Lack of Clinical Experience

[Deucedano]

Alright here's my situation. I did not really decide that I wanted to go to medical school until my junior year in college (currently a senior graduating in May). I spoke to my advisor about it and she said to get research experience, so last summer I worked as a research assistant in a medical research lab at duPont Children's Hospital. My advisor told me last fall my research didnt count towards clinical experience. However, I havent been able to get any clinical experience this year, so I have NO "clinical experience" as of right now. I am taking the year off after I graduate from college to get my clinical experience and because I havent taken the mcats yet. I got another clinical research position at duPont this summer and I am planning on volunteering there a day a week for my year off. Also, I applied for a 2 week primary care program at Penn State Hershey Medical at the end of May where I shadow a pediatrician. I am also going on a medical service trip for 3 weeks to Tanzania at the end of August. So my question is will my lack of clinical experience when I apply hurt me even though I will be getting it before I go to medical school?

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[Robizzle]

Alright here's my situation. I did not really decide that I wanted to go to medical school until my junior year in college (currently a senior graduating in May). I spoke to my advisor about it and she said to get research experience, so last summer I worked as a research assistant in a medical research lab at duPont Children's Hospital. My advisor told me last fall my research didnt count towards clinical experience. However, I havent been able to get any clinical experience this year, so I have NO "clinical experience" as of right now. I am taking the year off after I graduate from college to get my clinical experience and because I havent taken the mcats yet. I got another clinical research position at duPont this summer and I am planning on volunteering there a day a week for my year off. Also, I applied for a 2 week primary care program at Penn State Hershey Medical at the end of May where I shadow a pediatrician. I am also going on a medical service trip for 3 weeks to Tanzania at the end of August. So my question is will my lack of clinical experience when I apply hurt me even though I will be getting it before I go to medical school?

To some admissions committee members, it might seem like you're cramming clinical experience in at the end just to pad up your application. There's no real way to avoid this except to write about your experiences passionately in your personal statement, talk about it passionately at your interviews, and maybe get a good letter of recommendation from one of your bosses.

I think you're on the right track. Better late than never.

edit: P.S., the whole point of clinical experience is just to show med schools that you know what medicine is really like. So if you go through an entire year of clinical experience and you're still applying to medical school, then it'll show the adcoms that you know what you're doing

 

[Vano]

I don't think you can fully know that you want to dedicate your life to medicine unless you actually have clinical experience, that's why they want you to have it in a first place, not just to pad your application. So I suggest you get some as soon as possible , not research, but working with patients.