Clinical Work vs. Volunteering vs. Research for Medical School?

[Mochigirl]

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I am a to be a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Genetics and Plant Biology with pre-med ambitions.

I was hoping that each summer I could do volunteering work at my local hospital and over the school year volunteer at an autism center for kids. However, the people in both places have made it very clear that they will not allow us to touch the patients or visit/help them out clinically. Nor will we have the opportunities to watch a doctor take care of a patient

I know that clinical experience is very important but I don't know where I can find any. One of my friends who attends UC Davis now says that he is able to work at the UC Davis medical center's ER room and actually take blood pressures and simple tests on the patients. Since UC Berkeley doesn't have a medical school, I really don't know where to look for to gain clinical experience since hospitals don't offer that.

Furthermore, as for Research works. I wanted to do some plant research with a professoer during my junior year. Since my research is not related to medicine. Is it still useful?

My major adviser and pre-med counselor always say that I don't need all three before I apply to medical school. Is this true? Even so, I still want to know where I can go to gain clinical experience. And is working at a hospital even necessary if I volunteer during the school year at the autism center? And is my plant research going to mean anything to the medical school? I HOPE you guys can answer my questions because I am very frustrated. THANK YOU! 😍

 

[serikk85]

I'm not super qualified to answer this question since I haven't been accepted anywhere, but I'll give it a shot. My strategy has been to show get some basic experience in all of these areas and excel at one of them. Med schools want to know that you've seriously investigated medicine beforehand, that's why it's nice to have clinical work, etc. They also want to have people who are passionate about what they do, so it's good to have a focus. Pick the area that gets you excited and give it all you've got. Good luck! 😀

 

[neuro1617]

I think the clinical experience part is the most important because otherwise how can they see that you might enjoy the profession & hospital environment? Try emailing doctors at a nearby hospital and ask them to shadow. It's an easy and interesting way to get clinical exp. Teaching hospitals are especially good in my experience since the attendings/residents are used to having students follow them around and are more than willing to explain things and let you observe. Your ideas for volunteering sound good.

It doesn't really matter to the med schools what kind of research you are doing-it is more important that you enjoy it and can talk about it in depth with enthusiasm. Also having some leadership is beneficial. Remember that having less activities which you were involved with for some time are better than a ton of short ones that you weren't that involved with.

It's good that you're getting activities started early and are thinking about the major ones so try not to be frustrated. You don't necessarily NEED all 3 to get into schools though.
edit: I'm not super qualified either as I haven't even applied to schools yet....but that's what I've heard works...

 

[Caesar]

I am a to be a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Genetics and Plant Biology with pre-med ambitions.

I was hoping that each summer I could do volunteering work at my local hospital and over the school year volunteer at an autism center for kids. However, the people in both places have made it very clear that they will not allow us to touch the patients or visit/help them out clinically. Nor will we have the opportunities to watch a doctor take care of a patient

I know that clinical experience is very important but I don't know where I can find any. One of my friends who attends UC Davis now says that he is able to work at the UC Davis medical center's ER room and actually take blood pressures and simple tests on the patients. Since UC Berkeley doesn't have a medical school, I really don't know where to look for to gain clinical experience since hospitals don't offer that.

Furthermore, as for Research works. I wanted to do some plant research with a professoer during my junior year. Since my research is not related to medicine. Is it still useful?

My major adviser and pre-med counselor always say that I don't need all three before I apply to medical school. Is this true? Even so, I still want to know where I can go to gain clinical experience. And is working at a hospital even necessary if I volunteer during the school year at the autism center? And is my plant research going to mean anything to the medical school? I HOPE you guys can answer my questions because I am very frustrated. THANK YOU! 😍

In general the more you have the better. The plant research still counts, you just need to be enthusiastic enough about it to be able to explain what you did.

Shadowing counts as clinical experience so try to find some docs in the area that will be willing to let you come follow them around. I've found ER's are a good place to find willing docs. The volunteering you mentioned sounds good even if it isn't hands on. Ask specifically what you will be doing and make sure it isn't answering phones/ shuffling papers.

Working at a hospital is not necessary. I won't have. Like I said before shadowing is a good enough clinical experience, and if you find the right docs, it can be very hands on after they get to know you a bit.

Hope this helps!

 

[paradocs we are]

Since I've done many years of research (and none related to medicine), the key is being able to explain not the details of your research but how you contributed to that research. For example, if you came up with a new technique for experiments or you used a novel idea for your research, then pinpoint that out. Good luck!

 

[Character]

clinical is most important. that includes er volunteering

 

[FuturePharm21]

if most of the hospitals in my area told me I cannot volunteer in ER, is there anything else clinical i can do? since my volunteer coordinator is giving me nonsense stuff to do including giving directions and absolutely no medical exposure/clinical experience whatsoever...but today she finally said I could possibly help out on the nursing floor...idk if that's even worthwhile clinical experience? *can you believe I have volunteered there for 2 years....ahh I am so angry and frustrated!