Job as a premedical student; how do admissions committees consider this?

[TheBiologist]

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[imtotallynotbradpitt]

Shadowing is vital! Can working at starbucks give you the same insight into medicine as shadowing a physician!?

 

[allantois]

You will not be accepted without shadowing.

 

[Lawpy]

Shadowing is vital! Can working at starbucks give you the same insight into medicine as shadowing a physician!?

You will not be accepted without shadowing.

Shadowing is important but I wouldn't go so far to say it's essential. Many applicants have got into medical schools without shadowing, but they did have clinical exposure and/or worked with doctors in research projects, scribing etc.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

You will not be accepted without shadowing.

100% False.
Hundreds of Canadians get in every year, most of whom have NEVER shadowed because its essentially illegal in Canada

Also, if you look at MSAR, the % of people who shadowed is <80% in most cases. Often around 60% of those accepted

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Shadowing is vital! Can working at starbucks give you the same insight into medicine as shadowing a physician!?

Yet somehow.....between 60-70% of accepted students have shadowed according to MSAR...

 

[allantois]

100% False.
Hundreds of Canadians get in every year, most of whom have NEVER shadowed because its essentially illegal in Canada

Also, if you look at MSAR, the % of people who shadowed is <80% in most cases. Often around 60% of those accepted

I'm not a Canadian; schools in my state report 90% of shadowing. I'm sure the other 10% had some form of medical employment, which I did not feel the need to mention as it has nothing to do with the OP. If you want to bet on being in that 10 or 20%, then it's your call.

 

[moemoekyun]

If I maintain the GPA and have a high MCAT, could a job (30hr/week) at Starbucks make up for lack of shadowing? I can shadow over the summer but have absolutely no time during the year. I have research though and will continue it for 3 more years.

From my understanding, work experience is valuable, and at Starbucks you will learn how to deal with people (maybe, I've never been to Starbucks). When I was in college, I worked, volunteered, etc., but didn't shadow till my gap year. So far I have an II, so if you can shadow over the summer, that should be fine. Apply for it early, took me a few months to shadow.

 

[MrLogan13]

If I maintain the GPA and have a high MCAT, could a job (30hr/week) at Starbucks make up for lack of shadowing? I can shadow over the summer but have absolutely no time during the year. I have research though and will continue it for 3 more years.

As long as you get in some quality shadowing in the summer, you should be fine. It's not about the number of hours per se, it's the quality of those hours and how meaningful they are. The majority of my shadowing, ~40-50 hours, was done over the summer.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Edit: You don't need to shadow 300 hours here; 50 does the trick easily. Just spend 6-7 Saturday's over the next year or two shadowing a doctor or two on call working the weekend from say 10-5 and that'll get you what you need. It really is incredibly simple; you aren't going to be given much in the way of responsibility or anything either.

 

[scoops619]

Everybody should note that the OP said they would shadow during the summer, but couldn't during the school year. That seems reasonable to me.

 

[Mad Jack]

Get in some shadowing hours before you apply. If your parent is a physician you might be able to say you understand the field our whatever, but lacking that and medical employment, you really have no idea what being a physician entails.

 

[Catalystik]

I can shadow over the summer but have absolutely no time during the year.

Summer shadowing is fine. Or you can knock out 50 hours of it over winter +/- spring break and get it all done quickly, as this activity need not be done on a regular basis.

50 does the trick easily. Just spend 6-7 Saturday's over the next year or two shadowing a doctor or two on call working the weekend from say 10-5 and that'll get you what you need.

This works fine, too.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

1) You don't have to justify that everything you've ever done in your life was just to prepare you for medicine.

2) Absolutely no reason why a blue collar job would be a negative, it's either neutral or a plus.

3) You don't need constant shadowing throughout your degree, you said you have time in the summer so you should be able to get more than enough then.

29) The point about Canadians is true but I'm sure adcoms are aware of the different policies/atmosphere regarding shadowing in Canada. Admitting Canadians without shadowing is poor evidence that it's not that important for Americans.