Foreign vs. U.S. clinical experience

[BarcaBest23]

Quick question. How does foreign clinical experience match up with u.s. clinical experience. I know that U.S. is preferable because it is obviously more similar to what one will experience as a practicing physician in the U.S. BUT then again one can only do limited stuff as a volunteer or when shadowing in the U.S. whereas third world countries allow real hands on experience. For example, I am doing clinical rotations with interns right now in a hospital in south america (60-70 hour weeks) including physical examinations and even assisting in surgeries etc. which is something I would never be able to get my hands on at this level in the U.S. Therefore doesn't "real" patient interactions such as these far outweigh the experience I would get in the U.S. following a doc around aimlessly? By the way, I am not implying that U.S. shadowing is worthless, all I am saying is that the u.s. system limits the extent to which we (as non physicians) can interact with patients with good reason since we are not doctors.

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[TheMightySmiter]

Patient care experience is great wherever you can get it, and you're right that it's much easier to do direct patient care in the developing world where there's more need and less help to give it. The EC you're doing in South America sounds great, and I'd encourage you to keep doing that.

However, you will need to do some shadowing in the US to get to know the system here from a physician's perspective. Being a doctor in South America is different from being a doctor in the US because of that system, and med schools will want to know that you understand that. Otherwise, how will they know that you're at all prepared to face the challenges that US physicians face?

 

[Catalystik]

MightySmiter is right. International experience is great, but should not be the only listing on your application. You need to see medicine from the perspective of an American doc in a US clinical facility, too. Be prepared to answer a question about comparing the two systems at your interviews.

 

[LizzyM]

Frankly, I'm not so much concerned with being wrist deep in a patient's gut. You'll get your chance to do that as a 3rd year. What I want are people who are comfortable making small talk with patients, putting them at ease, etc. Those are skills you can't often learn abroad (different language, different culture) but that you must learn if you are to succeed as an M3 (and a physician) in the US.

 

[chiz2kul]

MightySmiter is right. International experience is great, but should not be the only listing on your application. You need to see medicine from the perspective of an American doc in a US clinical facility, too. Be prepared to answer a question about comparing the two systems at your interviews.

I had to answer this at a couple of my interviews..

 

[ahmcadams]

What's far more is important is what you took away from the experience that you can articulate sincerely and convincingly in an interview or on paper. It matters ess where you did it and more what you did and what that taught you.

 

[BarcaBest23]

thanks a lot everyone for the great insight. Makes perfect sense. Cheers