Is it Clinical!?

[Fabio001]

Hey all. First off, thanks for reading my post. My concern/question is one regarding my application. I have been employed at a youth treatment facility for 2 of my past 3 years of college. I have been working full-time as a residential counselor. My question is as follows: Since the weakest point of my application is clinical experience, can I and should I try to swing my time working as a counselor as 'clinical experience'? There is a clinical area of the treatment center where the kids go to receive therapy, and most of them are actually 'sick' (recovering from addiction, struggling with autism etc...). Do you think med schools would view this as a immature attempt to hide a shortcoming, or do you think it'd be viewed as legit (though non-traditional) clinical experience? Thanks everyone!!

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[Catalystik]

You'd be expected to list your duties to support the designation you choose. Do they include doing intake histories from patient interview, giving meds, writing up behaviour evaluations in the chart, interacting with clients during counseling sessions, doing wound care, assisting in food selection for special diet orders: if so, then part of your experience is clinical experience. (Feel free to be specific about your duties if you are still unclear, as there are cetainly other posibilities that would qualify as clinical experience.) If not, this is still a very relevant employment, even if you're guarding the hallway while the clients are supposed to be sleeping.

 

[NickNaylor]

It's certainly not lupus, that's for sure.

 

[orthomyxo]

It's certainly not lupus, that's for sure.

It's never lupus.

 

[Catalystik]

Not on House, anyway.

 

[apumic]

You'd be expected to list your duties to support the designation you choose. Do they include doing intake histories from patient interview, giving meds, writing up behaviour evaluations in the chart, interacting with clients during counseling sessions, doing wound care, assisting in food selection for special diet orders: if so, then part of your experience is clinical experience. (Feel free to be specific about your duties if you are still unclear, as there are cetainly other posibilities that would qualify as clinical experience.) If not, this is still a very relevant employment, even if you're guarding the hallway while the clients are supposed to be sleeping.

^This.

I held a similar position for quite awhile as both an RC and a CM (case mgr).

There I administered meds, charted, assisted in the development of treatment plans, etc. I would absolutely consider that to have been clinical experience in my case. In essence, if you are caring for ill pts, you can consider it clinical experience. Your job functions are almost certainly FAR in excess of what ANY hospital volunteer would ever be allowed to do -- and you're getting paid for it to boot!

At the same time, I'd strongly suggest getting some medical experience as well in a free clinic or, less ideally, as a volunteer in a hospital setting.

 

[Catalystik]

At the same time, I'd strongly suggest getting some medical experience as well in a free clinic or, less ideally, as a volunteer in a hospital setting.

Agreed.

 

[Fabio001]

Thanks everyone. I do behavior charts, help formulate treatment plans and monitor meds, so I'll just be sure to highlight those things. Very helpful!