Is this a good plan to gain clinical experience as a reapplicant?

[foultarnished97]

I applied this cycle to about 26 MD and 5 DO schools and have not received any IIs. In December I started working as a scribe at an orthopedics clinic. I’ll be able to get about 480 hrs through this by the time I reapply. I also worked as a patient transporter from September to December 2021 but quit because it interfered with my scribing schedule and I felt scribing was the more valuable experience. I had no clinical experience when I applied. (3.67, sGPA 3.5, 512 MCAT)

So for my reapplication, my plan is to wcontinue scribing 20 hrs a week, spending about 5-10 hrs a week as a global health advocacy fellow (advocating for primary care and global health security), and about 5-10 hrs a week as a Crisis Text Line volunteer. About 2 weeks ago I started volunteering 2 hrs a week at a cancer treatment center but I think the work may not be meaningful enough for me to continue. I did recently apply to be an adult ESL literacy volunteer and I’m definitely more interested in something like this as volunteer work, especially as an immigrant myself who has seen family members struggle with language barriers in the states. My other volunteer experience is from undergrad when I was a student mentor in an urban outreach initiative. I am thinking of training and volunteering as an ESL tutor instead of volunteering at the cancer center. My question is whether you think this is the right decision? My scribe job is providing me with clinical exposure and I’ll have around 600 hrs total (450 from scribing and 150 from patient transporting) by the time I reapply, so I am leaning towards stopping volunteering at the cancer center and pick up adult ESL volunteering instead as I believe this would be more meaningful to me. I didn’t have any clinical experience when I last applied so I hope these changes make a difference

Is this a good plan or is there anything else I’m missing? I also may fit in some Psych/Soc courses at a community college so I can apply to UNECOM next year, as I have a bit of a geographical advantage being in NH and spending most of my life in New England. I wasn’t able to apply there this year because I did not fulfill the behavioral science requirement. Greatly appreciate your feedback.

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[SpoiledMilk]

Good. You recognized that your lack of clinical experience was the reason you was not successful this cycle. You're on the right track with the scribing and patient transportation. They should satisfy the clinical experience requirement. And you can drop the cancer center and do the ESL since it's more meaningful to you.

 

[foultarnished97]

Good. You recognized that your lack of clinical experience was the reason you was not successful this cycle. You're on the right track with the scribing and patient transportation. They should satisfy the clinical experience requirement. And you can drop the cancer center and do the ESL since it's more meaningful to you.

Great, thanks. I’m actually not able to patient transport anymore as it interfered with my scribing schedule. I transported from September to November 2021 and started scribing in December.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

That's fine. The 150 hrs from patient transport in combo with the hours you'll get from scribing checks the box...

 

[foultarnished97]

That's fine. The 150 hrs from patient transport in combo with the hours you'll get from scribing checks the box...

Sounds good. Fingers crossed for a successful reapplicant cycle 🤞 thanks for the help

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

When will you reapply? I’ve heard it’s always smart to take a gap after an unsuccessful cycle. But I know it’s hard to wait (premed advisor at my school advised that i wait another year to apply, but I felt too old to wait another year so applied anyway. in other words, sometimes impatience can work). If you’re similar to me and can’t wait, aim for the high end on the hours scale. There’s approximately 16 weeks until amcas can be submitted. 160 looks much better than 80 imo

Don’t apply DO without a DO letter (I’ve heard it’s a hard or soft requirement at most osteopathic schools)

 

[foultarnished97]

When will you reapply? I’ve heard it’s always smart to take a gap after an unsuccessful cycle. But I know it’s hard to wait (premed advisor at my school advised that i wait another year to apply, but I felt too old to wait another year so applied anyway. in other words, sometimes impatience can work). If you’re similar to me and can’t wait, aim for the high end on the hours scale. There’s approximately 16 weeks until amcas can be submitted. 160 looks much better than 80 imo

Don’t apply DO without a DO letter (I’ve heard it’s a hard or soft requirement at most osteopathic schools)

I was planning on reapplying in the next cycle (2022-2023). By the time I submit my primary app I’ll have total 450 hrs from scribing (18 hrs per week)) and 150 hrs from patient transporting (Sep-Nov 2021). Totaling roughly 600 hrs. Previously I had only mentioned my patient transport experience in an update letter.

I’ll also def work on getting that DO letter

 

[LizzyM]

You need not list the cancer volunteering if it was very short and you don't want to highlight the fact that you quit after short time. ELS is nice as it shows a willingness to help in a way that's not a two-fer (clinical and volunteer).

 

[LindaAccepted]

I applied this cycle to about 26 MD and 5 DO schools and have not received any IIs. In December I started working as a scribe at an orthopedics clinic. I’ll be able to get about 480 hrs through this by the time I reapply. I also worked as a patient transporter from September to December 2021 but quit because it interfered with my scribing schedule and I felt scribing was the more valuable experience. I had no clinical experience when I applied. (3.67, sGPA 3.5, 512 MCAT)

So for my reapplication, my plan is to wcontinue scribing 20 hrs a week, spending about 5-10 hrs a week as a global health advocacy fellow (advocating for primary care and global health security), and about 5-10 hrs a week as a Crisis Text Line volunteer. About 2 weeks ago I started volunteering 2 hrs a week at a cancer treatment center but I think the work may not be meaningful enough for me to continue. I did recently apply to be an adult ESL literacy volunteer and I’m definitely more interested in something like this as volunteer work, especially as an immigrant myself who has seen family members struggle with language barriers in the states. My other volunteer experience is from undergrad when I was a student mentor in an urban outreach initiative. I am thinking of training and volunteering as an ESL tutor instead of volunteering at the cancer center. My question is whether you think this is the right decision? My scribe job is providing me with clinical exposure and I’ll have around 600 hrs total (450 from scribing and 150 from patient transporting) by the time I reapply, so I am leaning towards stopping volunteering at the cancer center and pick up adult ESL volunteering instead as I believe this would be more meaningful to me. I didn’t have any clinical experience when I last applied so I hope these changes make a difference

Is this a good plan or is there anything else I’m missing? I also may fit in some Psych/Soc courses at a community college so I can apply to UNECOM next year, as I have a bit of a geographical advantage being in NH and spending most of my life in New England. I wasn’t able to apply there this year because I did not fulfill the behavioral science requirement. Greatly appreciate your feedback.

I think ending the the cancer center volunteering and adding the ESL work is a good move on multiple fronts.

Lack of clinical is probably what caused your rejections. I'd also suggest applying to DO and MD programs. You don't mention research, which is fine, but don't apply to programs that emphasize research.

 

[foultarnished97]

You need not list the cancer volunteering if it was very short and you don't want to highlight the fact that you quit after short time. ELS is nice as it shows a willingness to help in a way that's not a two-fer (clinical and volunteer).

Agreed, I will leave it off. Do you think my application would be sufficiently improved by May 2022? I’m just worried the same thing will happen again next year because I don’t have hours over the course of multiple years like some students with gap years have

I’ll move forward with the ESL tutor training. Also do you think it would look “bad” that I only did patient transport for 3 months? I had to quit because it conflicted with my scribe schedule when I started scribing in December. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[foultarnished97]

I think removing the cancer center and adding the ESL work is a good move on multiple fronts. Lack of clinical is probably what caused your rejections. I'd also suggest applying to DO and MD programs. You don't mention research, which is fine, but don't apply to programs that emphasize research.

I have clinical and basic science research from undergrad. Clinical research was on language disparities influencing surgical outcomes.

The doctor I currently scribe for also said I can do some clinical research for her as well, like case studies on interesting cases. Would something like that help?

 

[LizzyM]

List the transport activity and mention that you had to leave due to scheduling conflicts with the scribe job. Adcoms will understand. Your application is much improved since last Spring so you may not need a space between your first application and the second. That advice applies more to those who did little to improve their applications during the admission cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

But when you apply, don’t quit your activities. Keep up at least some of them in case you need to reapply again or for update letters. Good luck next cycle.

 

[LindaAccepted]

I have clinical and basic science research from undergrad. Clinical research was on language disparities influencing surgical outcomes.

The doctor I currently scribe for also said I can do some clinical research for her as well, like case studies on interesting cases. Would something like that help?

Sure!

 

[foultarnished97]

But when you apply, don’t quit your activities. Keep up at least some of them in case you need to reapply again or for update letters. Good luck next cycle.

Thank you. I plan to continue these activities until I (hopefully) matriculate to medical school

 

[foultarnished97]

List the transport activity and mention that you had to leave due to scheduling conflicts with the scribe job. Adcoms will understand. Your application is much improved since last Spring so you may not need a space between your first application and the second. That advice applies more to those who did little to improve their applications during the admission cycle.

Got it, thanks. I’m a little worried because I posted this question on a different thread as well and a couple of responses were saying it would be better if I was an ED/primary care scribe. Especially because my app is focused on health disparities and how I can address them via primary care. While I understand this argument, I was not able to find an in-person scribe position near me in those fields. It was hard enough to find this orthopedics position as it is. I’m worried that I’m making the wrong EC choices and I’ll be stuck in the same situation next cycle.

I do have a strong interest in working with underserved populations to address health disparities, but I was hoping this would be reflected through my earlier experiences in college and my current experience of ESL tutoring and Global Health fund advocacy.

Thanks again for your feedback. Much appreciated

 

[LizzyM]

Are their health disparities in orthopedics.... I'm sure there are if you look. If you haven't done anything in terms of employment or volunteering in primary care, it might be better to mute that portion of your application and just say that you are interested in being a physician who cares for patients... everyone knows that people change their minds during med school so don't sweat it.