Gap in clinical activities

[TompaBae]

I had a question regarding my clinical experience, and whether it needs to be supplemented.
I did clinical volunteering for 3 semesters (1yr) through 2017-2018. Throughout this time, I had ~100 hours.
In 2019, however, I did not have clinical experience, but I shadowed in the fall for 2 months (~50 hours).
Obviously, in 2020, I could not get any. In January of 2021 however, I've started clinical volunteering again and will accumulate another ~150 hours.
I know the 250 hours is well above the 150 point that @LizzyM mentions, but is the gap in my experience a red flag?

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[LizzyM]

Everyone knows that 2020-2021 was a time when it was difficult to acquire clinical experience. No one in an adcom will bat an eye at this gap.

 

[KnightDoc]

Everyone knows that 2020-2021 was a time when it was difficult to acquire clinical experience. No one in an adcom will bat an eye at this gap.

Right, @LizzyM, but OP said that his experience consists of 100 hours from 2017-18, and then nothing until 2021. Would that be an issue, or would the two year gap be lost in the tumult of the past year?

Schools seem to value longitudinal experience -- does 100 hours spread across two years, supplemented by an additional 150 hours after a 2 year gap, only 10 months of which is explained by the pandemic, present a problem, or is 250 hours good, regardless of how long it took to acquire them?

 

[LizzyM]

Right, @LizzyM, but OP said that his experience consists of 100 hours from 2017-18, and then nothing until 2021. Would that be an issue, or would the two year gap be lost in the tumult of the past year?

Schools seem to value longitudinal experience -- does 100 hours spread across two years, supplemented by an additional 150 hours after a 2 year gap, only 10 months of which is explained by the pandemic, present a problem, or is 250 hours good, regardless of how long it took to acquire them?

What else was he doing in 2019? Some shadowing... maybe some other important activities that meant that clinical volunteering needed to be shunted aside. Rather than thinking of this as check boxes, one should understand that the application is viewed in a holistic fashion.

 

[TompaBae]

What else was he doing in 2019? Some shadowing... maybe some other important activities that meant that clinical volunteering needed to be shunted aside. Rather than thinking of this as check boxes, one should understand that the application is viewed in a holistic fashion.

In 2019, I continued a 1) long-term non-clinical volunteering activity, 2) significant tutoring/leadership position. In all honesty, looking back I wish I could've continued clinical volunteering throughout that time, but alas I did not. I think I do deserve some criticism as @KnightDoc explained, and I will do my best to allay any fears of box-checking in my 2nd gap year, before applying next year.

 

[KnightDoc]

In 2019, I continued a 1) long-term non-clinical volunteering activity, 2) significant tutoring/leadership position. In all honesty, looking back I wish I could've continued clinical volunteering throughout that time, but alas I did not. I think I do deserve some criticism as @KnightDoc explained, and I will do my best to allay any fears of box-checking in my 2nd gap year, before applying next year.

For the record, I honestly did not mean to either criticize or suggest that you deserve criticism. I was just asking, both for you and for myself, whether a gap that preceded the pandemic would be overlooked, given the pandemic, since @LizzyM didn't speak to that in her initial response.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

In 2019, I continued a 1) long-term non-clinical volunteering activity, 2) significant tutoring/leadership position. In all honesty, looking back I wish I could've continued clinical volunteering throughout that time, but alas I did not. I think I do deserve some criticism as @KnightDoc explained, and I will do my best to allay any fears of box-checking in my 2nd gap year, before applying next year.

Not every activity you have to show continuity. Getting clinical volunteering is not easy at lot of places. My kid's clinical volunteering was split over 3 years between 3 different places with total less than 150 hours and no one questioned that in the interviews. Don't focus on the total hours but focus on gaining meaningful experience and be articulate in the essays.

 

[TompaBae]

For the record, I honestly did not mean to either criticize or suggest that you deserve criticism. I was just asking, both for you and for myself, whether a gap that preceded the pandemic would be overlooked, given the pandemic, since @LizzyM didn't speak to that in her initial response.

No worries, haha. I take everything constructively.