*~*~*~* Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips Thread 2020-2021 *~*~*~*

[avo31]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi! Question- what should I be doing for the end dates and total hours of activities that are currently cancelled due to the pandemic but you plan to resume the activity whenever it is safe? For example, I volunteer at a surgery program that does surgeries for people without insurance. Operations have been shutdown due to the pandemic since Feb... but I plan to resume volunteering once it opens again and continue volunteering until med school starts in August 2021. What should I put for the end date- Aug. 2021 or Feb. 2020? Also, should I put the total hours I've completed as of February or total hours I've completed as of February AND include the hours I will complete before med school starts? Thank you!

 

[Catalystik]

what should I be doing for the end dates and total hours of activities that are currently cancelled due to the pandemic but you plan to resume the activity whenever it is safe? For example, I volunteer at a surgery program that does surgeries for people without insurance. Operations have been shutdown due to the pandemic since Feb... but I plan to resume volunteering once it opens again and continue volunteering until med school starts in August 2021. What should I put for the end date- Aug. 2021 or Feb. 2020? Also, should I put the total hours I've completed as of February or total hours I've completed as of February AND include the hours I will complete before med school starts? Thank you!

Enter in the header those dates and hours you have completed already as of Feb2020. Since you don't know when you'll resume or how many more hours you'll accumulate, you can't be specific about a second date span or total hours. I suggest commenting at the end of the narrative space, "Hope to resume when facility reopens for X hrs/wk through Aug2021. Keep in mind that it is the completed hours that are taken into account when decisions are made on your file. You can update this via some Secondary essays, through update letters, and during interview conversations.

 

[Hzreio]

Would you consider a role training others and on-boarding new employees in a job as leadership?

 

[Catalystik]

Would you consider a role training others and on-boarding new employees in a job as leadership?

Yes.

 

[inquisithor]

Is it okay to include stories for each of my activity descriptions? Also, what format do you recommend for the most meaningful selections? Would you spend the first 700 characters writing a description of the job (like my duties as a researcher, for example), and then write a story/experience for the additional characters?

Also, if I worked as a volunteer in my college town only during the school year but not during the summer should I utilize the "repeated" selection for each school year I volunteered, or can I just do from 2017 -> 2020?

Thank you for the help!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Is it okay to include stories for each of my activity descriptions? Also, what format do you recommend for the most meaningful selections? Would you spend the first 700 characters writing a description of the job (like my duties as a researcher, for example), and then write a story/experience for the additional characters?

2) Also, if I worked as a volunteer in my college town only during the school year but not during the summer should I utilize the "repeated" selection for each school year I volunteered, or can I just do from 2017 -> 2020?

1) After starting with a description, discussing your role and contributions, and what you learned, you may not have space for an anecdote within the 700 character limit.

The MM essay can be in narrative or bullet format, or a mix of both. Certainly you'll have the space for a story, as well as motivation, impact, insights, and/or future direction.

You need not have an identical layout for each space. Some don't need a description. Sometimes your role is too obvious to explain. Maybe you didn't learn anything worth reporting.

2) If you want to enter a solid block of dates instead if using the Repeated feature, then add the words Academic Year to your title.

 

[oneplus]

Hi! I have worked as an ophthalmic technician for the past 2 years, which involved conducting the initial patient interview and charting the patient's complaint, family history, etc. Would this be considered as clinical employment (even though it is more closely related to optometry rather than medicine)? I have other clinical experiences as well, but this activity has the most hours.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi! I have worked as an ophthalmic technician for the past 2 years, which involved conducting the initial patient interview and charting the patient's complaint, family history, etc. Would this be considered as clinical employment (even though it is more closely related to optometry rather than medicine)? I have other clinical experiences as well, but this activity has the most hours.

I would label it Employment-Medical/Clinical (even though many of your patients are there for a routine exam). I'm glad to hear you have other clinical exposure, too, though, that hopefully broadens your experience with a wider range of human illness/injury.

 

[4573890]

Hi, I am wondering if it's okay to mention a gap year (i.e., future) activity in the context of a completed activity. I know anything not yet started can't be its own entry, but am I allowed to add, in the last sentence of my MM, "my experience with Activity X has inspired me to spend the 2020-2021 school year doing Activity Y"

 

[Catalystik]

I am wondering if it's okay to mention a gap year (i.e., future) activity in the context of a completed activity. I know anything not yet started can't be its own entry, but am I allowed to add, in the last sentence of my MM, "my experience with Activity X has inspired me to spend the 2020-2021 school year doing Activity Y"

Yes.

 

[vch1102]

I'm working on my list of experiences and achievements for DO applications and some paid work experience I did does not seem to be interesting enough to actually use the description box and write about. I was administrative assistant and even though I obtained so many skills from this 2 year job that I know would help toward medical school (communication, teamwork etc), I'm not super sure if I should include or if I do include it then not write on the description box. Any suggestions if description boxes can be left blank?

For all the other experience I have moments that I've included that stood out and made them special but with this one nothing really seems to stand out other than I needed money to be in college.

 

[Catalystik]

I'm working on my list of experiences and achievements for DO applications and some paid work experience I did does not seem to be interesting enough to actually use the description box and write about. I was administrative assistant and even though I obtained so many skills from this 2 year job that I know would help toward medical school (communication, teamwork etc), I'm not super sure if I should include or if I do include it then not write on the description box. Any suggestions if description boxes can be left blank?

For all the other experience I have moments that I've included that stood out and made them special but with this one nothing really seems to stand out other than I needed money to be in college.

Include it. Don't leave the description box blank. Just include the basics. Job description. Your role. The skills you developed, which, as stated, are characteristics valued by adcomms.

 

[prp427]

I've grown up in a family business since I was 4 and it has been part of most of my daily life to this day. It has made significant impacts in terms of understanding basic finance and money management, but also in interacting with new faces daily. Furthermore, there have been many events tied to this place from which I have learned many lessons. I know how to describe it very well in my most meaningful spot but I don't want to start including certain things that when elaborated on, would take up the initial 700 character limit and still have more left to say. Any advice on how I can go about this? Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

I've grown up in a family business since I was 4 and it has been part of most of my daily life to this day. It has made significant impacts in terms of understanding basic finance and money management, but also in interacting with new faces daily. Furthermore, there have been many events tied to this place from which I have learned many lessons. I know how to describe it very well in my most meaningful spot but I don't want to start including certain things that when elaborated on, would take up the initial 700 character limit and still have more left to say. Any advice on how I can go about this? Thanks!

You don't give enough detail for me to fully understand your concerns. Some general comments: The first 700 characters should describe the business, your roles within it and how you grew in responsibility. The MM area is the place for an anecdote, reflection, impact, lessons learned, +/- future directions. Limit your comments to those characteristics that you feel add to your candidacy as a med school applicant. If you are worried about running out of characters, consider writing out a version using bullet points and see if that helps. Have an objective person proofread and give commentary with the purpose of making your writing more succinct and cutting out unimportant elements, maybe a past English teacher or advisor.

 

[aspiringphysician190]

Hi! I have a question about how to list my publications. I have three of them and am putting them all under the same space. But I am confused on if I should cite them completely or just give the name of the pub, where I am in authorship, and DOI? And then maybe a brief 1-2 sentences on each project? Is that correct? Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

Hi! I have a question about how to list my publications. I have three of them and am putting them all under the same space. But I am confused on if I should cite them completely or just give the name of the pub, where I am in authorship, and DOI? And then maybe a brief 1-2 sentences on each project? Is that correct? Thanks!

In a Publications space, no description is necessary (as that should be in the affiliated research or project space). Just list your citations. Abbreviate them if you have to. Shortening the authorship list is fine, as is mentioning your place in the lineup. Use the PMID# if possible, otherwise DOI.

 

[aspiringphysician190]

In a Publications space, no description is necessary (as that should be in the affiliated research or project space). Just list your citations. Abbreviate them if you have to. Shortening the authorship list is fine, as is mentioning your place in the lineup. Use the PMID# if possible, otherwise DOI.

thanks! for one of my pubs, it is listed on the pub that all authors contributed equally. Instead of listing authorship should I just indicate that? also, another one of my pubs does not have doi or pmid# because it is a conference presentation (presented by someone else on my team) so in that case I do not have a doi or pmid#

 

[Catalystik]

1) for one of my pubs, it is listed on the pub that all authors contributed equally. Instead of listing authorship should I just indicate that?

2) also, another one of my pubs does not have doi or pmid# because it is a conference presentation (presented by someone else on my team) so in that case I do not have a doi or pmid#

1) Or, you could just say "co-author" and use less characters.

2) Then how is it a publication? Is the abstract from the presentation related to one of the cited publications?

 

[Lifeblood_20]

Would it be acceptable to include a short story in the "most meaningful" explanation to illustrate my point?
Also, can the research entry describe the research background? Or should it strictly be my role in it?

 

[Catalystik]

1) Would it be acceptable to include a short story in the "most meaningful" explanation to illustrate my point?

2) Also, can the research entry describe the research background? Or should it strictly be my role in it?

1) Absolutely. That's a perfect place for an illustrative anecdote.

2) That's how I'd suggest starting the entry. Then your role.

 

[Arodramaticity]

Is it appropriate to specify the selectivity of certain positions/internships. For example one of my summer internships accepted 10 people out of 1,000 applicants. I'm not sure if specifying this would come across negatively.

 

[squids82]

Is BCM colloquially enough known in admissions circles as Baylor or should I cut other content out to fully spell it?

Also, would it be better to use my actual PI as the contact or the research coordinator?

 

[WAMCHELP123]

Hello Everyone!

I have 3 questions,

1. The first question is that if I have a club that I am very involved in for experiences other than volunteering, but it is one that I did ~6o hours of volunteering in, how would I write about this experience? Should I separate the two experiences?
`
2. For tutoring, I have independently tutored many students over the years, but only did a few hours for professional companies. If i have around ~200 total tutoring hours, but only around 10 in a single company, can I put the company down as my contact and then explain that this company only represents a small portion of the tutoring I have done over the years?

3. For my clinical volunteering activity, I volunteered in an internal medicine clinic for over 2 years, and we worked with a large variety of patients, and helping with tasks such as greeting them, rooming them, and interviewing them about their concerns. This was somewhat of an informal volunteering experience as my hours were not recorded anywhere and I did not go through any formal training, but the doctor has wrote me a letter of recommendation and can back up that I did volunteer for the correct amount of hours. My only question is that she is affiliated with a large hospital system, and and they have their own volunteer system that I did not go through to volunteer in her clinic, and I was wondering if this would raise any red flags as I did not have any recorded volunteer hours in the hospitals volunteering system even though I was at a clinic they were affiliated with. My doctor said that she does not think this is an issue, so I think I should be okay, but I just wanted to make sure this is not a red flag because I am applying to a school that is partnered with the hospital system that she is affiliated with.

 

[inquisithor]

One last question! For activities where the description would be fairly obvious (i.e tutor), would it be okay for me to include a short story with something that I learned from the experience?

Again, thank you so much for all of the help! I feel that many of us would be rather lost without your contribution.

 

[Catalystik]

Is it appropriate to specify the selectivity of certain positions/internships. For example one of my summer internships accepted 10 people out of 1,000 applicants. I'm not sure if specifying this would come across negatively.

I encourage applicants to include an indication of selectivity for Awards/Honors/Recognitions, but try to add what the criteria are for selection as well.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Is BCM colloquially enough known in admissions circles as Baylor or should I cut other content out to fully spell it?

2) Also, would it be better to use my actual PI as the contact or the research coordinator?

1) Spell it out once and add (BCM) after the name. Thereafter you can use the acronym.

2) The PI is usually designated, but in large labs, that person may not be aware of when you joined the lab and your hours per week. In which case using the research coordinator is fine.

 

[Catalystik]

For activities where the description would be fairly obvious (i.e tutor), would it be okay for me to include a short story with something that I learned from the experience?

Yes.

 

[Catalystik]

1. The first question is that if I have a club that I am very involved in for experiences other than volunteering, but it is one that I did ~6o hours of volunteering in, how would I write about this experience? Should I separate the two experiences?
`
2. For tutoring, I have independently tutored many students over the years, but only did a few hours for professional companies. If i have around ~200 total tutoring hours, but only around 10 in a single company, can I put the company down as my contact and then explain that this company only represents a small portion of the tutoring I have done over the years?

3. For my clinical volunteering activity, I volunteered in an internal medicine clinic for over 2 years, and we worked with a large variety of patients, and helping with tasks such as greeting them, rooming them, and interviewing them about their concerns. This was somewhat of an informal volunteering experience as my hours were not recorded anywhere and I did not go through any formal training, but the doctor has wrote me a letter of recommendation and can back up that I did volunteer for the correct amount of hours. My only question is that she is affiliated with a large hospital system, and and they have their own volunteer system that I did not go through to volunteer in her clinic, and I was wondering if this would raise any red flags as I did not have any recorded volunteer hours in the hospitals volunteering system even though I was at a clinic they were affiliated with. My doctor said that she does not think this is an issue, so I think I should be okay, but I just wanted to make sure this is not a red flag because I am applying to a school that is partnered with the hospital system that she is affiliated with.

1) If you want to include all the dates and hours of club membership + volunteering in one space, then use the tag Extracurricular or Other or Artistic Endeavor, etc. (but refer to the volunteering in the title) If you want to highlight the volunteering hours, because you're maybe light in that area, then you need to use a Volunteer-Not Medical/Clinical tag, and include only the dates and hours of volunteering in that space's header. In the narrative you can refer to the general membership, or alternatively (if you have a lot to say), you can have a separate Extracurricular space that is related to the general membership-only, with its unique dates and total hours in the header.

2) Yes.

3) Not a problem. The activity is adequately validated via the LOR.

 

[Catalystik]

I am bilingual, so I was asked often to translate for people in the doctor office by my family as well as acquaintances of members of my family that are not related to me. To be specific, I go into the examine room with the patients and observe the interaction between doctors and the patients while translate everything I can. This happens many many times, so I wonder how should I classify this experience?

You could include this activity under the tag "Other". It is not a volunteer activity when it is for family and friends. It is not formal shadowing, though you could refer to it in the Shadowing entry, if you wish and are desperately light on hours in that category.

 

[SnowyMoon]

I've got a set of lengthy questions that I couldn't quite find the answer to after searching prior work/activities threads. I may have missed something, sorry if you've answered something similar somewhere before! And thank you for doing this!

As a musician, I have been involved in many ensembles, some for credit, some volunteer, and some paid. (1) I am assuming that it wouldn’t be advisable to include the ensembles for course credit in this section, unless a significant activity that was not required took place.

(2a) Should I separate the paid chorister positions from volunteer positions? Or should I lump it all under “Artistic Endeavors” and briefly discuss each ensemble? There are quite a few of them, and several were involved in performances for museum patrons, nursing/assisted living homes, and hospices. (2b) Should I also separate solo things or just keep it all under the same “Artistic Endeavors” heading? This is also one of my most meaningful experiences, so I could also discuss the more impactful choir opportunities there.

Perhaps the biggest issue I have is that a large portion of my non-clinical (and occasionally clinical) volunteering comes from the volunteer groups singing in museums, hospices, and nursing homes, or from club activities, and aren’t quite substantial enough as separate things to amount to much “hour power,” if I can use that phrase.

The final questions I have revolve around my teaching experience. I have taught free private lessons to trans students to work to alleviate potential vocal dysphoria and work through transition, as well as paid teaching through the community music program at my school and provided low cost music lessons to people in the community. The contact for the paid teaching wouldn’t be able to attest to my private studio work, so (3) should I separate them and ask one of my private students to be a contact for the private lessons?

 

[Catalystik]

As a musician, I have been involved in many ensembles, some for credit, some volunteer, and some paid.
(1) I am assuming that it wouldn’t be advisable to include the ensembles for course credit in this section, unless a significant activity that was not required took place.

(2a) Should I separate the paid chorister positions from volunteer positions? Or should I lump it all under “Artistic Endeavors” and briefly discuss each ensemble? There are quite a few of them, and several were involved in performances for museum patrons, nursing/assisted living homes, and hospices.
(2b) Should I also separate solo things or just keep it all under the same “Artistic Endeavors” heading? This is also one of my most meaningful experiences, so I could also discuss the more impactful choir opportunities there.

Perhaps the biggest issue I have is that a large portion of my non-clinical (and occasionally clinical) volunteering comes from the volunteer groups singing in museums, hospices, and nursing homes, or from club activities, and aren’t quite substantial enough as separate things to amount to much “hour power,” if I can use that phrase.

3) The final questions I have revolve around my teaching experience. I have taught free private lessons to trans students to work to alleviate potential vocal dysphoria and work through transition, as well as paid teaching through the community music program at my school and provided low cost music lessons to people in the community. The contact for the paid teaching wouldn’t be able to attest to my private studio work, so should I separate them and ask one of my private students to be a contact for the private lessons?

1) Not correct. Performing publicly is still an Artistic Endeavor and can be included in a space, perhaps related more generally to your musical interests.

2) In one Artistic Endeavors entry you can mention that some were paid. Or if you want more space to discuss your musical endeavors, you could use two spaces, with some moved to Employment. If further, you want to separate out Volunteer performances, that could be a third space (and the hourly total can include practice time, but not travel time). I don't think you need to mention each performance individually. Try to discuss them in aggregate or summarize. Exception might be a perfomance in a venue nationally recognized by every potential reader (Disney, The Met or Hollywood Bowl, Governer's mansion, etc.)

As to the volunteer performances: you could indicate them in the title of the activity. Or if you have enough nonmedical volunteering otherwise, not bother to separate them out. BTW, singing in a clinical venue (hospice or skilled-level nursing home) doesn't not make the activity "Clinical" for AMCAS purposes. ["Hour Power": I might have to borrow that! ]

3) Separate them out if the hourly totals are both able to stand on their own. Using a private student or parent as Contact is fine.

 

[corndawg18]

Would it be a good idea to have a section entitled "COVID related volunteering"? I have a lot of small things I've done over quarantine each for 10 or less hours like delivering food to people, teaching online classes to special needs kids, and writing hospice letters.

 

[Catalystik]

Would it be a good idea to have a section entitled "COVID related volunteering"? I have a lot of small things I've done over quarantine each for 10 or less hours like delivering food to people, teaching online classes to special needs kids, and writing hospice letters.

Sounds good to me.

 

[Throwaway520]

Hello,

I was wondering if it was looked down upon to put a recent experience as one of my most meaningful? I just started a clinical research job that works with COVID patients and I've been extensively working with a variety of healthcare team members including the doctors.

 

[Catalystik]

I was wondering if it was looked down upon to put a recent experience as one of my most meaningful? I just started a clinical research job that works with COVID patients and I've been extensively working with a variety of healthcare team members including the doctors.

How many hours will you have by the time you submit your application and how recent is it?

 

[Catalystik]

I worked as a pharmacy technician at CVS for two years. Over that time, I learned a TON of information. I would help patients find certain medications in the aisles, answer patients questions about the prescription, called patients regarding refills, etc.

Is this clinical exposure? I guess how would this experience exactly be classified in AMCAS?

For AMCAS applications, this sort of experience is generally viewed as best classified under "Not-Clinical," but giving all details of your roles, as some adcomms may feel it edges into the "Clinical" category.

 

[Throwaway520]

How many hours will you have by the time you submit your application and how recent is it?

It's a full time job, that I started in April

Oops didn't answer the first part of the question, I'll probably be submitting my app Mid/Late June at least 300 hrs by then

 

[Catalystik]

It's a full time job, that I started in April

I'll probably be submitting my app Mid/Late June at least 300 hrs by then

There's no problem with listing it as MM.

 

[beefeedflowermix]

Many/most of my experiences are sustained for 3 or 4+ years throughout college, volunteering stuff during academic years and clinical experience/shadowing over each summer (but at the same place). Is it ok to not use the "repeated" option if I include "academic years" and "each summers" somewhere in the description? It looks so bulky and to break up each and every activity into 4+ separate repeated encounters, but maybe this comes across as dishonest? Thanks 🙂

 

[Catalystik]

Many/most of my experiences are sustained for 3 or 4+ years throughout college, volunteering stuff during academic years and clinical experience/shadowing over each summer (but at the same place). Is it ok to not use the "repeated" option if I include "academic years" and "each summers" somewhere in the description? It looks so bulky and to break up each and every activity into 4+ separate repeated encounters, but maybe this comes across as dishonest? Thanks 🙂

It's fine not to use the Repeated feature despite the regular interruptions in participation. I suggest it would be better to add Summer or Academic Year to the titles if possible, though.

 

[beefeedflowermix]

It's fine not to use the Repeated feature despite the regular interruptions in participation. I suggest it would be better to add Summer or Academic Year to the titles if possible, though.

Awesome advice, thank you so much!

 

[meridian17]

In January, I was scribing and we saw a very interesting patient, I then helped the attending and residents write a case report. They just recently submitted it to a few journals. I'm guessing I should include this in the "research" rather than "publication" category since I don't know if it'll be published, right?

The writeup for AMCAS would basically be this in better English:
"I scribe, I've seen some cool stuff, one of the unique things was this case, which is (here I describe the disease process for like 50 characters). After the dx was made we looked at literature and cowrote a case report. Publication is presently under review."

I would probably list this as like 20-30 hours; I only spent like 5 actively writing but I spent 5 more looking into the background lit, and at LEAST 10 more going over it repeatedly with residents/attendings, plus I did a few other small things to help it happen organizationally.

Should I address this in some other way? Should I change the writeup to be more "show" and less "tell?" Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

In January, I was scribing and we saw a very interesting patient, I then helped the attending and residents write a case report. They just recently submitted it to a few journals. I'm guessing I should include this in the "research" rather than "publication" category since I don't know if it'll be published, right?

The writeup for AMCAS would basically be this in better English:
"I scribe, I've seen some cool stuff, one of the unique things was this case, which is (here I describe the disease process for like 50 characters). After the dx was made we looked at literature and cowrote a case report. Publication is presently under review."

I would probably list this as like 20-30 hours; I only spent like 5 actively writing but I spent 5 more looking into the background lit, and at LEAST 10 more going over it repeatedly with residents/attendings, plus I did a few other small things to help it happen organizationally.

Should I address this in some other way? Should I change the writeup to be more "show" and less "tell?" Thanks!

Your description is fine. I suggest that you should not use the Research tag, as you didn't use the scientific method for a hypothesis-driven, scholarly investigation. If you want to include the experience of witnessing an interesting case and preparing a report for potential publication, I suggest using the tag Other or Teaching. I agree it is not yet a Publication and shouldn't be called one, unless you hear back about an acceptance before the day you submit to AMCAS.

 

[meridian17]

@Catalystik Thanks, I'll fully hash out that description then and recategorize it, all the best!
I was originally gonna have my upcoming year employment as my 15th activity but all 3 employment opportunities I had lined up got covid-ed, so I don't have firm employment yet

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik Thanks, I'll fully hash out that description then and recategorize it, all the best!
I was originally gonna have my upcoming year employment as my 15th activity but all 3 employment opportunities I had lined up got covid-ed, so I don't have firm employment yet

 

[Savannah123]

I am trying to cite one of my publications where I am the 5th author and frankly, the names of those before me are quite long and take up a lot of space - is there a way I can cite this article without including all of their names?

 

[Catalystik]

I am trying to cite one of my publications where I am the 5th author and frankly, the names of those before me are quite long and take up a lot of space - is there a way I can cite this article without including all of their names?

A formal citation isn't necessary. You can shorten it as you see fit. You might just say Fifth-author or Co-author: [rest of the citation]. Or [FirstAuthor], . . . Savannah123 (fifth author) [rest of the citation]. Or you could include in the name of the space Co-Authored Accepted Manuscripts and not include names for any of the citations in the space. Or whatever. As long as there's enough information for an interested adcomm to find the article, you're fine.

 

[deleted987908]

If I volunteered at a hospital during high school and started volunteering at the same hospital again in the past year, would I list it as repeated or should I not include that I volunteered there for quite a bit as a high schooler?

 

[Catalystik]

If I volunteered at a hospital during high school and started volunteering at the same hospital again in the past year, would I list it as repeated or should I not include that I volunteered there for quite a bit as a high schooler?

I would separate out the two timeframes, each with their own unique total hours, using the Repeated feature.

 

[HouseJC]

Hello all, I have a question about clinical experiences that I want to hear your thoughts on. Sorry if this topic has been raised before.

I have been working as a skate patrol for 10 years now. For those who are unfamiliar, as a skate patrol, I maintain the safety of patrons who skate in the arena during public skate sessions; responding to emergencies, performing first-aid when needed (i.e. broken bones, dislocations, cuts, bleeds etc) and calling EMS when needed, responding to non-medical concerns from patrons etc. Currently, I have my skate patrol experience noted as clinical experience, as while I'm not in a hospital, I'm still delivering medical assistance to patrons (and thus, as LizzyM call it, I'm close enough to smell them 😉).

I have clinical experience where I am a volunteer in hospital, but as a non-traditional applicant, that experience was fairly long ago. I don't want to sell myself short. But at the same time, I don't want to give the Admissions Committee the impression that I'm lying on my application.

Thank you in advance for your opinions and feedback!