how much clinical exp for top schools?

[bubblywatr]

does anybody have any knowledge about how much clinical experience the top mdphd programs usually expect? i have years of cancer research experience, papers and all that, but my clinical experience does not go much past working in my mom's doctor office. well, i'll be shadowing a clinical neurooncologist soon, but it's more of an education experience than a "hands on" type thing. Will they basically tell me to forget it and to apply to grad school? or will my disease-oriented research and minimal clinical experience still provide for a competitive application?

thanks in the input...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Bikini Princess]

How do you know you want to be a doctor if you haven't worked in a hospital yet?

 

[bubblywatr]

i've grown up around doctors..which 'i think' has given me an insight into medicine that even volunteering at a hospital may not provide...this is also why i chose to go at research in college 100% instead of observing doctors - something i already knew a great deal about. But then again, that is what "I" think...and i'm not so sure top school amdissions boards will agree

Is there any idea about how top mdphd programs treat students who have proven their potential in disease-oriented research but lack the "proof" that they're equally driven clinically?

 

[none]

I don't know about "top programs." For regular programs, a couple months of 15+ hour weeks should work. Try a VA hospital. It looks like in Austin all they have is an outpatient clinic, but I'm sure they'll be able to hook you up with some interesting stuff to do, certainly better than what private hospitals would allow. Here's the contact info:

Central Texas Veterans Health Care System - Austin Outpatient Clinic
2901 Montopolis Drive
Austin, TX 78741
COMM: (512) 389-1010
Fax: (512) 389-7138

 

[bubblywatr]

thanks for the advice, i'll look into it.

my reason for a seemingly obvoius question is that i was talking w/ an admissions guy at UTSouthwestern mdphd, and he gave me the impression that great "disease-oriented" research was the #1 thing they looked for, and that they have been known to pick people that the med school overlooked and get them in afterwards. anyhow, it's probably not a good idea to shoot for the exception...

 

[Vader]

Since you do have medicine all around you and have obviously been exposed, some admissions committees might not care so much. That being said, it's often a good idea to have at least a little bit of clinical volunteer work, just to show that you've been involved in the patient care side of things. It could only bolster your application.

Hope this helps.