my past experiences are what sparked my interest to help others, dig into the sciences, and attempt to understand more about our various illnesses.