Transferring Schools for More Clinical Opportunities

[a3suki]

Hi! I'm currently a first-year at my undergrad. I'm considering applying to transfer for the Fall of 2024 (my sophomore year).

One of the main reasons is for more clinical opportunities. I currently go to a liberal arts institution in a rural environment and the nearest hospital doesn't do more than 8 hours of shadowing or volunteering. If I were to shadow or get any clinical experience, I would have to drive around an hour to a bigger city. EMS is not an option in the area and basically the only form of clinical experience would be working as a CNA in a nursing home, but they don't offer many hours to students.

I am currently an EMT at home (suburb that is close to several hospitals) and besides breaks and summers, if I continue to go to my current institution, I would be limited to only getting clinical experience at that time.

I was wondering if it would be a good idea to transfer to a university closer to a city? This way I would be getting many more opportunities and not restricting myself to only getting experience during breaks. If not, what are some things I could do instead to raise my clinical hours and make sure my medical school application is the best it can be?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[cj_cregg]

Any hospice volunteering opportunities or free clinics? Maybe some local PCPs (or specialists if available) who are willing to take you on to shadow or where you could work as an MA if you sought out the training, or even front desk staff? Is there an ER or urgent care in the area where your EMS training might qualify you as an ER tech? Could you get trained as a phlebotomist or CNA and work at the hospital?

 

[a3suki]

Any hospice volunteering opportunities or free clinics? Maybe some local PCPs (or specialists if available) who are willing to take you on to shadow or where you could work as an MA if you sought out the training, or even front desk staff? Is there an ER or urgent care in the area where your EMS training might qualify you as an ER tech? Could you get trained as a phlebotomist or CNA and work at the hospital?

These are some good ideas - thanks! Hospitals and PCPs around here don't take any volunteers or students due to closing programs and shadowing opportunities ever since COVID.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Can I ask why you chose to attend that rural college in the first place, knowing that you wanted to be a health professional? Does your college have prehealth advising with resources or opportunities for clinical experience?

No one could stop you from transferring provided you follow the proper procedures so the courses you have currently taken are not a complete waste of money.

 

[LunaOri]

I don’t think it would be held against you that your clinical opportunities were during summer breaks. Focus on your non-clinical volunteering during the school year—rural areas should have food banks, homeless services, nursing homes, etc.

 

[a3suki]

Can I ask why you chose to attend that rural college in the first place, knowing that you wanted to be a health professional? Does your college have prehealth advising with resources or opportunities for clinical experience?

No one could stop you from transferring provided you follow the proper procedures so the courses you have currently taken are not a complete waste of money.

I attended a rural college more for the liberal arts aspect and how the academic setting matched me more as a student over what I wanted to do in the future. Since my school does have a high acceptance rate into medical school, I figured the premedical track would not be difficult in terms of getting the opportunities.

Obviously, I see the shortcoming of the location now and I was very surprised to find that working at a hospital would be rather difficult unless I would be willing to drive an hour.

My pre-med advisor kinda left me at a "either go above and beyond for those clinical experiences or take a gap year". I probably think I'll just contact as many MA positions in hopes I can get one and then leave the shadowing hours for when I'm at home.

 

[candbgirl]

I attended a rural college more for the liberal arts aspect and how the academic setting matched me more as a student over what I wanted to do in the future. Since my school does have a high acceptance rate into medical school, I figured the premedical track would not be difficult in terms of getting the opportunities.

Obviously, I see the shortcoming of the location now and I was very surprised to find that working at a hospital would be rather difficult unless I would be willing to drive an hour.

My pre-med advisor kinda left me at a "either go above and beyond for those clinical experiences or take a gap year". I probably think I'll just contact as many MA positions in hopes I can get one and then leave the shadowing hours for when I'm at home.

So did all of the opportunities just disappear?
Most people have to be creative and learn good time management to be ready to apply in junior/senior year. Many, maybe even most, applicants take a gap year. It isn’t unusual at all. But it sounds like you expected opportunities to just fall in place. The good thing is med schools aren’t going anywhere. They’ll be there when you are ready.

What you need to think about is do you really want to transfer? Have you made friends, joined clubs, got into research, are you doing well academically? Are you positive that the opportunities you are looking for , will they be readily available at the new school? Have you visited the new school, have you talked to a premed advisor? There are so many questions to consider.

Good luck.