Introduction and shadowing/previous healthcare experience question

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Rialaigh

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First off allow me to introduce myself.


I graduated from a fairly good liberal arts college last year with a B.A. in a non science major
I am am confident that I wish to pursue medical school in the near future and ultimately wish to live and practice in Central or South America.

I currently work in a hospital ER and previous to that worked in the float pool for several years

My Overall GPA with my undergraduate was somewhere between 2.9 and 3.0, my science GPA was probably about 2.5 but I only took 12 hours of science courses
I will be beginning my science pre-reqs at a local college in the area taking ~16 hours a year for the next two years, I did not put enough effort in in college and spent all my time volunteering with a fire department, I am confident that I can come out with a 3.8 at worst over the next 32 credit hours of science which will bring my overall up some and my science up a lot

I am unsure about going the DO/MD route ultimately but I believe with my end goals DO will suit me fine.


My current question is about "healthcare experience" and/or shadowing with regards to MD and DO applications. I understand they want some official shadowing experience, but will my experience working in the hospital setting and a paramedic on the truck count for a little, some, a lot, or almost nothing when it comes down to application time? My float pool work experience included ICU, CVICU, BMU, PCU, Med Surge, Ortho, CV-Tele, Chest Pain Obs, and Oncology, and I now work full time 36-48 hours a week in the ER at nights.

(not worrying about grades, MCAT, or any other portion of this process) will I be better suited having several of the physicians that I know allow me to shadow them for hundreds/thousands of hours, or just put in ~ a hundred hours of shadowing and spend the rest of the time over the next two years working in the hospital setting and on an ambulance as much as I can, which one will weigh in more positively?



I appreciate any and all responses, constructive criticism, reality checks, and advice. If you have anything to add or comment on about the first part of my post feel free to do so, and if anyone has the time to PM me and offer advice it is always appreciated.


Good to be here
 
Last edited:
Add a little shadowing, and you're fine clinical experience-wise.
 
This is random but be sure to check to see if wherever you want to work abroad will acknowledge/accept a DO degree.

Here is a list that might help: http://www.westernu.edu/bin/ime/international-practice-rights.pdf

Also, I think you should stop using your first name, you've given out a lot of personal information that people don't usually recommend sharing on SDN.

I appreciate the advice, I will be more careful from now on. Thank you for the link, that information is very helpful
 
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