How can I classify this activity?

[believe <3]

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I have volunteered in an organization that serves disabled kids for about two years now. Basically, I spend time with the kids (play music, dance, arts, pool, church, etc.) I also feed them, transport kids around in their wheelchairs, and sometimes help with changing duties for pool. I work with a lot of different kids, so every time a new child is put under my supervision, I have to read through his/her medical record. This has given me a lot of exposure with mental illness-related terms, symptoms and care provided. I also had the opportunity to experience first-hand what autism, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, aphasia, epilepsy, dyslexia, etc. are like. In addition, this has taught me how to discipline children that get aggravated and employ specific techniques to calm them down.

I am wondering if I can put this experience down as a clinical activity…the facility is not a hospital, but is usually recommended by doctors (it's kind of like hospice care, except for disabled children) and there are nurses present. A few members on SDN previously told me that this would be non-clinical because it's not a hospital, but I feel like I gain a lot of clinically-related knowledge here, so I would like to ask again. Hopefully, this time I've described the activity in more detail to get a better answer!

@Goro , @LizzyM, @gyngyn @Catalystik @Ismet What would you suggest I classify this as?

 

[Goro]

I consider this clinical activity. One doesn't have to be in a hospital to be a patient. Kudos to you for doing this, too!

I have volunteered in an organization that serves disabled kids for about two years now. Basically, I spend time with the kids (play music, dance, arts, pool, church, etc.) I also feed them, transport kids around in their wheelchairs, and sometimes help with changing duties for pool. I work with a lot of different kids, so every time a new child is put under my supervision, I have to read through his/her medical record. This has given me a lot of exposure with mental illness-related terms, symptoms and care provided. I also had the opportunity to experience first-hand what autism, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, aphasia, epilepsy, dyslexia, etc. are like. In addition, this has taught me how to discipline children that get aggravated and employ specific techniques to calm them down.

I am wondering if I can put this experience down as a clinical activity…the facility is not a hospital, but is usually recommended by doctors (it's kind of like hospice care, except for disabled children) and there are nurses present. A few members on SDN previously told me that this would be non-clinical because it's not a hospital, but I feel like I gain a lot of clinically-related knowledge here, so I would like to ask again. Hopefully, this time I've described the activity in more detail to get a better answer!

@Goro , @LizzyM, @gyngyn @Catalystik @Ismet What would you suggest I classify this as?

 

[Catalystik]

I have volunteered in an organization that serves disabled kids for about two years now. Basically, I spend time with the kids (play music, dance, arts, pool, church, etc.) I also feed them, transport kids around in their wheelchairs, and sometimes help with changing duties for pool. I work with a lot of different kids, so every time a new child is put under my supervision, I have to read through his/her medical record. This has given me a lot of exposure with mental illness-related terms, symptoms and care provided. I also had the opportunity to experience first-hand what autism, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, aphasia, epilepsy, dyslexia, etc. are like. In addition, this has taught me how to discipline children that get aggravated and employ specific techniques to calm them down.

I am wondering if I can put this experience down as a clinical activity…the facility is not a hospital, but is usually recommended by doctors (it's kind of like hospice care, except for disabled children) and there are nurses present. A few members on SDN previously told me that this would be non-clinical because it's not a hospital, but I feel like I gain a lot of clinically-related knowledge here, so I would like to ask again. Hopefully, this time I've described the activity in more detail to get a better answer!

@Goro , @LizzyM, @gyngyn @Catalystik @Ismet What would you suggest I classify this as?

To get a clearer idea of your role:

Are any of your duties meant to be therapeutic, eg assist in improving balance, range of motion, fine or gross motor skills? Are you teaching skills for daily living? Do you use behavior modification techniques you've been taught? Do you help with catheters or feeding tubes, or change dressings? Do you generate reports on progress? Do you administer medication?

 

[believe <3]

To get a clearer idea of your role:

Are any of your duties meant to be therapeutic, eg assist in improving balance, range of motion, fine or gross motor skills? Are you teaching skills for daily living? Do you use behavior modification techniques you've been taught? Do you help with catheters or feeding tubes, or change dressings? Do you generate reports on progress? Do you administer medication?

Not really…I'm not trained to do any of that stuff. I guess I do teach the kids skills for daily living if you consider disciplining them to eat their food, be nice to others and behave to be some of those skills. My supervisor and I deal with some of their tantrums by using various persuasive techniques, but this is more like convincing the kids to be good for a later reward. I also help them walk around the facility and teach them music to calm them down (maybe this could be considered therapeutic? In my hospice volunteering, I offer music companionship through therapy which is similar so idk what adcoms would think…). I help with feeding tubes and changing of clothes, not dressings. I also learned some sign language (not officially, but from the children) that taught me how to better communicate with the kids that have hearing and language deficiencies. And no, I don't administer medication. I am more like an assistant to the person that does all the things you mentioned (the facility tends to hire those trained in speech pathology, education, nursing, etc. and I am just an undergraduate student). In my opinion, this is like a mix of shadowing/hospice care in the case that I can follow the doctor around and take notes and observe patients, but can't offer medication or take blood tests...It's like hospice because I offer companionship to the children and am just there for them when they need it.

 

[believe <3]

I consider this clinical activity. One doesn't have to be in a hospital to be a patient. Kudos to you for doing this, too!

Thanks Goro! I really enjoy doing this activity…it intensified my dream to go peds 🙂

 

[Catalystik]

Is this a residential facility or do the kids go home at night? Do the kids have an ID bracelet for identification?

 

[believe <3]

Is this a residential facility or do the kids go home at night? Do the kids have an ID bracelet for identification?

It is a residential facility…the kids have their own rooms to sleep in and usually stay weekends or sometimes entire weeks (it is a place that provides respite for parents that need a break from providing constant care). The kids don't wear ID bracelets, but they do have identifying medical records and a name tag which the supervisor carries at all times. But generally, everyone knows each child's name…the community is pretty close-knit because the same kids tend to follow a regular schedule; the kids that come on Fridays come every Friday and stay till Sunday. Each child has a personalized care plan, which is decided on with parents, nurses and the volunteer coordinator.

 

[Catalystik]

There are enough elements present that I agree that this activity can be spun as a clinical experience. The words you choose to describe your role will be important in how it will be judged.

 

[LizzyM]

It could go either way. If you have other more traditional clinical activities, then I'd call this one "non-clinical". We do have some adcom members who want to see "non-clinical" volunteer service as well as clinical activities of some kind, so calling this "non-clinical" could be a strategic decision depending on what the rest of your application holds.

 

[believe <3]

It could go either way. If you have other more traditional clinical activities, then I'd call this one "non-clinical". We do have some adcom members who want to see "non-clinical" volunteer service as well as clinical activities of some kind, so calling this "non-clinical" could be a strategic decision depending on what the rest of your application holds.

I'm lacking on the clinical side (have about ~300 hours shadowing and will have ~150 hrs Hospice volunteering by the time I apply this June, but I started hospice this year…). On the non-clinical side, I have Habitat (1 year), tutoring for the underserved (1 semester), church service activities (Lions club) - hours spread sporadically over 2 years, volunteering at an old age home (started this year), and some other non-clinical service activities with school clubs (AED, etc.)

I feel like my activities aren't that great 🤔 but I am taking a gap year so I hope to improve some aspects of what I'm lacking in (although I'm also applying this cycle)! Considering the above, where would you suggest placing my volunteering for 2 years with disabled kids? Clinical or non-clinical?

 

[believe <3]

@gyngyn would this be considered a clinical activity at your school??

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn would this be considered a clinical activity at your school??

It looks more like child care/teaching, but it could easily pass for clinical experience.

 

[believe <3]

It looks more like child care/teaching, but it could easily pass for clinical experience.

So I wouldn't be considered "lying" if I put it down as clinical experience right? Even with my state schools? (who might know about this facility in more detail…)

 

[gyngyn]

So I wouldn't be considered "lying" if I put it down as clinical experience right? Even with my state schools? (who might know about this facility in more detail…)

As long as you emphasize your residents' medical/developmental problems and what you learned about them, it should be fine.

 

[believe <3]

As long as you emphasize your residents' medical/developmental problems and what you learned about them, it should be fine.

Okay thanks! Also, considering this:

I think I'm lacking on the clinical side (have about ~300 hours shadowing and will have ~150 hrs Hospice volunteering by the time I apply this June, but I started hospice this year…). On the non-clinical side, I have Habitat (1 year), tutoring for the underserved (1 semester), church service activities (Lions club) - hours spread sporadically over 2 years, volunteering at an old age home (started this year), and some other non-clinical service activities with school clubs (AED, etc.)

Where would you say I am lacking the most? On the clinical or non-clinical side? Depending on that, I will classify this activity...

 

[LizzyM]

The one thing that seems peculiar is 300 hours of shadowing. That's the equivalent of a solid month of 10 hour days standing around watching someone work. Was this a mix of inpatient hospital and ambulatory? Was it primary care and specialty care? How did you amass so many hours?

Is that a hospice facility or home hospice?

How much time have you clocked in medical facilities where people are receiving diagnostic and treatment services?

 

[believe <3]

The one thing that seems peculiar is 300 hours of shadowing. That's the equivalent of a solid month of 10 hour days standing around watching someone work. Was this a mix of inpatient hospital and ambulatory? Was it primary care and specialty care? How did you amass so many hours?

Is that a hospice facility or home hospice?

How much time have you clocked in medical facilities where people are receiving diagnostic and treatment services?

Well, I've been shadowing ever since freshman year (I was told that we had to do a lot!) I've done a week's worth of Peds, Cardiology, Sleep Medicine, two wks. of internal medicine with different doctors, and a week of endocrinology. Each day was spent from ~ 9 am - 3 pm except the cardiology rotation, I spent more like 50 hrs. for the entire week. So that puts me at around ~300 hrs. I honestly have a lot to say about my shadowing experience; I took notes every single day on what I observed and what I learned from that day's events. I was also planning on doing a surgery rotation sometime in May…

It was a mix of inpatient hospital and ambulatory…I shadowed at an established hospital chain, private clinic and rural clinic so far.

Despite the above information, would my 300 hrs. still seem peculiar to adcoms??

Is that a hospice facility or home hospice?

This is a hospice facility. I volunteer with Seasons Hospice, which I think is well-known…

 

[believe <3]

How much time have you clocked in medical facilities where people are receiving diagnostic and treatment services?

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean…aren't all medical facilities students shadow at places where people get treatment services? In that case, wouldn't my 300 hrs. of shadowing be the clocked time?

 

[LizzyM]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean…aren't all medical facilities students shadow at places where people get treatment services? In that case, wouldn't my 300 hrs. of shadowing be the clocked time?

OK, medical facilities are places where people get treatment services.... so circling back, is your service at the respite center for children clinical or non-clinical?

 

[LizzyM]

Well, I've been shadowing ever since freshman year (I was told that we had to do a lot!) I've done a week's worth of Peds, Cardiology, Sleep Medicine, two wks. of internal medicine with different doctors, and a week of endocrinology. Each day was spent from ~ 9 am - 3 pm except the cardiology rotation, I spent more like 50 hrs. for the entire week. So that puts me at around ~300 hrs. I honestly have a lot to say about my shadowing experience; I took notes every single day on what I observed and what I learned from that day's events. I was also planning on doing a surgery rotation sometime in May…

It was a mix of inpatient hospital and ambulatory…I shadowed at an established hospital chain, private clinic and rural clinic so far.

Despite the above information, would my 300 hrs. still seem peculiar to adcoms??

9 to 3 is 6 hours. Let's take a leap and say that you did 7 days, not 5. 6 x 7 = 42
Peds = 42
Cardiology = 50
Sleep Medicine = 42
Internal Medicine 84
Endocrinology =42

Total 260 which is different than 300.

Quit now. If you want more experience get a job in a clinical setting. Too much shadowing is not helpful. At this point you know you like medicine well enough to devote you life to it whether or not surgery appeals to you and you will have opportunities once in medical school to scrub on surgeries, etc.

This is a hospice facility. I volunteer with Seasons Hospice, which I think is well-known…

Not well known everywhere but that's ok. It is a good volunteer service.