What is considered as Clinical Experience

[natarenu]

I am applying for 2022-2023 Med School Application Cycle. For my current gap year I plan to work as a Counselor Intern helping Substance Abused People. Wondering if this is counted as clinical hours. Any thoughts?

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[deleted1017183]

Is it in a clinical setting? Are you working alongside other medical providers?

 

[natarenu]

It is a drug and alcohol rehab center. Yes, there are psychologists, therapists, and clinical directors. I just had an interview, and hopefully I will get it. So wanted to ask around if this counts as clinical experience. I have experience as a Scriber, but it does not have any patient interaction. So wanted to choose the one that has some interaction with patients.

 

[deleted1017183]

It is a drug and alcohol rehab center. Yes, there are psychologists, therapists, and clinical directors. I just had an interview, and hopefully I will get it. So wanted to ask around if this counts as clinical experience. I have experience as a Scriber, but it does not have any patient interaction. So wanted to choose the one that has some interaction with patients.

Sounds like an incredible opportunity. If you already have the clinical portion down (through scribing), I don't think you necessarily have to compensate with this.

In other words, I would do it regardless of whether it's considered clinical or not.

 

[natarenu]

Thanks a lot for the assurance This experience is for the gap year. Cannot start a research job or EMT or something like that since they take a long time and the year will go by fast. My research experience is not too great, plus not a great list of activities. So really stressed out...no II yet.

 

[LizzyM]

I have long defined clinical experience as one that puts you in close proximity to patients (no requirement that you touch them in your role but I do believe that you should be close enough to smell them -- not that they should smell bad or that you need to sniff them but close proximity, not two floors away toiling in a basement storage room.

If this provides interactions with patients, it sounds like it fits the bill.

 

[natarenu]

I have long defined clinical experience as one that puts you in close proximity to patients (no requirement that you touch them in your role but I do believe that you should be close enough to smell them -- not that they should smell bad or that you need to sniff them but close proximity, not two floors away toiling in a basement storage room.

If this provides interactions with patients, it sounds like it fits the bill.

Thanks for our response.

 

[bos2tlv]

I have long defined clinical experience as one that puts you in close proximity to patients (no requirement that you touch them in your role but I do believe that you should be close enough to smell them -- not that they should smell bad or that you need to sniff them but close proximity, not two floors away toiling in a basement storage room.

If this provides interactions with patients, it sounds like it fits the bill.

Interesting perspective - follow-up for you to consider:

I currently work at an IRF (inpatient rehab facility) and am cross-trained as both a unit secretary and patient care associate (PCA). In performing the unit secretary duties I DO have direct interaction with patients:
-explaining and obtaining signatures on our lengthy consent to treat paperwork,
-coordinating offsite appointments & transportation to said appointments,
-collecting insurance cards, and advanced care directives to scan into Epic,
-responsible for providing transition of care paperwork to EMS whenever we send someone out to acute

I had the understanding that Unit Secretary is almost universally not considered clinical experience so I instead plan to just report the hours that I have worked in the PCA role (i.e. paired with an RN/LPN involved in direct patient care). Do you think the Unit Secretary experience is still meaningful? I am not concerned about the number of hours but am more focused on the impact and grounding my interest in patient care.

Thank you!

 

[LizzyM]

Interesting perspective - follow-up for you to consider:

I currently work at an IRF (inpatient rehab facility) and am cross-trained as both a unit secretary and patient care associate (PCA). In performing the unit secretary duties I DO have direct interaction with patients:
-explaining and obtaining signatures on our lengthy consent to treat paperwork,
-coordinating offsite appointments & transportation to said appointments,
-collecting insurance cards, and advanced care directives to scan into Epic,
-responsible for providing transition of care paperwork to EMS whenever we send someone out to acute

I had the understanding that Unit Secretary is almost universally not considered clinical experience so I instead plan to just report the hours that I have worked in the PCA role (i.e. paired with an RN/LPN involved in direct patient care). Do you think the Unit Secretary experience is still meaningful? I am not concerned about the number of hours but am more focused on the impact and grounding my interest in patient care.

Thank you!

For medical school, I'd count it. Work as a unit secretary is far more interactive with patients than receptionist work in a clinic and we count that if one greets patients. For admission to a PA program, the expectation of "patient care" experience might be more strict.

 

[bos2tlv]

For medical school, I'd count it. Work as a unit secretary is far more interactive with patients than receptionist work in a clinic and we count that if one greets patients. For admission to a PA program, the expectation of "patient care" experience might be more strict.

Much thanks!