What does volunteering at a physical therapy count under?

[jrohazn]

I just got accepted as a volunteer for a pediatric physical therapy organization. Especially during COVID, my responsibilities include cleaning, organizing equipment, and setting up the activities of the next session for the client. The organization says that all hours fall under observation/shadowing hours. I know that physical therapy doesn’t fall exactly under clinical experience, but is it appropriate to list this experience under shadowing hours in my application?

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[candbgirl]

Not physician shadowing because you aren’t shadowing a physician. I’ve seen something like this used as shadowing to rule out a possible career choice or path. Will you have direct contact with the kids?

 

[DNAJB6]

I just got accepted as a volunteer for a pediatric physical therapy organization. Especially during COVID, my responsibilities include cleaning, organizing equipment, and setting up the activities of the next session for the client. The organization says that all hours fall under observation/shadowing hours. I know that physical therapy doesn’t fall exactly under clinical experience, but is it appropriate to list this experience under shadowing hours in my application?

Sure, if you're applying to PT school. This is not shadowing for medical school. You describe no patient contact which makes it sound like non-clinical volunteering to me. While it is better than nothing, I would look for other non-clinical volunteering opportunities too.

Oh, and be ready for the "why not physical therapy school?" question in medical school admissions interviews.

 

[Goro]

I just got accepted as a volunteer for a pediatric physical therapy organization. Especially during COVID, my responsibilities include cleaning, organizing equipment, and setting up the activities of the next session for the client. The organization says that all hours fall under observation/shadowing hours. I know that physical therapy doesn’t fall exactly under clinical experience, but is it appropriate to list this experience under shadowing hours in my application?

Non-clinical if you're not dealing with patients.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Sure, if you're applying to PT school. This is not shadowing for medical school. You describe no patient contact which makes it sound like non-clinical volunteering to me. While it is better than nothing, I would look for other non-clinical volunteering opportunities too.

Oh, and be ready for the "why not physical therapy school?" question in medical school admissions interviews.

Yeah, be ready for this. It's not bad, especially if you have long term interest in something like family, ortho, sports med or pmnr. Long story short, it's a good adjunct part of your CV but make sure this is not the centerpiece of your experiences.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[KnightDoc]

Not physician shadowing because you aren’t shadowing a physician. I’ve seen something like this used as shadowing to rule out a possible career choice or path. Will you have direct contact with the kids?

This^^^^. It's not clinical, and it's not shadowing. It's non-clinical volunteering. Nothing wrong with it, but don't try to make it something it isn't. That will only make you look bad. You're going to be "cleaning, organizing equipment, and setting up the activities," not observing physicians treating patients.