No volunteering and extra clinical job hours...? I am low income.

[dscmn]

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Hi,
I am categorized as low income and I really cannot afford to do free activities (even for shadowing, I feel like I cannot do much).
I am planning to do no-very little volunteering hours and do extra clinical job hours instead... will this work?

 

[Goro]

Hi,
I am categorized as low income and I really cannot afford to do free activities (even for shadowing, I feel like I cannot do much).
I am planning to do no-very little volunteering hours and do extra clinical job hours instead... will this work?

Probably. Get as much experience with DOs as you can. Get a DO LOR as well.

 

[dscmn]

Probably. Get as much experience with DOs as you can. Get a DO LOR as well.

Thanks for your reply. Does experience with MDs count as well?

Thanks

 

[Goro]

Thanks for your reply. Does experience with MDs count as well?

Thanks

DOs would be better, but any shadowing is good.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Exposure is important. Hopefully you can find opportunities that may pay you a little.

 

[chpiib]

I had extremely more hours of working clinical hours versus my shadowing (~10-20 hours, MD & DO) and volunteering hours (~40 hours I think) combined.

The schools I interviewed at never seemed to be bothered by this. I was questioned once during an interview about my community involvement, but then again, it was a school whose mission heavily aligned with community outreach as well. Another DO school asked about specific shadowing experience under a DO, but they were also willing to give me time to find someone to shadow.

In the end, I was accepted into 1 DO and 1 MD school, so I believe it is totally possible. I think the most important factor is being able to use that experience to explain what skills you have gained and/or improved from doing that experience. However, I do still think it would be helpful to get some hours rather than none at all, as it will only help you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I also suggest that the effort you do in researching virtual opportunities can help you in the long run. While such virtual activities normally do not "count" on the hours sheet for activities, virtual shadowing and case discussions (many are freely available though offered by admissions consulting companies -- I think some of our sponsors might as well) give you some needed insight that helps you put your foot in the door. You may even get some advice on what you could do for in-person exposure. There are many YouTube videos, and we have our own interview series of articles and YouTube videos that can help you.

 

[dscmn]

I had extremely more hours of working clinical hours versus my shadowing (~10-20 hours, MD & DO) and volunteering hours (~40 hours I think) combined.

The schools I interviewed at never seemed to be bothered by this. I was questioned once during an interview about my community involvement, but then again, it was a school whose mission heavily aligned with community outreach as well. Another DO school asked about specific shadowing experience under a DO, but they were also willing to give me time to find someone to shadow.

In the end, I was accepted into 1 DO and 1 MD school, so I believe it is totally possible. I think the most important factor is being able to use that experience to explain what skills you have gained and/or improved from doing that experience. However, I do still think it would be helpful to get some hours rather than none at all, as it will only help you.

Can you share you spec and whether you are urm?

 

[chpiib]

I am URM. I got in as a reapplicant to one school and as a new applicant to another. 1st MCAT 498, 2nd MCAT 508. 3.8 cGPA, and I think a 3.4 sGPA.

I’ll add that I spent that entire time from 1st cycle to 2nd cycle working, so it significantly raised the hours from the 1st time around. Also gave me a lot to talk about in interviews to help fill in any potential spaces.
Anything else?

 

[Isoval]

This should be completely fine.

The real goal of shadowing is to show you have an even basic understanding of the patient condition, what doctors do, and how the systems of medical practice interact. If you are in a position where you can reasonably see all of these things, I see no issue with lacking shadowing or clinical volunteering.

I do see potential issues with lack of volunteering in general as it has become so common among medical applicants, but this can reasonably be addressed within your application. In an otherwise strong application, I see no issue with receiving interviews or admission.

 

[willowedacorn]

DOs would be better, but any shadowing is good.

@Goro in a similar vein; is it okay to have only paid clinical experience (+shadowing) and non clinical volunteer experience. Is clinical volunteering important if someone has a medical assistant job and plenty of soup kitchen volunteering?

 

[chilly_md]

@Goro in a similar vein; is it okay to have only paid clinical experience (+shadowing) and non clinical volunteer experience. Is clinical volunteering important if someone has a medical assistant job and plenty of soup kitchen volunteering?

You definitely do not need clinical volunteering. It tends to have a lower barrier to entry, hence why many do it.

 

[Goro]

@Goro in a similar vein; is it okay to have only paid clinical experience (+shadowing) and non clinical volunteer experience. Is clinical volunteering important if someone has a medical assistant job and plenty of soup kitchen volunteering?

The point of clinical exposure is to show you what you're getting into, and to show admissions committees that you really want to be around sick and injured people for the next 30 to 40 years.

Whether it is paid or volunteer is irrelevant. It's about being around patients.

Volunteering that's not clinical is designed to show off your altruism. Medicine is after all, a service profession

 

[willowedacorn]

@Goro
Super helpful, thank you! If you have the time, I have a second question regarding reinvention:

My undergrad GPA (humanities degree/ from foreign institution/ no STEM courses) was 3.1, as evaluated by WES. I did a 60 credit career-changer postbacc at a US college where I got a 4.0. My official AMCAS gpa is 4.0, since foreign courses aren’t calculated by AMCAS.

That said, most schools will ask for my undergrad WES evaluation, so my true cGPA is around 3.45; although my true sGPA will still be a 4.0.

When evaluating my candidacy and applying to schools, should I be applying “like I have a 4.0,” or should I be applying “like I have an upward trend 3.45?”

*Note, I did a DIY postbacc at a state school that does not grant me access to a pre-health advisor.

Kind regards,
W

 

[Goro]

@Goro
Super helpful, thank you! If you have the time, I have a second question regarding reinvention:

My undergrad GPA (humanities degree/ from foreign institution/ no STEM courses) was 3.1, as evaluated by WES. I did a 60 credit career-changer postbacc at a US college where I got a 4.0. My official AMCAS gpa is 4.0, since foreign courses aren’t calculated by AMCAS.

That said, most schools will ask for my undergrad WES evaluation, so my true cGPA is around 3.45; although my true sGPA will still be a 4.0.

When evaluating my candidacy and applying to schools, should I be applying “like I have a 4.0,” or should I be applying “like I have an upward trend 3.45?”

*Note, I did a DIY postbacc at a state school that does not grant me access to a pre-health advisor.

Kind regards,
W

Each school will handle this differently. But those schools that value reinvention will look at your grades that are from American schools.