No Clinical Experience: Doom?

[gplex86]

What if we already know what a physician does from other things like being treated by physicians ourselves, observing surgeries on ourselves (even pre-meds get sick) and others, frequent visits to the doctor to care for a family member, etc? Because I feel I know what physicians do on a daily basis without having to shadow, I've seen a lot of gruesome things in the ER room, so instead my volunteer work focuses mainly on patient interaction. What can I do on my application that expresses I know what being a physician is like, without having to shadow? (which I do want to do, but it'll be too late as I will have my app in before that)

Not the same, Hobo. You'd only be seeing a small slice of the picture by being the patient or seeing the surgeries. You really need to check out the job from 9-to-5. It's not always what you expect.

And volunteering isn't the same. When you're shadowing a physician, you are there with the expectation that the doctor is teaching you. You don't get that 'by proxy' if you happen to be volunteering in the office/hospital. If that were the case, every tech or nurse or clerk would have "shadowing experience."

EDIT: I mean, you say that you think you know... but how do you KNOW that you know unless you see the whole package?

Besides, a really important (but not necessary) letter of rec would be from the doctor you shadowed, describing how bright, promising, attentive, and dedicated you are to medicine.... not to your volunteering, which usually involves menial work.

That being said, you can pull this off. But your lack of exposure to the full spectrum of the job will likely come up. If you're applying this year, I suggest you take time (even just a few weeks) to shadow this summer and have a letter of rec sent in after your applications.

If you're applying next year... what's stopping you?

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[HoboCommander]

Not the same, Hobo. You'd only be seeing a small slice of the picture by being the patient or seeing the surgeries. You really need to check out the job from 9-to-5. It's not always what you expect.

And volunteering isn't the same. When you're shadowing a physician, you are there with the expectation that the doctor is teaching you. You don't get that 'by proxy' if you happen to be volunteering in the office/hospital. If that were the case, every tech or nurse or clerk would have "shadowing experience."

Good point, and I know it's not the same. I'm just wondering if not having shadowing experience will significantly hurt my application given that I can demonstrate I already have an idea of what the day-to-day life of a physician is like.

Besides, a really important (but not necessary) letter of rec would be from the doctor you shadowed, describing how bright, promising, attentive, and dedicated you are to medicine.... not to your volunteering, which usually involves menial work.

True but you can also get a letter from a doctor at the place you volunteered at. And the clinic where I volunteer, the work is far from menial! All the volunteers are very busy helping the patients and the clinic could not run at all without us.

 

[umean2tellme]

My friend had zero shadowing and applied in october and still got into UM and waitlisted at UF.

 

[gplex86]

Good point, and I know it's not the same. I'm just wondering if not having shadowing experience will significantly hurt my application given that I can demonstrate I already have an idea of what the day-to-day life of a physician is like.



True but you can also get a letter from a doctor at the place you volunteered at. And the clinic where I volunteer, the work is far from menial! All the volunteers are very busy helping the patients and the clinic could not run at all without us.

I know what you mean, but a letter saying that you worked for a doctor isn't the same evaluation as one in which you shadowed them. Your volunteering is to be commended and will certainly help your application. However, the same letter could be written for someone going into a nursing program, or a PA program. It attests your desire to help people, and generally will likely show your dedication to the medical field, but says little about your specific interest in being a physician.

I feel so very fortunate that I grew up when my dad was a resident, and then a fellow. Combining my observations of his career with my own experiences and some in-depth shadowing... I know I made an airtight case.

Again, what is keeping you from doing this? It would really help you and you can update your schools even after applying.

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

I also know a guy who had no clinical experience and "shadowing", and got into two medical schools: St.Georges and Ross. It's all about those numbers: Grades and MCAT. In my opinion, I think that those other extra things are for people who are low in one area and need additional bonus points for catching up. That is why I just listed 5 random activities. Same thing goes with the explanation part on AMCAS, it's to help get an edge for those who need it.

 

[notdeadyet]

Good point, and I know it's not the same. I'm just wondering if not having shadowing experience will significantly hurt my application given that I can demonstrate I already have an idea of what the day-to-day life of a physician is like.

No, lack of shadowing will not hurt you. Shadowing is an excellent opportunity to see what a doctor does for a living for those who have not had the opportunity to work next to one.

Volunteering in a free clinic can find you with an assignment to a physician where you help with intake, vitals and present to the doc. You can then observe eval and treatment planning. You can get away with not shadowing if you have this kind of experience.

Volunteering in the ER alone doesn't usually cut it. Exposure to doctors based on family members, television, or from the gown-side doesn't qualify either.

 

[gplex86]

I also know a guy who had no clinical experience and "shadowing", and got into two medical schools: St.Georges and Ross. It's all about those numbers: Grades and MCAT. In my opinion, I think that those other extra things are for people who are low in one area and need additional bonus points for catching up. That is why I just listed 5 random activities. Same thing goes with the explanation part on AMCAS, it's to help get an edge for those who need it.

Numbers only get you in the door. Med schools interview 4-5 times as many people as they have seats in the class, all considered academically qualified. If it was all numbers, you wouldn't have admissions committees. People with exceptional MCAT scores and GPA get turned away all the time.