Stupid Question Prob

[Sherif]

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i have a stupid question, i was wondering if working as a life guard can be the Pre-med job that is required. since you deal with people and saving them. Thanks in advance

 

[CalBeE]

That's fine with some schools. Other schools are more strict about it, requiring it to be in a Hospital or clinic setting.

 

[Tezzie]

I think being a life guard can be great for your ECs.

However from what i understand (so again "grain" "salt"), not having any clinical exposure, can hurt.

 

[jlee9531]

a premed job is required?

i never knew that.

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Originally posted by Sherif
i have a stupid question, i was wondering if working as a life guard can be the Pre-med job that is required. since you deal with people and saving them. Thanks in advance

There's a screen saver at work that states:

"There are no stupid questions... just inquisitive idiots." 🙂

j/k'ing here.

Life guarding is not a requirement... but as stated above, a rewarding experience and EC b/c you work with people and protect them. You can draw from this experience to explain why medicine is ideal for you. However, you'll need to confirm this claim with clinical or medical experiences.

 

[Bones2008]

Originally posted by Sherif
i have a stupid question, i was wondering if working as a life guard can be the Pre-med job that is required. since you deal with people and saving them. Thanks in advance

Pretty much all schools require some kind of clinical experience. Though lifeguarding involves saving people, etc., as a doctor you won't be sitting in a chair by a pool. You'll be in a hospital/clincal setting working with patients. I'd recommend at least volunteering in a clinic/hospital, because it's actually a pretty big deal that you have experiences like that.

 

[Neuronix]

Originally posted by Bones2008
As a doctor you won't be sitting in a chair by a pool. You'll be in a hospital/clincal setting working with patients.

PM&R with a water excersize rehab clinic. MMmmmm, that one is looking better all the time.

 

[care bear]

i was a lifeguard for 5 years and also volunteered in a hospital and worked in a doctor's office, and i got so much more out of lifeguarding in terms of clinical experience!

people who aren't lifeguards might not know this, but to be a lifeguard you go through a lot of training abt how to respond to injury. you have to know about wound care, CPR, spinal injuries, insect venom, chemical burns, shock, broken bones, etc etc just in case any of that stuff happened at your pool.

and granted my hospital experience was pretty unsatisfying (i played with kids in a waiting room) but lifeguarding was definitely more of an exposure to medicine in the sense of being exposed to measures you might actually take to save someone's life.

 

[felipe5]

Originally posted by jlee9531
a premed job is required?

i never knew that.

that makes two of us my friend......looks like I've been goin' at this the wrong way

 

[HollyJ]

Well, I think that the point of clinical experience is to a) give you some exposure to the medical field and b) show some commitment on your part. I'm not sure that lifeguarding really qualifies. I know that lifeguarding does require some first aid skills (I was a lifeguard for a while in high school), but I don't think that it's the same as actual clinical exposure.

Lifeguarding can be a great job, but make sure you back up your application with clinical stuff, even if it's just shadowing.

Good luck!

 

[drlexygoat]

I've known folks who try to qualify teaching aerobics under pre-medical exposure.

 

[daktar]

I've done it all, I teach aerobics, personal train, teach swimming, been a lifeguard, i'm now a lifeguard trainer ( teaching the first aid, CPR, AED, water rescues and all ).

Got asked a lot about it in interviews. At one interview I helped the interview plan a new workout program. At another, the interview said " some might say you haven't had enough medical experience, but I disagree...blah..blah...blah" Soo...you never know. It'll still be safer to back it up with some clinical experience.