Non trad, 30, applying 21-22, need clinical feedback

[deleted917484]

So I am in my last semester of my post-bacc and plan to take my MCAT in 2021. I know advice is difficult w/o an MCAT score, but could use your thoughts on the remainder of my EC's. I'm actually shooting for DO, so keep that in mind (PCOM and Rowan are tentatively my top 2).

• Research: 500+ hours over the past 1.5 years
  • Worked directly with professor to start the project and team
• Clinical Volunteering (hospice): ~100 over the past year
  • Slowed down DRASTICALLY w/ COVID, but working with the hospice facility to add some extra hours.
  • This is now mostly via phone call to my patients as they aren't allowing volunteers in the facilities, but still report directly to the medical staff/doctors.
• Non-Clinical Volunteering: 1000+ over the past several years
  • This includes Career/Professional Advising on campus, animal rescue volunteering, and music therapy from time-to-time.
• Shadowing: 0
  • BIG hit here. Finding an opportunity in an area I moved to and have very few connections has been TOUGH. As soon as I made traction, COVID happened and now I'm stuck with this issue for the foreseeable future. I've emailed, called, and even tried applying for a formal shadowing program - all are shut down entirely.

I'm assuming many of the responses will involve gap years and increasing clinical/shadowing, but thought I'd see if that assumption was off in any way.

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[GreenDuck12]

Your numbers are in decent shape with the exception of now shadowing. I would try to address the shadowing and clinical hours over the next year (you have about that long until you would submit DO applications). Keep an eye out for roles as covid screeners, temperature checks as clinics, etc. You might get cut some slack during the 2021 cycle as I would anticipate most if not all applicants will have significantly diminished clinical and shadowing hours. At my medical school, for example, all nonessential work is being done remotely, classes are all online, and no volunteer work/shadowing is occurring. I would not plan on a gap year at this point.

 

[deleted917484]

Your numbers are in decent shape with the exception of now shadowing. I would try to address the shadowing and clinical hours over the next year (you have about that long until you would submit DO applications). Keep an eye out for roles as covid screeners, temperature checks as clinics, etc. You might get cut some slack during the 2021 cycle as I would anticipate most if not all applicants will have significantly diminished clinical and shadowing hours. At my medical school, for example, all nonessential work is being done remotely, classes are all online, and no volunteer work/shadowing is occurring. I would not plan on a gap year at this point.

Ah well that's nice to hear - appreciate the input! I want to be in a place where slack doesn't need to be cut, so those suggestions you mentioned are much appreciated. Mind if I ask which medical school you attend?

 

[DocJanItor]

Your numbers are in decent shape with the exception of now shadowing. I would try to address the shadowing and clinical hours over the next year (you have about that long until you would submit DO applications). Keep an eye out for roles as covid screeners, temperature checks as clinics, etc. You might get cut some slack during the 2021 cycle as I would anticipate most if not all applicants will have significantly diminished clinical and shadowing hours. At my medical school, for example, all nonessential work is being done remotely, classes are all online, and no volunteer work/shadowing is occurring. I would not plan on a gap year at this point.

Yeah, no chance he/she can get shadowing or clinical hours until this all goes away.

 

[GreenDuck12]

I agree that shadowing is unlikely but location dependent. If there are accommodations being made for this years class, I imagine there will be even greater accommodations for next years class.

@DNooch381
I attend a public MD program in my state, to preserve anonymity I won’t divulge where.

 

[deleted917484]

I agree that shadowing is unlikely but location dependent. If there are accommodations being made for this years class, I imagine there will be even greater accommodations for next years class.

@DNooch381
I attend a public MD program in my state, to preserve anonymity I won’t divulge where.

Totally understand - appreciate it!

 

[Dave1980]

So I am in my last semester of my post-bacc and plan to take my MCAT in 2021. I know advice is difficult w/o an MCAT score, but could use your thoughts on the remainder of my EC's. I'm actually shooting for DO, so keep that in mind (PCOM and Rowan are tentatively my top 2).

• Research: 500+ hours over the past 1.5 years
  • Worked directly with professor to start the project and team
• Clinical Volunteering (hospice): ~100 over the past year
  • Slowed down DRASTICALLY w/ COVID, but working with the hospice facility to add some extra hours.
  • This is now mostly via phone call to my patients as they aren't allowing volunteers in the facilities, but still report directly to the medical staff/doctors.
• Non-Clinical Volunteering: 1000+ over the past several years
  • This includes Career/Professional Advising on campus, animal rescue volunteering, and music therapy from time-to-time.
• Shadowing: 0
  • BIG hit here. Finding an opportunity in an area I moved to and have very few connections has been TOUGH. As soon as I made traction, COVID happened and now I'm stuck with this issue for the foreseeable future. I've emailed, called, and even tried applying for a formal shadowing program - all are shut down entirely.

I'm assuming many of the responses will involve gap years and increasing clinical/shadowing, but thought I'd see if that assumption was off in any way.

Dang...who was advising you!? 1600+ hours of research and volunteering with 0 shadowing hours. Probably could have skipped the research and most of the non clinical volunteering.

 

[Goro]

So I am in my last semester of my post-bacc and plan to take my MCAT in 2021. I know advice is difficult w/o an MCAT score, but could use your thoughts on the remainder of my EC's. I'm actually shooting for DO, so keep that in mind (PCOM and Rowan are tentatively my top 2).

• Research: 500+ hours over the past 1.5 years
  • Worked directly with professor to start the project and team
• Clinical Volunteering (hospice): ~100 over the past year
  • Slowed down DRASTICALLY w/ COVID, but working with the hospice facility to add some extra hours.
  • This is now mostly via phone call to my patients as they aren't allowing volunteers in the facilities, but still report directly to the medical staff/doctors.
• Non-Clinical Volunteering: 1000+ over the past several years
  • This includes Career/Professional Advising on campus, animal rescue volunteering, and music therapy from time-to-time.
• Shadowing: 0
  • BIG hit here. Finding an opportunity in an area I moved to and have very few connections has been TOUGH. As soon as I made traction, COVID happened and now I'm stuck with this issue for the foreseeable future. I've emailed, called, and even tried applying for a formal shadowing program - all are shut down entirely.

I'm assuming many of the responses will involve gap years and increasing clinical/shadowing, but thought I'd see if that assumption was off in any way.

See if you can get a scribing gig. That would cover both shadowing and clinical exposure.

 

[deleted917484]

Dang...who was advising you!? 1600+ hours of research and volunteering with 0 shadowing hours. Probably could have skipped the research and most of the non clinical volunteering.

HA so the non-clinical volunteering hours were there way before I even returned for my post-bacc, so I wouldn't say there was more emphasis there. In terms of the research, I only ended up pursuing it because I found it interesting! I was always partial to research, but finding this team involved in heavy ion nuclear physics just really piqued my interest. After clicking with the professor that runs the team, I seized the opportunity.

Shadowing has always been a major battle, since I move to NC from NJ and have zero network here. Now that COVID has hit, what was once a battle has become more of a fantasy ha. Any leads I had became handcuffed, pushing me back to a waiting game.

 

[Knpnfa]

See if you can get a scribing gig. That would cover both shadowing and clinical exposure.

Search function pulled up too many unrelated stuff to my question. Any particular company you recommend? I have read some horror stories on the easily googleable ones.

 

[deleted917484]

Search function pulled up too many unrelated stuff to my question. Any particular company you recommend? I have read some horror stories on the easily googleable ones.

Similar to this - I interviewed with ProScribe and they require a 2 year commitment...I'd definitely be in a position to breach that lol

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Similar to this - I interviewed with ProScribe and they require a 2 year commitment...I'd definitely be in a position to breach that lol

Everyone probably knows this but that commitment isn't legally binding and in many cases it would look better on one's application to break it. In the year that I was a scribe, only two of us stuck around for the year (both of us eventually broke our two-year contracts) and the majority left after a few months. No one will hold it against you if you look for a better opportunity than following a doc around for 2000 hours making $9/hour. As far as learning and source material for application essays, the point of marginal returns happened at 4-6 months in for me.

 

[deleted917484]

Everyone probably knows this but that commitment isn't legally binding and in many cases it would look better on one's application to break it. In the year that I was a scribe, only two of us stuck around for the year (both of us eventually broke our two-year contracts) and the majority left after a few months. No one will hold it against you if you look for a better opportunity than following a doc around for 2000 hours making $9/hour. As far as learning and source material for application essays, the point of marginal returns happened at 4-6 months in for me.

Good to know! It definitely does sound rather ridiculous ha