What is considered clinical experience? Do I need more?

[jt1143]

I'm a non-traditional applicant and am in the middle of a post-bacc program. Prior to my post-bacc I worked in a private clinic being an administrative assistant where I would answer patient phone calls and emails for the doctor and communicate with patients regularly as I was also a receptionist. I also worked as a discharge planner inpatient where I had to work with doctors, nurses and social workers on sending patients home so I would regularly talk with the doctors and nurses and collaborate. Of note, I've also had to care for my grandma weekly on days we can't bring in a private caregiver. All of this really inspired me to go into medicine.

My premed advisor told me all these years working in healthcare do not count because I was not regularly in the room with the doctor while they were talking to the patient. He states that it's non-clinical work experience. Of note- There were some instances where I'd have to be in the room with the MD and patient but it wasn't all the time. I can answer why I want to go into medicine.

My question is: does my experience count as clinical? Or is it non-clinical? Do I need to scribe? How can I strengthen my clinical experience? thanks in advance

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Goro]

Patient contact experience is clinical experience. But being in a clinic isn't always clinical experience.

My gut reaction to your experiences that you need to actively be interacting with patients.

Just being in the room with the doctor and watching him talk to the patient is shadowing, not patient contact experience.

 

[jt1143]

Patient contact experience is clinical experience. But being in a clinic isn't always clinical experience.

My gut reaction to your experiences that you need to actively be interacting with patients.

Just being in the room with the doctor and watching him talk to the patient is shadowing, not patient contact experience.

In regards to actively interacting with patients, if I went over discharge plans over the phone with the patient- would that count? Sometimes I would have to talk to patients in the room also. I was basically the middle man between the patient and the doctor, pharmacist, home health agency etc. Is this clinical? Would scribing be a good clinical experience? Thank you!

 

[Goro]

Still no

 

[jt1143]

Still no

Understood. Would you consider scribing to be good clinical experience or should I look elsewhere?

 

[Goro]

Understood. Would you consider scribing to be good clinical experience or should I look elsewhere?

Scribing is fine. It's actually a triple plus. It's employment, which is always good. It's also shadowing, but it counts as patient contact experience as well.

 

[DOCOC15]

Scribing is fine. It's actually a triple plus. It's employment, which is always good. It's also shadowing, but it counts as patient contact experience as well.

Why does scribing count as patient contact if scribes typically don't talk to the patients?

 

[Goro]

Why does scribing count as patient contact if scribes typically don't talk to the patients?

Your guess is as good as mine! Yet, it does!

 

[jt1143]

Your guess is as good as mine! Yet, it does!

LOL thank you! this helps a bit

 

[jt1143]

Why does scribing count as patient contact if scribes typically don't talk to the patients?

i am wondering the same thing! hence the post lol

 

[Mr.Smile12]

When scribing first arrived on the scene in the ER's, they were documenting what the OR doctor was seeing when diagnosing a patient (who may not be responsive) and entering the notes into the EHR. One basically had to understand how to think like a doctor and understand the medical terminology in a way that most shadowers don't do. You witness doctor-patient conversations, and most adcoms find that interaction useful even if the student does not participate or give feedback.

 

[jt1143]

When scribing first arrived on the scene in the ER's, they were documenting what the OR doctor was seeing when diagnosing a patient (who may not be responsive) and entering the notes into the EHR. One basically had to understand how to think like a doctor and understand the medical terminology in a way that most shadowers don't do. You witness doctor-patient conversations, and most adcoms find that interaction useful even if the student does not participate or give feedback.

Thank you so much! This makes a lot of sense.

 

[secondariesftw]

At the end of the day, you need to be able to write meaningfully about your clinical experiences. How did it impact you, what impact did you have on patients and what did you learn. It's not just about wracking up hours. While scribing counts, you would be better off working as an MA or EMT as you will undoubtedly have more interesting encounters to talk about.

 

[LizzyM]

My definition of clinical experience goes back years if not decades (see sig line). Are you in a setting where you are in close proximity to patients (phone doesn't count). You need not touch them but you should be in close proximity to them. They should be "patients", not research subjects, campers, residents, clients, or volunteers (e.g. blood donors).

YMMV and not everyone shares my opinion.

 

[jt1143]

My definition of clinical experience goes back years if not decades (see sig line). Are you in a setting where you are in close proximity to patients (phone doesn't count). You need not touch them but you should be in close proximity to them. They should be "patients", not research subjects, campers, residents, clients, or volunteers (e.g. blood donors).

YMMV and not everyone shares my opinion.

Regarding proximity- I would either be at the front desk interacting with patients, setting up appointments, checking referrals etc or sometimes I would be invited into the room with the doctor or after the doctor's visit to go over care plans, appointments etc. I'd go back and forth with the doctor on next steps in a patient's care plan and what to educate the patient on. I'd even be listed as part of the care team for some patients. I'd be on the phone to check on patients regularly in between office visits. This has been my most meaningful experience for medicine- but apparently it doesn't count to a lot of people.

 

[jt1143]

At the end of the day, you need to be able to write meaningfully about your clinical experiences. How did it impact you, what impact did you have on patients and what did you learn. It's not just about wracking up hours. While scribing counts, you would be better off working as an MA or EMT as you will undoubtedly have more interesting encounters to talk about.

good point- except that MA and EMT certification where I'm at costs thousands of dollars, which I do not have.

 

[eigen]

good point- except that MA and EMT certification where I'm at costs thousands of dollars, which I do not have.

You could consider phlebotomy or CNA licenses as well.

 

[LizzyM]

You are getting a ton of "face time" with patients in a doctor's office. This is clinical experience far richer than that of a phlebotomist, IMHO. Keep at it and be sure to describe all the aspects, particularly the face-to-face (downplay the phone calls, if necessary) when you describe this employment.