Who just commented on my MDApps?

[binko]

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Comment... Anonymous - 2009-05-13 11:50

your EC's really aren't numerous nor that great of quality. If I were you I'd try to get more experience under your belt in the clinical side of things. All the web-design stuff will fall on deaf ears as many won't really know what it means. Friendly advice.

I want to know who said this because I want to know if they're a random pre-med or a med student or what, and also more about what (specifically) they think would improve my app.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

I didn't post that comment but i can sorta see where he is coming from. It doesn't seem like you have any clinical, direct-patient-contact volunteering. You could see if you can find something in the local hospital or at a doctors office.

Webdesign and all volunteering associated with it will help you stand apart but it shouldn't make up the bulk of your volunteering.

P.S.: Mad props for studying in Germany, where did you go?

 

[LiveUninhibited]

I didn't post that comment but i can sorta see where he is coming from. It doesn't seem like you have any clinical, direct-patient-contact volunteering. You could see if you can find something in the local hospital or at a doctors office.

Webdesign and all volunteering associated with it will help you stand apart but it shouldn't make up the bulk of your volunteering.

P.S.: Mad props for studying in Germany, where did you go?

Assuming somebody does volunteer in a non-clinical setting, do a lot of hours shadowing make up for that? Direct-patient-contact volunteering probably isn't available everywhere. Even when they allow you to volunteer in a hospital they usually try to get you to do things that don't involve patient contact.

 

[BlueElmo]

on the thread title.

 

[Craigslist]

Who cares where it came from, if the shoe fits....right?

 

[sunset823]

You look a lot like me, down to time abroad in the Germanic world and web design (though I did it part-time on and off for 3 years during school) - wouldn't worry so much about the clinical stuff, especially since you're shadowing a DO and seems like you know why you want to go to OU - I have no doubt that my meager clinical experience hurt my app for some schools, but I'm still officially class of 2013.

 

[Stratego]

I think the comment was kindly and correctly meant, and if asked, I'd have said the same thing. It's my understanding that both MD and DO school adcomms expect you to have personal experience working with sick people in some capacity. The passive activity of shadowing doen't generally cover this expectation. I know you're interested primarily in one school. Why not call their admissions office and ask so you know where you stand.

 

[JJMrK]

What exactly did you do at children's hospital? What about at Redcross?

I think your stuff looks OK. Some hospital volunteering or something probably wouldn't hurt you, though.

 

[binko]

I was just wondering who wrote it so I could get more clarification to understand the criticism better to get the most helpful info out of it... not trying to call anyone out or anything. If I was offended by it, I wouldn't have approved it.

When I was in Germany I studied for a month in Berlin and ten months in Giessen.

My job working in a hospital on decision-making research involved talking and listening to patients for part of it. I went (often alone) into exam rooms with patients (and their parents usually also) waiting in them, to administer decision-making surveys and ask whether they wanted to participate in focus groups. I also called patients' families to ask them questions about their medication adherence and to organize their participation in our surveys and focus groups. I also attended the focus groups and helped take notes about the patients' experiences and feelings about their chronic illness (mostly chronic renal-related hypertension) and how that affects their adherence.

I talked about that job a lot in my PS, as helping me see how health is not just an objectively measurable thing like Link's blinking hearts in Zelda or something. It has a lot to do with how the patient experiences their health in their environment, including how they relate to peers with and without similar health issues, and how the family handles it. I cited that as something I was passionate about that made me want to go into medicine.

As for the Red Cross, I haven't done much yet (tabling at a volunteer fair) but I plan to get approved to help with blood drives and stuff.

 

[87138]

Check LizzyM's sig for clarification.

Or if you're too lazy:


"If you're close enough to smell patients, it counts as clinical experience." (May be paraphrased)


The fact is, however, the "value" of said patient-sniffing will vary depending on what was actually involved. But being able to paint a compelling picture of why medicine is the right choice for you - and more importantly, that you have affirmed this fact through experience - is what's important.

 

[binko]

Check LizzyM's sig for clarification.

Or if you're too lazy:


"If you're close enough to smell patients, it counts as clinical experience." (May be paraphrased)


The fact is, however, the "value" of said patient-sniffing will vary depending on what was actually involved. But being able to paint a compelling picture of why medicine is the right choice for you - and more importantly, that you have affirmed this fact through experience - is what's important.

I am indeed familiar with the patient-smelling dictum.

These patients weren't particularly smelly so I would have had to be extremely close to smell them. They were just hypertensive teenagers in for checkups.

However, I think despite their lack of body odor, I had some meaningful patient interaction. Definitely more than in shadowing (where direct patient interaction is pretty much limited to patients making fun of my fashion choices so far).

Unrelated: Is your SN by any chance related to the Space Quest character? I played Spinal Frontier long ago, in another life. I still quote it sometimes, saying things like "This floor is good because it keeps me from falling to the center of the planet" and "What's lava got to do with it?"

 

[vin5cent0]

Your GPA is terrible and you have almost no relevant volunteering. Sorry

 

[binko]

Your GPA is terrible and you have almost no relevant volunteering. Sorry

I doubt you're actually sorry.

 

[chocolaterie]

binko, I wanted to add that this cycle is just starting. So you'll have some time to get more clinical volunteering. And your gpa will go up when you finish your retakes. I wish when some people voiced their opinions they would also provide constructive criticism. Good Luck

 

[binko]

binko, I wanted to add that this cycle is just starting. So you'll have some time to get more clinical volunteering. And your gpa will go up when you finish your retakes. I wish when some people voiced their opinions they would also provide constructive criticism. Good Luck

Thanks.

I was actually not planning to apply this cycle anyway, but the head of OUCOM's admissions encouraged me to try. I have a lot of stuff (volunteering, research, advanced sci classes) just getting started, so that if I don't get in this cycle I will have a lot more to list next time.

 

[binko]

It seems now someone has anonymously confessed their love for me. MDApps comments are very confusing.

 

[witness23]

maybe it was your lab partner ben

 

[binko]

maybe it was your lab partner ben

Well I did find the only two orange-eyed flies in our F1 cross...

This was after I offered another team $50 for theirs, but they wouldn't take less than $100.

 

[ksmi117]

It seems now someone has anonymously confessed their love for me. MDApps comments are very confusing.

Have you read my MDApps comments?? It's a mad house over there.

 

[witness23]

Have you read my MDApps comments?? It's a mad house over there.

hahahaha thats hilarious and creepy, you know you secretly love it 🙂

 

[ksmi117]

hahahaha thats hilarious and creepy, you know you secretly love it 🙂

It does offer much amusement. Everytime I get a MDApp email, it's like a guessing game as to whether I'll get a serious comment, a creepy one, or one that says I'm fat.

 

[witness23]

It does offer much amusement. Everytime I get a MDApp email, it's like a guessing game as to whether I'll get a serious comment, a creepy one, or one that says I'm fat.

"hey I'm a girl who really isnt that into girl but I have a huge girl crush on you. shuuuut dont tell anyone"

 

[RoadRunner17]

It does offer much amusement. Everytime I get a MDApp email, it's like a guessing game as to whether I'll get a serious comment, a creepy one, or one that says I'm fat.

 

[Stratego]

maybe it was your lab partner ben

Or it could have been your husband.

 

[binko]

Have you read my MDApps comments?? It's a mad house over there.

I have read yours. I was kind of excited that mine is starting to be like yours (but no one has called me fat... I guess I'm not important enough for that yet).

 

[binko]

Or it could have been your husband.

Usually when he tells me he loves me he doesn't do it anonymously. 😕

 

[ksmi117]

Thanks for that.

 

[RoadRunner17]

Thanks for that.

NP, if you need any more self-esteem boosts, let me know. 👍

 

[LiveUninhibited]

Your GPA is terrible and you have almost no relevant volunteering. Sorry

There's a difference between constructive criticism and... just being mean. 🙂

OP: If you can get some hospital-type volunteering in, then do it. Even after the AMCAS you can mention it in an update. If/when they ask for an update it's nice to have something significant to say. A volunteer clinic for the underserved was great for me; it's sad there aren't any that want anybody without an RN or MD around where I moved to. I wouldn't say you don't have a chance without it, but definitely put on your try-hard helmet for it.

 

[Kaustikos]

And that's why you don't have mdapps

 

[binko]

OP: If you can get some hospital-type volunteering in, then do it.

How would this look better than paid employment at a hospital?

Even after the AMCAS you can mention it in an update.

I'm applying osteo, so it's AACOMAS.

If/when they ask for an update it's nice to have something significant to say.

I'm already lined up to do summer research, and volunteering with the sexual assault prevention program and the red cross, plus I just got positions on the boards of two student organizations (Up Til Dawn and pre-SOMA) for next year and I'm taking classes over the summer including a retake that should boost my GPA. So I think I'm covered in the "something to talk about" dept.

A volunteer clinic for the underserved was great for me; it's sad there aren't any that want anybody without an RN or MD around where I moved to.

Around here there's just Planned Parenthood, and they're so understaffed they actually don't have the resources to coordinate volunteers, ironically enough.

I wouldn't say you don't have a chance without it, but definitely put on your try-hard helmet for it.

I'm submitting my AACOMAS at the end of the week because I think the early factor is my best bet. If I don't get it, all that stuff will look awesome next cycle.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Love..love love.

 

[Caesar]

This isn't really what PA exists for. closing.

discussion continued HERE.