Possible to Get in Without Shadowing Experience?

[TDLH666]

Hi! I'm planning on applying this cycle, but I don't currently have any shadowing experience. I'm about to graduate undergrad and so I'm taking one gap year, and I was planning to scribe in order to gain more clinical experience, but ScribeAmerica currently isn't hiring due to COVID-19. As soon as they are able to hire I do plan on starting, but I don't think that will be possible until at least after I've submitted my primaries. I went to an Ivy League for undergrad, and I have about 100 hours of hospital volunteering, decent ECs in college, 2 years of research with an honors thesis, 3.8c/3.9s/527 MCAT, and a good committee letter. Do I have a chance of getting interviews/acceptances without shadowing/scribing? Thank you!!

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[OchemOficionado]

Applicants are accepted every year without shadowing.... so it's possible. Not the norm, but possible.

 

[ciestar]

It’s possible.. but how much clinical experience do you actually have? Your stats are excellent, but it would suck if your ECs held you back

 

[TDLH666]

My clinical experience is a bit over 100 hours with patient interaction, but not a ton of actual interaction with doctors (more with nurses). I was going to be increasing my hours a lot during this past semester, but unfortunately got cut short because of COVID.
Also, I know that this isn't clinical/wouldn't really go on my application but I guess I could talk about it if asked, but my PI was also a practicing physician, and I talked with him a lot about career things and the realities of being a doctor vs a researcher. I wasn't able to actually shadow him due to some of the regulations in place at that hospital, but I did feel like I gained a better understanding of what it's like to be a doctor and helped me solidify that I want to practice, and not do research.
I know that clinical experience is definitely my weakest point, but do you think that if I'm able to start scribing soon, that would help to make up for it, along with my stats?

 

[Goro]

Hi! I'm planning on applying this cycle, but I don't currently have any shadowing experience. I'm about to graduate undergrad and so I'm taking one gap year, and I was planning to scribe in order to gain more clinical experience, but ScribeAmerica currently isn't hiring due to COVID-19. As soon as they are able to hire I do plan on starting, but I don't think that will be possible until at least after I've submitted my primaries. I went to an Ivy League for undergrad, and I have about 100 hours of hospital volunteering, decent ECs in college, 2 years of research with an honors thesis, 3.8c/3.9s/527 MCAT, and a good committee letter. Do I have a chance of getting interviews/acceptances without shadowing/scribing? Thank you!!

When you want to aim high, your app has to be high. You're lacking in shadowing AND there's only 100 hrs of clinical exposure The Really Top Schools are what your stats merit, BUT, you'll simply be crowded out by stronger candidates.

100 hours of hospital volunteering, decent ECs in college,

 

[DokterMom]

When you want to aim high, your app has to be high. You're lacking in shadowing AND there's only 100 hrs of clinical exposure The Really Top Schools are what your stats merit, BUT, you'll simply be crowded out by stronger candidates.

100 hours of hospital volunteering, decent ECs in college,

Sadly, I have to agree. I'd suggest two alternate paths:

1. Apply this year and focus on the second tier schools (USN&WR ranks ~20-50) or
2. Fix your deficits and apply to the top 20 in an additional year.

There's a possibility that, because of the pandemic, fewer candidates will have much in the way of shadowing, and it will be of reduced importance. But having none makes it look like you waited until the last minute to get some, and that isn't a good look.

If you can get in more volunteering hours doing anything, I'd strongly recommend it.