No traditional clinical or hospital experience...changing my mind about gap year jobs

[Yhorm the Giant]

Since I completed the MCAT I've been looking for jobs in a doctors office or hospital as I have no experience there. I think the weakest part of my app is no traditional clinical setting experience. Like none. Which sends me into neurotic self-doubt when I think about that on my app, I know it's not great, but it is what it is at this point. I do have 2,300 hours working with mentally disabled people in their homes. I did give meds, take blood pressure, help with hygiene, diet, exercise, etc. but nothing in a traditional clinical setting. I'm thinking about going back and working at the same place since I'm having such a hard time finding a job in a more traditional clinical setting and I need to start working real quick for money sake. If I keep looking to try and volunteer in a more traditional clinical setting do you guys think I could take my old job back working with the disabled, or should I really try and push to work in a traditional clinical setting and update schools when I get a job like that so they know I'll have some of that experience. I also only have like 20 hours shadowing experience, so not a ton there either. Advice appreciated!

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[DokterMom]

Your experience working with the developmentally disabled will be SO MUCH MORE impressive than "traditional" hospital work. Honestly -- Pre-med hospital work or volunteering is very, very ordinary and gets you 'check box' points, but not "this person truly cares" points like your work.

That said, your shadowing experience is pretty light. Combine that with your non-traditional patient care experience and it's not evident you have a lot of familiarity with the life of a 'regular' physician.

Try to line up more shadowing and volunteer in a clinic in an underserved area, with elderly or with hospice patients.

Your paid work can be anything, so if you can get your old job back, that'd be great.

 

[allantois]

Medical schools don't care much for clinical experience. Volunteering, yes. Research, yes. Clinical jobs, no. Get any job you want, clinical or not.

 

[workaholic181]

Since I completed the MCAT I've been looking for jobs in a doctors office or hospital as I have no experience there. I think the weakest part of my app is no traditional clinical setting experience. Like none. Which sends me into neurotic self-doubt when I think about that on my app, I know it's not great, but it is what it is at this point. I do have 2,300 hours working with mentally disabled people in their homes. I did give meds, take blood pressure, help with hygiene, diet, exercise, etc. but nothing in a traditional clinical setting. I'm thinking about going back and working at the same place since I'm having such a hard time finding a job in a more traditional clinical setting and I need to start working real quick for money sake. If I keep looking to try and volunteer in a more traditional clinical setting do you guys think I could take my old job back working with the disabled, or should I really try and push to work in a traditional clinical setting and update schools when I get a job like that so they know I'll have some of that experience. I also only have like 20 hours shadowing experience, so not a ton there either. Advice appreciated!

Yea man honestly the work you were doing sounds a lot more informative then the "traditional" clinical job I've had.

 

[Coltuna]

Medical schools don't care much for clinical experience. Volunteering, yes. Research, yes. Clinical jobs, no. Get any job you want, clinical or not.

Disagree with this, especially bolded.

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