Undisclosed clinical experience in update letter

[donaldduckfanatic]

Hey all, I’m waitlisted at the only school I got an interview at and just wanted an opinion on something. I have 2000+ research hours and about 500 clinical volunteering hours, but as a volunteer, not in the room with the patient and doctor, serving snacks to patients while they get chemo, chatting, and providing wig fittings. I loved this experience and learned a lot but I don’t know how impactful this comes across. My dilemma is that I also have 300+ hours working at a pharmacy in my home country, which is very politically controversial right now and when I applied. This was a very patient-facing role where I prepped people for vaccines and took their BPs and heart rate, but my family advised me not to include it because they were worried someone might read into it politically, which has happened before in another context. Since I already had another clinical experience, I left it out, but now I’m really regretting that and wondering if I can send an update letter mentioning it. It’s an unranked waitlist, so my thought is if they’re comparing applicants and have to choose between us, I don’t wanna lose out because my clinical hours seem lower. Thanks!

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[Goro]

500 clinical hours is normally outstanding. What exactly did you do?

Working in a pharmacy in your home country isn't going to move the needle.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You NEVER disclosed your additional work in your home country pharmacy? You never brought up mentioning you worked at a pharmacy in your home country? (What constitutes "work" by the way?)

 

[LizzyM]

Lower clinical hours, with the undisclosed hours being taking blood pressures, etc in a pharmacy in another country, will not be what is holding you back on the waitlist. Without having listed it on the AMCAS application, there is no way to verify that what you say is correct, you won't have provided a contact for that experience, etc. I would recommend that you not bother with it.

 

[donaldduckfanatic]

500 clinical hours is normally outstanding. What exactly did you do?

Working in a pharmacy in your home country isn't going to move the needle.

For the volunteering i serve snack to patients while they receive chemo, help nurses with blood test coordination, and fit wigs on cancer patients.

At the pharmacy i prepped patients for vaccines, took their BP and HR, and did things like restocking and selling OTC medication.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[donaldduckfanatic]

You NEVER disclosed your additional work in your home country pharmacy? You never brought up mentioning you worked at a pharmacy in your home country? (What constitutes "work" by the way?)

No i stupidly did not, and im regretting it. I was just worried someone would be biased against me given the current political climate. I was employed at the pharmacy prepped patients for vaccines, took their BP and HR, and did things like restocking and selling OTC medication.

 

[donaldduckfanatic]

Lower clinical hours, with the undisclosed hours being taking blood pressures, etc in a pharmacy in another country, will not be what is holding you back on the waitlist. Without having listed it on the AMCAS application, there is no way to verify that what you say is correct, you won't have provided a contact for that experience, etc. I would recommend that you not bother with it.

I was going to include a verifier just like on AMCAS. Your advice obviously makes sense, im just desperately looking for ways to move the needle as i really love the school i interviewed at and really dont want to reapply. Thank you!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

No i stupidly did not, and im regretting it. I was just worried someone would be biased against me given the current political climate. I was employed at the pharmacy prepped patients for vaccines, took their BP and HR, and did things like restocking and selling OTC medication.

Can I ask, how did you get this job? Were you trained for preparing patients for vaccines or documenting HR and BP?

I say this because there is controversy about working in a non-US healthcare environment because the regulations of working with patients/clients is very different. In general, most US health educators do NOT want to see applicants touching patients without prior training and supervision. I don't want to dive deeper into this, but a potential interviewer might. I would be careful until you know how to disclose this activity and your responsibilities.

https://dentistry.uky.edu/sites/default/files/AdeaGuidelinesPredentalStudentsProvidingCareAbroad.pdf

 

[donaldduckfanatic]

Can I ask, how did you get this job? Were you trained for preparing patients for vaccines or documenting HR and BP?

I say this because there is controversy about working in a non-US healthcare environment because the regulations of working with patients/clients is very different. In general, most US health educators do NOT want to see applicants touching patients without prior training and supervision. I don't want to dive deeper into this, but a potential interviewer might. I would be careful until you know how to disclose this activity and your responsibilities.

https://dentistry.uky.edu/sites/default/files/AdeaGuidelinesPredentalStudentsProvidingCareAbroad.pdf

I just applied for the position and had like a weeks worth of training. I didnt do anything skilled. I cleaned the customers arm with an alcohol swab, took the vaccine from stock, and chatted until the pharmacist came. And i was taught to use HR and BP monitor and how to log the info. I just did this for patients on heart meds who want to track their rates. You have a good point and i was never left alone with the patients or done anything that required more skill than what i just described. Thanks for the advice!