MSAR and medical "work experience"

[CookieMonster78]

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According to the MSAR data for the school I'm most interested in, 90% of the accepted students report on their AMCAS that they had gained "work experience" in the medical field prior to applying. I didn't compare this figure to that of any other school (I was in a rush), but it seems quite high to me. Two questions:

1. Does "work experience" literally mean paid employment, or do volunteering and shadowing fall under this heading as well?

2. If it does refer exclusively to paid employment, should I take this 90% statistic as a sign that, in addition to volunteering and shadowing, I really should seek a medically related job if I want to be considered an ideal candidate here?

I'm probably two (or three) years away from applying, and I realize that the job issue won't make or break my application in the way that GPA and MCAT might. But I'm weighing a couple of non-medically-related job opportunities right now and wondering if it would be better to go ahead and take one of them or try to hold out for a few months until something medical comes along.

Thanks for your time!

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I'd bet it includes volunteering. It seems unreasonable that 90% of med school applicants had paid healthcare experience. Most of the applicants are college kids.

I personally, having hired and/or supervised a lot of people, do not equate volunteerism with work experience except in a few specific circumstances dependent upon the applicant. I guess it's different in the academic world.

 

[7starmantis]

Yeah, I agree.

This is why I stayed away from the MSAR.

 

[Catalystik]

"Medically-related work" includes job, volunteerism, clinical research, or clinical exposure for class credit.

 

[CookieMonster78]

"Medically-related work" includes job, volunteerism, clinical research, or clinical exposure for class credit.

Aha. Thanks.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

"Medically-related work" includes job, volunteerism, clinical research, or clinical exposure for class credit.

You sure about that?

That would entail for me having done A) over 600 hours of rotations in EMT and paramedic school (2001-2002), B) working a as a paid paramedic, and perhaps even C) volunteer medical responder call-outs. Case closed. That box is checked. I shall do no more.

I've got volunteering cinched with 2002 - 2010 involvement with VFDs.

Leadership included being a real, licensed, paid teacher, a workplace supervisor, and I'd say law enforcement involves a good bit of leadership.

Research: leaving that crap out. not interested.

All I need is shadowing.

With DO grade replacement for my old algebra failure and chemistry C.

Slam dunk!

 

[Catalystik]

The MSAR says that the % of medically-related work by accepted students is based on what is self-reported in the Experiences section, so it might be worthwhile to include in the activity description the number of classwork hours involved to get a certification since the information in the curricular section (transcript) doesn't mention how much time you invest.