patient experience = clinical experience?

[WhizoMD]

should time spent as a patient be considered clinical experience? Most (all?) of my meaningful clinical experiences, and interactions with patients, have taken place while I was a patient (in various settings). All of my other legit "clinical experiences" so far have been pure resume padding. Has anyone ever listed patient experience as clinical experience? What would adcoms think of this?

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[apumic]

No. You were a patient. That's great you had some good experiences, but you were the pt. You didn't really learn to interact w/ pts nor to work w other healthcare professionals.

 

[obiwan]

should time spent as a patient be considered clinical experience? Most (all?) of my meaningful clinical experiences, and interactions with patients, have taken place while I was a patient (in various settings). All of my other legit "clinical experiences" so far have been pure resume padding. Has anyone ever listed patient experience as clinical experience? What would adcoms think of this?

while i don't think you can count being a patient as clinical experience, i would think that would make much more of a meaniful impact in your personal statement and something you can talk about during interviews... sounds kinda wierd to list on your CV that you were a patient at city hospital for 2 weeks as clinical experience

 

[WhizoMD]

No. You were a patient. That's great you had some good experiences, but you were the pt. You didn't really learn to interact w/ pts nor to work w other healthcare professionals.

I wasn't the only patient, I always talk to/interact with the other patients and family's; I can't think of a better way to learn how to interact with someone than walking a mile in their shoes. Also, it's easy to get a sense for how healthcare professionals work with each other when you actually see it in action.

while i don't think you can count being a patient as clinical experience, i would think that would make much more of a meaniful impact in your personal statement and something you can talk about during interviews... sounds kinda wierd to list on your CV that you were a patient at city hospital for 2 weeks as clinical experience

yea I guess it would be weird, though I wasn't planning to be that specific. I just think it's weird how transporting/delivering flowers to patients is considered legitimate clinical experience, but being an actual patient isn't.

 

[LizzyM]

I see your point as I was a patient last year and I sure learned something about the practice of medicine overhearing the conversation the doctor was having with my roommate's family. However, it shouldn't be listed in the experience section. If you wanted to work some anecdotes into your personal statement that would work. On the other hand, consider how much personal information you want to have out there about your own health. You may open the door enough for an interviewer to walk right in and start digging. Proceed at your own risk.

 

[Jasgop]

I find interacting with patients fun and enjoyable! You will be interacting with them a lot in medical school. Of course, try to balance them! =D