Types of Clinical Experiences

[Rearanged-351235]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

I have been a paid EMT-Basic for about a year and a half and have approximately 1000+ hours. As you may know, EMTs do not interact with physicians very often, since we are primarily in the field.

Some people have told me that I should also pursue a clinical position where I interact more with physicians/doctors (such as an ER Tech, Medical Assistant, etc.).

What is the consensus on this? Or will my EMT experience suffice?

 

[LizzyM]

For me, the point of clinical experience is to interact with patients and the point of shadowing is to interact with physicians. You are interacting with patients just as applicants who spend their time entertaining children in a pediatric ward interact with patients but rarely see physicians, and applicants in hospice settings interact with patients but would almost never see a physician.

Your EMT experience suffices. Just be sure to have at least 50 hours of shadowing, with at least some of that in primary care setting ("out-patient clinic")

 

[Goro]

The whole point of clinical experience is to interact with patients. You need to show admissions committees that you know what you're getting into, and that you really want to spend a lifetime caring for the sick and suffering.

You can interact with doctors by shadowing.

 

[Rearanged-351235]

Thanks for the reply, guys. That makes a lot of sense. Would it necessarily be beneficial if I chose to take on a, say, ER Tech position? Would it make a substantial difference, or would I be better off investing my time in other aspects of my app?