Will my job be recognized as clinical experience?

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canicricket

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I currently work as a Clinical Case Manager at a local mental health agency.

My clients are all treated for chronic and severe mental health concerns. They almost all have significant medical concerns as well, so for the past 5 years I've gained considerable experience in both psych and non-psych medical care. I attend their appointments with providers, update our agency psychiatrist with my clinical observations weekly, and perform more day-to-day nursing-level care (including med supervision) than I should really be doing without more training, but that's how agencies run...

As a non-trad applicant, I would need this experience to be seen as fully clinical and indicative of my commitment to patient care, which it is - I am highly invested in my work and the people I serve. I do worry that it might not be seen as 'medical' enough.

I'm 38. In my 20s I 'followed my bliss' and performed theater, ahem, waited tables and did some tutoring to supplement my performing gigs. I need the past 6 years at this agency to show that, however late, I've definitely grown up and found my path.

Alternately, I could get a 1-year BSN and work as an RN for 2-3 years before applying to med school in my early/mid 40s...

Thanks, first post.
 
I don't think your only two options are going with what you have and becoming an RN. You could do what most college kids do and volunteer at a hospital.

With that said, you may be fine with what you have. It certainly sounds more clinical than restocking supplies and greeting patients, which is what most premeds' "clinical" experience entails. Hopefully one of our adcom posters can weigh in on that.

Regardless, you will also need shadowing experience.
 
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As a 36 year old M1 who started off in professional theatre myself and had a bit of a winding road after that, I salute you. The road itself isn't a hindrance; it's how you ultimately present that road and its lessons in light of how they'll make you a better physician. When it comes time to write an application you will, just like I did, need to take special care to create a coherent narrative that shows how you believe your past experience will help you in the future.

As a former RN I suggest against doing nursing in this context -- that is, doing it merely as a stepping stone into medicine. At this point with a goal in mind it's better to minimize more career hopping. What you're doing now is just fine on the job front.

As to whether it counts as clinical, your statement that you're doing things that you shouldn't be doing without more training concerns me where your use of it for clinical experience is concerned. It is certainly clinical experience, but what will you say if you describe all this advanced work to an adcom and they ask you why you were doing nursing tasks (as you called them yourself) untrained? I'm not judging you for doing them, that's not my role here, but in light of that I'd suggest getting other clinical experience that's within your scope so that you don't have to shine light on the fact that you're possibly acting outside your scope in your job.

I would take a look into some volunteering directly with patients -- doesn't have to be in a hospital, you can do some outside-the-box things like hospice, camps for sick kids, VA volunteering, whatever you like. Just something that puts you in direct contact with patients that won't raise any red flags. Some will call me overly cautious on that, but that's what I would do in your situation.

The above poster is also right about shadowing, make sure you get that. Preferably with physicians in several different fields so that you can get a wide range of exposure to what they do all day.
 
I'm not an adcom. But that sounds clinical to me. Is it to you? If it is, I would just focus on the I interactions and experiences your having and how their providing you insights and perspective on illness, healthcare, and teamwork.

Becoming a RN at your age just to apply to medical school seems silly to me, no disrespect.
 
Thanks for these responses, all great points.

As far as the RN thing is concerned, I think it does reflect that I'm still trying to convince myself to make the leap and really go for this, at my age and with 2 re-takes I'd have to complete. I'd been taking nursing pre-reqs with the plan of being an NP, but I've felt the strong pull toward medicine, and I don't want to live with regrets, etc. I'm at the point with my pre-reqs that I need to start taking Organic Chem and Physics ASAP if that's my goal. The truth is, if I spend this year doing that and end up going NP down the road anyway due to other factors, I won't regret having spent the year strengthening my science foundation.

I do have connections for shadowing an MD and DO.
 
As to whether it counts as clinical, your statement that you're doing things that you shouldn't be doing without more training concerns me where your use of it for clinical experience is concerned. It is certainly clinical experience, but what will you say if you describe all this advanced work to an adcom and they ask you why you were doing nursing tasks (as you called them yourself) untrained? I'm not judging you for doing them, that's not my role here, but in light of that I'd suggest getting other clinical experience that's within your scope so that you don't have to shine light on the fact that you're possibly acting outside your scope in your job.

Great point, and thanks for your thoughtful response - I remember reading a post of yours about your path, well done! I would be able to highlight aspects of care that are in my job description but your point about the 'ancillary' tasks is well taken.
 
Thanks for these responses, all great points.

As far as the RN thing is concerned, I think it does reflect that I'm still trying to convince myself to make the leap and really go for this, at my age and with 2 re-takes I'd have to complete. I'd been taking nursing pre-reqs with the plan of being an NP, but I've felt the strong pull toward medicine, and I don't want to live with regrets, etc. I'm at the point with my pre-reqs that I need to start taking Organic Chem and Physics ASAP if that's my goal. The truth is, if I spend this year doing that and end up going NP down the road anyway due to other factors, I won't regret having spent the year strengthening my science foundation.

I do have connections for shadowing an MD and DO.

If you feel the pull to medicine, go to medical school (or at least PA school if you are okay being a mid-level). NP programs are highly variable and many are woefully inadequate with respect to their clinical exposure and knowledge base. I have more than one friend who are NPs who do not practice independently because they feel their education did not prepare them nearly enough to care for patients. One of them is essentially an RNFA, and one of them quit her clinic job after a month or two to work part time at a college sick call and part time at her old RN job.
 
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