Which is a better clinical experience?

[ckl81]

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I'm trying to decide between two potential volunteer positions, but am not sure which one would be a better clinical experience opportunity.

The first is with a group that helps seniors (primarily) in assessing and advising on needs regarding health insurance and benefit options, as well as helping them with public benefit program apps to obtain coverage for other low-income folks (free hospital care/drug prescriptions). I'm not sure if this even counts as clinical, although I would be dealing with patients.

The second is with a free clinic in the area, where I might be doing some greeting and odd jobs/clerical work that they need help with at first, but I may be able to expand that role and see some more interesting stuff after I've been there awhile (no guarantees though).

Any thoughts? My current clinical experience is in the ED (~200 hours), as well about 15 hours or so of shadowing in a couple different areas, but I wanted to see some different views of things.

Thanks in advance!

 

[randombetch]

Can't go wrong with either, but if I had to choose one, I'd choose the first.

 

[Tin Man]

I wouldn't think the first could be considered clinical. While it's a good thing to do, the chances that you're going to have any idea where the patient, doctor, nurse, CNA, and so forth fit into the health care system doing this work is very slim.

The second would be the equivalent to what most pre-meds seem to land in terms of clinical experiences. Sometimes, if you nag enough and prove yourself to be an apt learner, you can learn to take vital signs, which would be an excellent way to get in with the patients.

I would go for the second. It has a much higher chances of exposing you to the clinical enviornment than the first does.

 

[apumic]

What kind of clinical work have you done so far? You mention 200 hrs but 200 hrs of what? That's really the deciding factor. Both could be decent experiences. #1 sounds more interesting but as described I'd be a bit "iffy" as to whether you could call that "clinical" experience (seems a bit more like social work to me, really).
The second definitely has potential although it's quite common. Once again, what have you done already?

 

[ckl81]

Thanks for both of your comments.

Hmm, I can see definite positive points with both volunteer positions. That's what I was afraid of with the first one, in that it wouldn't be considered clinical, which is an area I am lacking.

Any other opinions?

 

[randombetch]

Will you smell patients in the first one? Yes, thus it is clinical experience (and a very unique one). Actually, can you describe where you'd be doing this? I'm interested in this kind of stuff too.

 

[ckl81]

Sorry, I should have clarified my ED volunteer experience initially. Most of my volunteer work in the ED has been patient transport and hospitality, so it's all very patient-centric. Sometimes if I'm lucky the nurse will let me hook up their oxygen tubes to the canister and dial it to the right level 👍
I think that's the most you can expect in the ED without any qualifications.

As for shadowing, I've done about half in the ED (different hospital), and the other half was with a rehabilitation center for kids and teenagers recovering from acute trauma (mostly car accidents and the like).

 

[apumic]

Sorry, I should have clarified my ED volunteer experience initially. Most of my volunteer work in the ED has been patient transport and hospitality, so it's all very patient-centric. Sometimes if I'm lucky the nurse will let me hook up their oxygen tubes to the canister and dial it to the right level 👍
I think that's the most you can expect in the ED without any qualifications.

As for shadowing, I've done about half in the ED (different hospital), and the other half was with a rehabilitation center for kids and teenagers recovering from acute trauma (mostly car accidents and the like).

Then it sounds like the 1st one would be the way to go. Since you've done the basic stuff, IMO you're good to branch out now. I simply wouldn't suggest something like that as your only clinical experience beyond shadowing as it may be viewed as more of a social worker's job; however, it is important that physicians understand that side of pt care as well as the medical/healthcare side. I'd be all for the 1st option as it doesn't sound like the second will add much to what you've already done.

 

[notoriousmoops]

Second

 

[AspenGrove]

From what you described about the free clinic it doesn't seem like it will offer you any real clinical experiences. However, at the free clinic I worked at I was told the same thing, but soon found myself triaging patients. I took basic vitals, blood sugar and histories. Then I ended up shadowing the nurse practitioner who saw all the patients. He let me draw blood, hook them up to 12 lead EKG, assist with I&Ds, and a lot of other stuff. Granted this was a small, understaffed clinic, and I have no idea what your clinic is like, but my point is if you want clinical experience you have to go to where patients are being treated.

 

[halekulani]

do the 1st - while it is not clinical, it seems that you can gain some great experiences + write something meaningful about it given the current healthcare situation in our country.
apply to volunteer at a hospital to get your clinical hours over with.

 

[Tin Man]

Sorry, I should have clarified my ED volunteer experience initially. Most of my volunteer work in the ED has been patient transport and hospitality, so it's all very patient-centric. Sometimes if I'm lucky the nurse will let me hook up their oxygen tubes to the canister and dial it to the right level 👍
I think that's the most you can expect in the ED without any qualifications.

As for shadowing, I've done about half in the ED (different hospital), and the other half was with a rehabilitation center for kids and teenagers recovering from acute trauma (mostly car accidents and the like).

If this is the case, then I actually would consider the first one more strongly, were I in your position.

The point of the clinical experience is to gain a stronger understanding of the health care system. If you've done that, been around the patients, and have enough to prove that you've got a feel for it, great. And in this case, the first position would actually allow you to talk about something else which not many people have a lot of experience with yet. In the next couple of years, you can be GUARANTEED that a question about how to fix the health care system is going to come up in an interview, and you'll be able to use this experience to your advantage.

 

[romba]

From what you described about the free clinic it doesn't seem like it will offer you any real clinical experiences. However, at the free clinic I worked at I was told the same thing, but soon found myself triaging patients. I took basic vitals, blood sugar and histories. Then I ended up shadowing the nurse practitioner who saw all the patients. He let me draw blood, hook them up to 12 lead EKG, assist with I&Ds, and a lot of other stuff. Granted this was a small, understaffed clinic, and I have no idea what your clinic is like, but my point is if you want clinical experience you have to go to where patients are being treated.

Wow that's crazy stuff you did. Is it on your AMCAS in detail? I wonder what a Adcom member would say if he saw a volunteer was doing all that. It's definitely great experience, I'm just unsure of the ethics of it.

 

[beanbean]

Definitely the first option. Not everything clinical means you have to "small" the patients. We struggle to navigate through the red tape everyday to try to help people get the appropriate follow-up, medications, and benefits. Working with patients to help them obtain health benefits and healthcare will give you valuable experience regarding the options available for disadvantaged folks, the obstacles people face trying to get the healthcare they need, and how to wade through all that red tape. You will also have some great backkground for writing secondary essays regarding healthcare for the disadvantaged. It is a unique opportunity for you and will allow you to really help some people.

 

[45408]

Wow that's crazy stuff you did. Is it on your AMCAS in detail? I wonder what a Adcom member would say if he saw a volunteer was doing all that. It's definitely great experience, I'm just unsure of the ethics of it.

It's unethical to help patients under the supervision of a physician or NP?

 

[AspenGrove]

It's unethical to help patients under the supervision of a physician or NP?

Exactly, it wasn't like I was treating patients by myself.

I did mention all of my experiences in my extra curricular section.
I really enjoyed my experience there and wouldn't change any of it. It was unique and I never had to transport a patient farther than the small office I triaged them in to the exam room next door where I was able to help the NP treat the patient.

 

[romba]

It's unethical to help patients under the supervision of a physician or NP?

I would think drawing blood and the like is not something a volunteer should be doing, but then again, I could be wrong. I'm not claiming to be an expert in this field.
As for 'helping' patients, I'm preeeeeeetty sure I'm not against volunteers doing that.

 

[Zorrix]

Strangely enough...i'll pick the free clinic.