Does this Americorps opportunity count as clinical experience?

[lizard17]

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My application is lacking in clinical and volunteer experience and I'm using the next year to build those hours. I found an Americorps Public Health opportunity close to home and I want to see if it counts as clinical experience.

Program description:
Zufall Health’s AmeriCorps program is an 11-month program where people volunteer their time by addressing the ongoing barriers for care. AmeriCorps members serve at one of our health centers sites in northern New Jersey. They work through outreach to address individual challenges and health system barriers faced by Zufall's patient population. Our population includes farm workers, people experiencing homelessness, public housing residents, veterans, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Many come from poor, minority communities with significant barriers to accessing health care. Members also deliver health education on topics including chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and HIV/AIDS, prevention of childhood obesity through nutrition and exercise, proper oral health, wellness programs, healthy teen pregnancies, and access to health insurance. AmeriCorps members do not provide health services related to prohibited activities.

Job description:
Members will conduct community outreach to improve access to primary medical and dental care. They will provide health education on a variety of topics to patients and the community. Members will also enroll people into Medicaid and affordable insurance.


I understand LizzyM's definition of clinical experience and this opportunity is in a health center setting (with other medical professionals incl. physicians) and works directly with patients. But I wonder if health education is viewed as clinical experience in the eyes of adcoms.

TL;DR -- Does community outreach and heath education with patients count as clinical experience?

 

[lizard17]

Alternatively:
If I have the choice between working as a PCT at a dialysis center vs. this Americorps opportunity, which should I pursue?

 

[polymerization]

As far as I can tell, no, health education is not clinical. It is nonclinical volunteering that shows service orientation, though.

PCT will give you more chances to put yourself in front of patients as a clinician and probably pay you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Correction

Thread '[WAMC] Applying 2026 cycle, any holes to address during my gap year? Retake MCAT? (NJ/3.69/513)'

May 28, 2025

I'm focusing on increasing my clinical hours and my non-clinical volunteering hours in the next year. Most of my current clinical and shadowing experience was done abroad so I'm also using the year to get U.S.-based experience. I plan on doing more unpaid service-oriented activities. Posting just to make sure I'm not missing any other holes in my application and for general advice.

Profile:
NJ (strong ties to NY and CA), ORM Female, Bio major '24 at T15 LAC (affiliated with an Ivy League)

Overall GPA: 3.69 (3.88/3.72/3.31/3.72)
BCPM GPA: 3.57 (3.75/3.41/3.43/3.69)

MCAT:
09/06/2024...

• lizard17
• Replies: 4
• Forum: What Are My Chances? WAMC Medical

and

https://www.zufallhealth.org/join-us/americorps-members/

I think my advice focused on your relative dearth of non-clinical experience, and the Americorps experience would help you tremendously (X factor style).

Finding Your Greatest Common Factors with Successful Students | SDN

The Greatest Common Factor (GCF) between two numbers is the largest positive integer that can divide both numbers evenly (without remainders). Prime

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[lizard17]

Previously

L

Thread 'WAMC and school list help: 3.78/518 ORM, CT resident, possibly research heavy'

May 27, 2025

"PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THIS MESSAGE"

Hi everyone, I am really lost on picking out schools that are a match for my research heavy/mid tier stats. I’m an ORM, FAP applicant taking two gap years and have saved up lots for applications so I’m hoping to apply broadly and to as many schools as possible to maximize aid and my chances. I’m looking at maybe 40-50. I don’t know if I'd even have a chance at T20s based on my stats so I'd appreciate any opinions in that (if I should even apply to any?), and I’m also worried that my non-clinical volunteering is a bit low for service schools. I’d really...

• ledzepellin88
• Replies: 7
• Forum: What Are My Chances? WAMC Medical

and

https://www.zufallhealth.org/join-us/americorps-members/

I think my advice focused on your relative dearth of non-clinical experience, and the Americorps experience would help you tremendously (X factor style).

Finding Your Greatest Common Factors with Successful Students | SDN

The Greatest Common Factor (GCF) between two numbers is the largest positive integer that can divide both numbers evenly (without remainders). Prime

www.studentdoctor.net

Thanks for the input. I was also thinking about “X-factor” and it would help me in filling the non-clinical volunteering gap in my app. However, I’m also lacking in clinical experience. I have a WAMC posted further back in my profile. The one you linked is another user.

Since this Americorps opportunity is decidedly not clinical, I’d have to do some volunteer or paid clinical experience on the side but I’m worried that not having my clinical experience as the highest number of hours would put me at a disadvantage.

What would make me the most competitive applicant? Full time clinical work as PCT with volunteering on the side or X-factor volunteering with clinical on the side?

I already have somewhat of an x-factor being a Fulbright researcher.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for the input. I was also thinking about “X-factor” and it would help me in filling the non-clinical volunteering gap in my app. However, I’m also lacking in clinical experience. I have a WAMC posted further back in my profile. The one you linked is another user.

Since this Americorps opportunity is decidedly not clinical, I’d have to do some volunteer or paid clinical experience on the side but I’m worried that not having my clinical experience as the highest number of hours would put me at a disadvantage.

What would make me the most competitive applicant? Full time clinical work as PCT with volunteering on the side or X-factor volunteering with clinical on the side?

I already have somewhat of an x-factor being a Fulbright researcher.

Ah! Thanks for the link check!

Yeah, then I would consider the PCT (subject to more information). You can see if the Zufall folks can take regular volunteers (I presume so).

 

[lizard17]

Thanks so much for your advice! I’ll prioritize the clinical paid work and check out volunteer opportunities at Zufall or similar free clinics.

 

[Goro]

My application is lacking in clinical and volunteer experience and I'm using the next year to build those hours. I found an Americorps Public Health opportunity close to home and I want to see if it counts as clinical experience.

Program description:
Zufall Health’s AmeriCorps program is an 11-month program where people volunteer their time by addressing the ongoing barriers for care. AmeriCorps members serve at one of our health centers sites in northern New Jersey. They work through outreach to address individual challenges and health system barriers faced by Zufall's patient population. Our population includes farm workers, people experiencing homelessness, public housing residents, veterans, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Many come from poor, minority communities with significant barriers to accessing health care. Members also deliver health education on topics including chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma and HIV/AIDS, prevention of childhood obesity through nutrition and exercise, proper oral health, wellness programs, healthy teen pregnancies, and access to health insurance. AmeriCorps members do not provide health services related to prohibited activities.

Job description:
Members will conduct community outreach to improve access to primary medical and dental care. They will provide health education on a variety of topics to patients and the community. Members will also enroll people into Medicaid and affordable insurance.


I understand LizzyM's definition of clinical experience and this opportunity is in a health center setting (with other medical professionals incl. physicians) and works directly with patients. But I wonder if health education is viewed as clinical experience in the eyes of adcoms.

TL;DR -- Does community outreach and heath education with patients count as clinical experience?

Nope. Dispensing medical advice is not clinical. The people you'd be talking to are not patients.

The service is still very admirable.

 

[Goro]

Thanks for the input. I was also thinking about “X-factor” and it would help me in filling the non-clinical volunteering gap in my app. However, I’m also lacking in clinical experience. I have a WAMC posted further back in my profile. The one you linked is another user.

Since this Americorps opportunity is decidedly not clinical, I’d have to do some volunteer or paid clinical experience on the side but I’m worried that not having my clinical experience as the highest number of hours would put me at a disadvantage.

What would make me the most competitive applicant? Full time clinical work as PCT with volunteering on the side or X-factor volunteering with clinical on the side?

I already have somewhat of an x-factor being a Fulbright researcher.

A teaching moment for SDNers. An X factor won't make up for a lack of clinical experience. Applicants have to show that they know what they're getting into, and that they really want to be around sick and injured people for the next 30-40 years.