Scope of Practice

[Tresca]

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[Catalystik]

Before deciding to pursue medical school, I did some time exploring the pre-veterinary route. While working as a veterinary assistant, I had the opportunity to scrub in and assist with a number of surgeries (managing instruments, holding organs in place during procedures, etc.).

In my state, this is explicitly noted to be within the scope of practice. With that being said, do you think it is appropriate to include in my personal statement/work and activities? Given that adcoms probably don't know the regulations surrounding scope of practice in veterinary medicine, I'm not sure how it would be received.

Though this activity won't count as the type of "clinical experience" that medical school adcomms want you to acquire, it certainly counts as a significant and interesting experience (that I'd enjoy reading about). Include it on your application and feel free to explain that your role was within the scope of practice for your position.

Don't make your med school application too packed with animal-based experiences though. You need lots of the human-interactive variety to make it clear your focus has shifted and been adequately tested.

@Doctor-S for comments.

 

[Tresca]

Though this activity won't count as the type of "clinical experience" that medical school adcomms want you to acquire, it certainly counts as a significant and interesting experience (that I'd enjoy reading about). Include it on your application and feel free to explain that your role was within the scope of practice for your position.

Don't make your med school application too packed with animal-based experiences though. You need lots of the human-interactive variety to make it clear your focus has shifted and been adequately tested.

@Doctor-S for comments.

Thanks for the feedback! 🙂 I'm planning on explaining how such experiences led me to shifting my focus towards human medicine and, subsequently, gaining clinical experience that incorporated direct patient interaction.

 

[Doctor-S]

Before deciding to pursue medical school, I did some time exploring the pre-veterinary route. While working as a veterinary assistant, I had the opportunity to scrub in and assist with a number of surgeries (managing instruments, holding organs in place during procedures, etc.).

In my state, this is explicitly noted to be within the scope of practice. With that being said, do you think it is appropriate to include in my personal statement/work and activities? Given that adcoms probably don't know the regulations surrounding scope of practice in veterinary medicine, I'm not sure how it would be received.

Though this activity won't count as the type of "clinical experience" that medical school adcomms want you to acquire, it certainly counts as a significant and interesting experience (that I'd enjoy reading about). Include it on your application and feel free to explain that your role was within the scope of practice for your position.

Don't make your med school application too packed with animal-based experiences though. You need lots of the human-interactive variety to make it clear your focus has shifted and been adequately tested.

@Doctor-S for comments.

Agree with @Catalystik.

Although animal and veterinary medicine experiences are meaningful and very interesting (at least to me), they won't carry the same significance for a human medical school applicant that you must positively convey to a human medical school adcom.

I am aware that you were providing services within the "scope of practice" in your State as a veterinary assistant. That's fine. However, some MD adcomms might not be aware of scope of practice in veterinary medicine - especially since they don't need to know anything about veterinary medicine anyway. Instead, they will spend more time scouring your application to read about experiences and activities related to "two-legged patients."

So, make sure you clearly explain "why" you are absolutely passionate, determined and motivated to become a physician. You don't need to spend a lot of time "justifying" your change in career plans from DVM degree to MD degree. We get it. In the past, you were gainfully employed as a veterinary assistant (and earning a salary as a vet assistant), but your true passion is to become a physician.

I wish you the very best of success!

After you complete your MD degree, you can join me (and my other colleagues) who regularly volunteer with a pet rescue/adoption group. We have the best of both worlds: human medicine and lots of animals!