Dealing with my great lack of Clinical Experience !?!?

[Doc.Holliday]

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right, so I have no clinical experience whatsoever (or at least nothing substantial or even worth putting on apps). so, i obviously have to deal with this soon.

I havent done any volunteering or shadowing etc yet because i spend all of my free time in a research lab (developmental genetics/neuroscience both at tulane and now in oregon, i worked full time sophomore year, and more than full time this past summer and this fall). I dont have any publications yet, the hurricane screwed that up majorly (im from new orleans originally, so its the least of my problems, but it still sucks). I was compiling data to write and submit for 4 publications back home, and i had a few more on the way, they were just short descriptives, but i would have had a big one or two before application time. But, that is all defrosted now, so as far as i know (ive still been unable to get in touch with my lab director) most of my work has been lost, i might be able to get something out of my work, but nothing like what was planned. we'll have to see. also, i was supposed to be starting work with a research group at the med school on neonatal cardiovascular perfusion (also would have had a publication or 2), not happening either, so there went my planned clinical exposure. I will hopefully get my name on a couple of things for my work here in Oregon, but thats not for sure.

I am a junior and therefore am running out of time. I will not waste my time volunteering, I would much rather spend that time in the lab. I would like to apply to both md/phd and md programs, i havent decided which i'd rather. Volunteering is just not time effective imo, i get more out of research, so shadowing is definitely on my to do list. I know a lot of doctors, but becuase of the hurricane and how hectic everyone's lives are these days, i wont be doing as much as i had wanted. so that leaves me with a gaping hole in my application!!! so how do i deal with it?


a clinical research program like the summer fellowships at the mayo clinic etc are possible choices, and are research oriented, so more up my alley. but would a summer at the mayo clinic + a bit of shadowing + my research be enough to satisfy adcoms? what other such programs exist besides at the mayo clinic? links please! any other suggestions?

also, having those publications etc torn away from me has really left me feeling insecure about my application. how would adcoms view a letter from my lab director explaining where i was in my work? not exactly a publication, but better than nothing eh? I'll be getting letters from everyone ive worked for anyway, but i could make sure they mention certain things. I could get a letter from the docs i was supposed to be working with too, explaining what i would have done sanskatrina, but i kinda think thats a bit of a stretch. anyway, advice please!

 

[snobored18]

I don't know if this will help you out... I was a fellow at the Mayo clinic and I can tell you its a great experience. If you aren't planning on taking the MCAT and don't have any other pressing obligations you can probably fit in both the research portion and find somebody to shadow for the summer...there are a number of practicing MD/PhD's at Mayo who see patients part-time...fair warning though if you want to go on rounds with these people be prepared to be up and in front of St. M's or Rochester General before the sun rises, working the same 10-12 hour days that some of these MD/PhDs do is KILLER. Another tip...if you go try and stay in the apartments kiddy corner to St. Mary's and not the grand kahler... the extremely nice part about Mayo's program is interacting with the fantastic group of people they bring in each year...just don't be like my group and forget to haul the keg out of the common room...best of luck with the fellowships.

 

[snobored18]

I don't know if this will help you out... I was a fellow at the Mayo clinic and I can tell you its a great experience. If you aren't planning on taking the MCAT and don't have any other pressing obligations you can probably fit in both the research portion and find somebody to shadow for the summer...there are a number of practicing MD/PhD's at Mayo who see patients part-time...fair warning though if you want to go on rounds with these people be prepared to be up and in front of St. M's or Rochester General before the sun rises, working the same 10-12 hour days that some of these MD/PhDs do is KILLER. Another tip...if you go try and stay in the apartments kiddy corner to St. Mary's and not the grand kahler... the extremely nice part about Mayo's program is interacting with the fantastic group of people they bring in each year...just don't be like my group and forget to haul the keg out of the common room...best of luck with the fellowships.

 

[Rendar5]

Why not see what volunteering programs are available at the local ERs? Like asking them what specific programs they have aside from one of the standard boring ones. I was involved in one which incorporated general volunteering w/ clinical research and shadowing of the entire staff. Aside from that, just do something that involves shadowing. I agree it's a waste to just stand around doing nothing, seeing nothing. But the general point of clinical experience is to have some idea of what working in medicine is (prolly not as important for MD/PhDs who are planning on lab work). So don't do clinical research unless it involves seeing a doctor at work or seeing some sort of patient-oriented clinics.