Enough clinical experience?

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Hey everyone,
I was wondering about my overall experience when it comes to clinical volunteering. I am a senior in college and I haven’t been able to do any hospital volunteering. I have 40 hours of shadowing and about 90 hours of non clinical volunteering. The thing is that I worked in the school clinic for 2 semesters (100hrs) where I would go into the rooms and ask patients questions from our health survey and run errands for the doctors. I also took care of my cousin who has cerebral palsy for 2 years (700+hrs). Both these positions were paid. Are these good enough for the clinical part of my application or should I try to volunteer at the hospital like I’m the ER department?
Thank you!!

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[LizzyM]

Paid clinical experience can substitute for clinical volunteering. 90 hours of non-clinical volunteering is a bit light... try to double down and get that number to 150 by June 1. An alternate spring break in an urban setting (or elsewhere in the US) would get you close to over the top. Seek to do direct service to those in need.

On second thought, if most of your employment has been with young relatively healthy people (school clinic) and with a relatively young disabled person, you might try to get some time with profoundly ill or injured older people or the dying (hospice). Your experience is just very limited. Holding babies in the NICU might work for you... the hours are very flexible and the need is there when parents can't be there every day.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Paid clinical experience can substitute for clinical volunteering. 90 hours of non-clinical volunteering is a bit light... try to double down and get that number to 150 by June 1. An alternate spring break in an urban setting (or elsewhere in the US) would get you close to over the top. Seek to do direct service to those in need.

On second thought, if most of your employment has been with young relatively healthy people (school clinic) and with a relatively young disabled person, you might try to get some time with profoundly ill or injured older people or the dying (hospice). Your experience is just very limited. Holding babies in the NICU might work for you... the hours are very flexible and the need is there when parents can't be there every day.

My cousin with cerebral palsy is quadriplegic. So I did a lot with distributing medications, catherization, giving breathing treatments, changing diapers, taking to doctor appointments, lifting, feeding through g tube. Okay, I will do more non clinical volunteering and find something like you mentioned . I agree that even though I had a lot to do with my cousin, he was pretty healthy overall. Thank you for your reply!!!

 

[LizzyM]

The other consideration is that when you have a blood-relative relationship with someone, you do things for them out of love that is different than being of service to strangers who may be dismissive, or even hostile.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

The other consideration is that when you have a blood-relative relationship with someone, you do things for them out of love that is different than being of service to strangers who may be dismissive, or even hostile.

That makes sense. So, would you say that I focus on non clinical volunteering more or just do some clinical volunteering in a hospital and then do non clinical later?

 

[LizzyM]

That makes sense. So, would you say that I focus on non clinical volunteering more or just do some clinical volunteering in a hospital and then do non clinical later?

If you care about "helping people" you should be involved in your community as someone who helps those in need.

If you want to spend the next 40+ years in the field of medicine, you should test that interest before you get too far down the path and have too much invested to get out.

How you decide to spend your time, help others and test your interest in medicine is your own decision.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

If you care about "helping people" you should be involved in your community as someone who helps those in need.

If you want to spend the next 40+ years in the field of medicine, you should test that interest before you get too far down the path and have too much invested to get out.

How you decide to spend your time, help others and test your interest in medicine is your own decision.

I will work on getting more hours for both types of volunteering. I am very invested in pursuing medicine as a career. So, next semester I was going to do genetics research. Would you say that doing more volunteering takes priority over research when it comes to being competitive? I won’t have time with my course load and two jobs to do both. Thank you so much for your advice, it is super helpful!!

 

[LizzyM]

Do you need two jobs to support yourself? If not, you might want to drop one and take up research. However, if your grades and scores are more in line with mission based schools than research powerhouses, the research may not add much.

 

[Cornfed101]

I will work on getting more hours for both types of volunteering. I am very invested in pursuing medicine as a career. So, next semester I was going to do genetics research. Would you say that doing more volunteering takes priority over research when it comes to being competitive? I won’t have time with my course load and two jobs to do both. Thank you so much for your advice, it is super helpful!!

Volunteering doesn’t need to be a huge time commitment. Just a few hours a month of each should be plenty. Research is more important at schools that value research and volunteering is more important at schools that value volunteering. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for that.

 

[candbgirl]

I will work on getting more hours for both types of volunteering. I am very invested in pursuing medicine as a career. So, next semester I was going to do genetics research. Would you say that doing more volunteering takes priority over research when it comes to being competitive? I won’t have time with my course load and two jobs to do both. Thank you so much for your advice, it is super helpful!!

Research isn’t all that helpful in some cases. You haven’t shared any stats or if you are Looking at the research powerhouses. So we really can’t tell you if doing a semester of genetics research will help your applications. We can tell you that schools value service and volunteering pretty much across the board. If you feel you won’t be ready to apply next cycle don’t do it. Keep building your application until it’s the best possible reflection of you. Frankly, you seem to be box checking. Find some volunteering opportunities(clinical and nonclinical) that you enjoy doing and that you are passionate about. And go from there. ADCOMS will want to see that passion in your application and in your interviews.

 

[Icebird]

Consider looking for medical assistant jobs on indeed; depending on location some are offered with no experience/certificate required and are a great paid experience in regards to clinical exposure.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Research isn’t all that helpful in some cases. You haven’t shared any stats or if you are Looking at the research powerhouses. So we really can’t tell you if doing a semester of genetics research will help your applications. We can tell you that schools value service and volunteering pretty much across the board. If you feel you won’t be ready to apply next cycle don’t do it. Keep building your application until it’s the best possible reflection of you. Frankly, you seem to be box checking. Find some volunteering opportunities(clinical and nonclinical) that you enjoy doing and that you are passionate about. And go from there. ADCOMS will want to see that passion in your application and in your interviews.

Thank you so much for your advice! Honestly I decided on medicine less than a year ago so I feel like I have to catch up. If medical school admissions was based solely on passion then I got it! I just want to make sure I have what I need to be competitive for the upcoming cycle. To give you reference I currently have a 3.65 gpa. Will be taking the MCAT early next year. I did psychology research last semester.I understand what you guys are saying about research specific schools vs volunteer specific schools. I just feel like I have to catch up since I didn’t know I wanted to do medicine until recently and there are so many different parts of the application. Thank you for your advice!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Consider looking for medical assistant jobs on indeed; depending on location some are offered with no experience/certificate required and are a great paid experience in regards to clinical exposure.

I will check it out. Thank you for your advice! I felt like my job at the school clinic gave me a lot of patient contact but I believe a medical assistant job will help me gain more experience!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Do you need two jobs to support yourself? If not, you might want to drop one and take up research. However, if your grades and scores are more in line with mission based schools than research powerhouses, the research may not add much.

Yes, I do need both jobs. I don’t get any financial support so I pay for school, living, etc. I did psychology research last semester, so I have some experience in research. Currently I have a 3.65 gpa and two more semesters left. I’ll start looking at the schools I want to apply to and see if they prefer research vs volunteering. Thank you a lot!

 

[LizzyM]

As long as you have some experience in research, you have that box checked. With your GPA you are likley to be looking at the mission-driven schools that value service over research.

 

[candbgirl]

Thank you so much for your advice! Honestly I decided on medicine less than a year ago so I feel like I have to catch up. If medical school admissions was based solely on passion then I got it! I just want to make sure I have what I need to be competitive for the upcoming cycle. To give you reference I currently have a 3.65 gpa. Will be taking the MCAT early next year. I did psychology research last semester.I understand what you guys are saying about research specific schools vs volunteer specific schools. I just feel like I have to catch up since I didn’t know I wanted to do medicine until recently and there are so many different parts of the application. Thank you for your advice!

Don’t look at it as “catching up”. You aren’t competing with anyone as you build your application. You have as much time as you need to get everything in place. Some applicants have been volunteering and doing research and participating in sports and writing the Great American novel for years. You can’t expect to get everything done in a year. So slow down and do it right. As far as the MCAT goes, don’t take it until you are scoring at or above your target score on several FL practice tests. It’s really something you only want to take one time.

 

[choks]

Don’t look at it as “catching up”. You aren’t competing with anyone as you build your application. You have as much time as you need to get everything in place. Some applicants have been volunteering and doing research and participating in sports and writing the Great American novel for years. You can’t expect to get everything done in a year. So slow down and do it right. As far as the MCAT goes, don’t take it until you are scoring at or above your target score on several FL practice tests. It’s really something you only want to take one time.

Agreed! It’s more important to not look at it as fulfilling a “requirement” since Adcoms can probably tell when you’re just checking a box off the list. Make it meaningful, so you can talk about it with passion in your secondaries and during your interviews.

I studied for the MCAT for 3 real months (maybe 6 months total) while working full-time and only regret not practicing CARS more. The science stuff naturally came to me, but I know I should have prepared more for reading. Although I was scoring in the 50%tiles, the actual MCAT kicked my butt.

Nonetheless, with a low CARS and no real research experience, I managed to earn a DO acceptance and will be attending an MD interview in a couple weeks! Keep your head up, excel in the things you’re currently doing, and you’ll be fine! Also, get off SDN during the cycle. It’s toxic!

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

there is a wide misperception of how weight schools put on research. All schools, even research powerhouses, require a base of service/clinical experience. The general rule of thumb is both at least 150 hours each of clinical and non clinical. And remember you will be competing against applicants with significant hours (over 500) as well as research experience. Your experiences with school clinic and personal CP assistance are at best secondary. I would suggest at least 100 hours for a hospital or clinic setting and 100 hours in community service. preferably with underserved, marginalized and/or populations different than yourself . Lastly, I have sent many students to medical school with little or no research. I have never sent anyone without sufficient clinical experience

*********************************************8
In a 2013 AAMC survey* where 127 medical admissions offices responded, found research experience is only of medium importance at private schools and of low importance to public schools as an experiential factor in offering both interview invitations and acceptance. Healthcare experience, community service/volunteer experience, experience with underserved populations, navigated through cultural barriers or challenges, leadership experience were considered of higher importance in factors for interview invites and offers of acceptances. This was further borne out in the 2015 AAMC Survey** where 130 medical school admissions found that both community service or volunteer in both medical and non-medical settings ranked higher in importance than physician shadowing

*see page 7 (pdf page 12) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, and Demographic Application Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants to Receive an Interview Invitation and Offer Acceptance (N=127)

** See page 14 (pdf page 21) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, Demographic, and Interview Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants Receive Interview Invitations and Acceptance Offers (N=130)

Thank you so much for your reply! I thought that research held heavy weight especially if you are being compared to an applicant that has none. I will focus on trying new experiences and learning about the healthcare field more! Thank you again for your advice.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

Agreed! It’s more important to not look at it as fulfilling a “requirement” since Adcoms can probably tell when you’re just checking a box off the list. Make it meaningful, so you can talk about it with passion in your secondaries and during your interviews.

I studied for the MCAT for 3 real months (maybe 6 months total) while working full-time and only regret not practicing CARS more. The science stuff naturally came to me, but I know I should have prepared more for reading. Although I was scoring in the 50%tiles, the actual MCAT kicked my butt.

Nonetheless, with a low CARS and no real research experience, I managed to earn a DO acceptance and will be attending an MD interview in a couple weeks! Keep your head up, excel in the things you’re currently doing, and you’ll be fine! Also, get off SDN during the cycle. It’s toxic!

That makes sense. Any advice on how to study for the CARS section?

 

[choks]

That makes sense. Any advice on how to study for the CARS section?

I think just practicing and practicing. Finding your groove and the best strategy for you is key to success. However, I’m probably not the best person to ask since I got below 50%tile.