Too little clinical experience?

[silversky21]

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I am worried I might have too little clinical experience. I have ~400 hours of non-clinical volunteering over 2.5 years but only ~50 hours of clinical volunteering over one year and ~20 hours of shadowing (4 different docs) over six months. How much will this affect my chances if I applied this cycle?

 

[jm192]

I don't necessarily think it'll kill you. Especially if your numbers are strong.

I'd try to get the shadowing up though. If you don't have any responsibilities--you can knock out 40 hours in a week.

They want you to have been exposed to it and have an idea of what you're getting yourself into. You may do it and realize you hate it. And I think shadowing really provides some of the best insight. Even IN medical school, we had to shadow here and there. You're going to be doing that a lot. May as well throw yourself into it.

 

[Goro]

50 hrs is low. Really low. The typical applicant has >100.

I am worried I might have too little clinical experience. I have ~400 hours of non-clinical volunteering over 2.5 years but only ~50 hours of clinical volunteering over one year and ~20 hours of shadowing (4 different docs) over six months. How much will this affect my chances if I applied this cycle?

 

[familyaerospace]

What are the odds you can do whatever you can this summer? Maybe gain another hundred or two hours volunteering and double the shadowing? If you can do it, it's not going to kill the app, otherwise I would just apply next cycle. But that is me, there are people who get in with less than what you have.

 

[silversky21]

What are the odds you can do whatever you can this summer? Maybe gain another hundred or two hours volunteering and double the shadowing? If you can do it, it's not going to kill the app, otherwise I would just apply next cycle. But that is me, there are people who get in with less than what you have.

I am also studying for the MCAT right now and will take that this summer so I am not sure if I will have time to shadow/volunteer. If I do not apply this cycle, I can probably give myself more time to study for the MCAT and do some shadowing.

 

[ciestar]

I'm working part time, shadowing occasionally, and volunteering while studying for the mcat. It's possible. You need to give yourself time to do other things aside from studying.

 

[Essene]

I work, but I'm planning on shadowing/clinically volunteering soon'ish.

 

[Gauss44]

I am worried I might have too little clinical experience. I have ~400 hours of non-clinical volunteering over 2.5 years but only ~50 hours of clinical volunteering over one year and ~20 hours of shadowing (4 different docs) over six months. How much will this affect my chances if I applied this cycle?

Is it possible to turn that into >100 hours of clinical volunteering? I would think that you could do that in a week. The hospital that I volunteer for is always glad to have someone fill in for other volunteers when they are out and fill in for "understaffed" positions (meaning positions in need of more volunteers).

Any chance you're defining "clinical volunteering" too narrowly? I'm thinking that even working the front desk at a disabled home, or answering a hotline might qualify.

 

[silversky21]

If I were to gain more hours to maybe having around 100 hours total and apply this cycle, would the amount of clinical experience not hurt me too much? It might be hard to get more than that because I do not want to submit my application too late.

 

[jm192]

I'd shadow to get it to 50 and submit.

If someone comments on it during an interview, you can say you knew you loved it after those 50 hours. But assuming solid stats, you'll get interviews. And they likely won't hold you out for having less than 100 hours.

 

[2ndchancecharm]

where are y'all getting the shadowing experience from? I know for me, it's hard to get a hospital who has a good shadowing program, if any at all.

 

[lalalalala838]

50 hrs is low. Really low. The typical applicant has >100.

How much non-clinical volunteering does the typical applicant have?

Don't mean to derail the thread too much but I have silversky21's situation in reverse. I have ~400 hours clinical volunteering and ~50 non-clinical volunteering.

Stats are average. I can volunteer a it before submitting. What number should be shooting for with volunteering to be safe and not have volunteering holding me back in any way?

 

[candbgirl]

The thread is a year old. But there are lots of threads with this info. Try doing a search.

 

[Goro]

> 100. I think you're fine to apply now and do the remaining hours in the mean time. There's a space on AMCAS form for "planned". Don't know what AACOMAS uses.

How much non-clinical volunteering does the typical applicant have?

Don't mean to derail the thread too much but I have silversky21's situation in reverse. I have ~400 hours clinical volunteering and ~50 non-clinical volunteering.

Stats are average. I can volunteer a it before submitting. What number should be shooting for with volunteering to be safe and not have volunteering holding me back in any way?

 

[lalalalala838]

> 100. I think you're fine to apply now and do the remaining hours in the mean time. There's a space on AMCAS form for "planned". Don't know what AACOMAS uses.

Thank you!