International experience

[stay_hydrated]

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I have a lot of experience growing up and assimilating in a several cultures. As a result of this, I've had a lot of international medical volunteer/work opportunities in undergrad and beyond that I would like to emphasize in my personal statements, etc. Either way, I have to talk about my experiences abroad in a personal aspect because it influences so much of who I am but I'm not sure how important the "international" aspects of these experiences are in just a medical clinical aspect (where I've worked in hospitals/clinics abroad) and whether I should just gloss over the international aspect and only focus on what I've gained professionally in those situations.

Also, due to these experiences, I am also applying abroad and as an international applicant to those countries, how should I highlight my experiences? Is it necessary to do so at all because I'm sure everyone will also be talking about what abroad experiences they've had.

TLDR: Emphasize "international" experience? Or just write about international "medical" experience and how this has changed me as a person?

Thanks.

 

[Trollest]

If I remember it correctly, it's kind of looked down upon because you are supposed to help your community first.

but @Goro may have a different take on this.

 

[stay_hydrated]

If I remember it correctly, it's kind of looked down upon because you are supposed to help your community first.

but @Goro may have a different take on this.

Thanks for your reply.

Also to clarify my original post, I didn't necessarily seek those international opportunities. My family moved around a lot all throughout my life and I just went to where they were for summer breaks in undergrad/post grad life and ended up working in that country.

 

[Goro]

I have a lot of experience growing up and assimilating in a several cultures. As a result of this, I've had a lot of international medical volunteer/work opportunities in undergrad and beyond that I would like to emphasize in my personal statements, etc. Either way, I have to talk about my experiences abroad in a personal aspect because it influences so much of who I am but I'm not sure how important the "international" aspects of these experiences are in just a medical clinical aspect (where I've worked in hospitals/clinics abroad) and whether I should just gloss over the international aspect and only focus on what I've gained professionally in those situations.

Also, due to these experiences, I am also applying abroad and as an international applicant to those countries, how should I highlight my experiences? Is it necessary to do so at all because I'm sure everyone will also be talking about what abroad experiences they've had.

TLDR: Emphasize "international" experience? Or just write about international "medical" experience and how this has changed me as a person?

Thanks.

I think that in your case, that there is a way to spin this positively.

 

[gyngyn]

What kind of experience do you have in these countries?
Are you a medical professional in any of the countries in which you worked?

 

[stay_hydrated]

I think that in your case, that there is a way to spin this positively.

Do you think it's something I should ask a US physician I shadowed with to mention in her LOR? I've spoken to her extensively about my experiences (medical but also going to middle school/high school abroad) and how that shaped what type of physician I want to be.

 

[stay_hydrated]

What kind of experience do you have in these countries?
Are you a medical professional in any of the countries in which you worked?

Not a professional in any sense of the word, but laws are different and when I mentioned I have experience volunteering in hospitals in the US, they gave me more hands on work. Honestly got more hands on clinical experience in one day than months shadowing in the US.

 

[gyngyn]

Not a professional in any sense of the word, but laws are different and when I mentioned I have experience volunteering in hospitals in the US, they gave me more hands on work. Honestly got more hands on clinical experience in one day than months shadowing in the US.

Depending on the experience, this can hurt your application.
https://www.aamc.org/download/47425...al-shadowing-experience-executive-summary.pdf

 

[Goro]

Do you think it's something I should ask a US physician I shadowed with to mention in her LOR? I've spoken to her extensively about my experiences (medical but also going to middle school/high school abroad) and how that shaped what type of physician I want to be.

Nope

 

[stay_hydrated]

Depending on the experience, this can hurt your application.
https://www.aamc.org/download/47425...al-shadowing-experience-executive-summary.pdf

Thanks for the link. This clarifies a lot! I didn't do any invasive procedures, just noninvasive and a lot more interactions with patients and physicians/nurses, and adjusting to sudden situations rather than simply observing.

Member schools expressed significant concern with regards to premedical students engaging in unsupervised clinical activities in international settings. In particular, 45- 50% of those schools completing the survey described applicant involvement in invasive procedures in international settings as either harmful to, or of no value to, their application. Examples of such invasive procedures include giving vaccinations, suturing an injury, pulling teeth, and delivering a baby. This concern of admissions officers persisted, albeit at lower levels (35-40% of respondents), when the students were supervised by a health professional while performing such invasive procedures in international settings.​

 

[stay_hydrated]

Thanks for everyones help @Goro @gyngyn @Trollest