Is this considered a clinical experience?

[m1lkm4nn]

I have been working as a personal assistant to a cancer survivor. I do a good amount of paperwork (errands, mail, emails, etc) but also coach my boss on physical rehabilitation exercises (stretches, technique, keeping him moving) and attend doctor's appointments with him. We've also talked a lot about his condition and I've learned a lot about what the healthcare system is liked based on his experiences. I definitely have a good idea of what a person going through the system feels because of this job.

Would this be considered a clinical experience, or would that be pushing it? Thanks for any input.

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[Bacchus]

This shouldn't be your only experience. I applaud you, however.

 

[GoawayAvalon]

I'd say so. Even if it isn't typical patient contact like volunteering at a hospital or shadowing, it's still extensive interaction with a patient in a medical setting. I'm sure you have gotten a lot of meaningful experiences from this kind of work, and I think that's the most important point of clinical experience.

 

[Code Brown]

I have been working as a personal assistant to a cancer survivor. I do a good amount of paperwork (errands, mail, emails, etc) but also coach my boss on physical rehabilitation exercises (stretches, technique, keeping him moving) and attend doctor's appointments with him. We've also talked a lot about his condition and I've learned a lot about what the healthcare system is liked based on his experiences. I definitely have a good idea of what a person going through the system feels because of this job.

Would this be considered a clinical experience, or would that be pushing it? Thanks for any input.

Personally, I would say you are pushing it and wouldn't really count it (I'm on the adcom committee at my school). That said, I'm looking at it from a med school perspective, not dental.

 

[SiR99]

Personally, I would say you are pushing it and wouldn't really count it (I'm on the adcom committee at my school). That said, I'm looking at it from a med school perspective, not dental.

I agree with this post. I think you should mention this somewhere in your application but listing it as clinical experience wouldnt really count unless you took this guy to surgery, waited next to him while he was at the hospital, took him to his chemo and basically went through the whole experience with him. The way it seems is like he already went through everything and he just needed an extra hand around the house.

If this was the case, Alot of people would have 1000+ hours of "clinical care"

 

[LizzyM]

I'd say that this is not clinical experience. It can, however, be described as Employment, non-military.

This is similar to applicants who have had health issues or who have walked through the process with a loved one. It is better than nothing but it is very weak.

 

[pianola]

Funny...everyone puts a tremendous amount of effort into "shadowing a physician". This is more like "shadowing a patient" (well, getting paid to do so).

I think it's a pretty interesting experience, OP.