Working in Urgent Care for Clinical Experience while Nontrad student

[adamreid86]

Hey everyone!

I'm brand new to this forum and am absolutely loving everything I'm reading. There's so much encouragement here. I really needed it.

Quick background; I'm 34 years old and originally graduated college with a basic BS Business and went to work in the corporate world. It was always my dream to be in medicine (my mother was a head nurse at a local hospital and I grew up at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital as a childhood cancer patient with Neuroblastoma).

I'm currently taking my required science courses at a local 4 year university and trying to gain experience in a hospital wherever I can. So, here's my (likely first) of many questions...

I am only screening for Covid at the moment (fun fun) but am in a really well respected hospital. I have the opportunity to go work at an Urgent Care facility and receive some "on the job" training, and likely do much more clinical work in the process. I'd work closely with several physicians and I'm certain I would learn a lot in the process.

My question is what looks better and would better serve me in the future; A well respected hospital doing something barely considered "healthcare" OR working in an independently owned urgent care facility with much more hands on clinical work.

In the end, does it really matter? Are the potential relationships I could build at the hospital worth it despite the general "non-medical" nature of what I'm doing?

I know urgent care can be a pretty good gig for a physician but is it a good place to gain experience and how is it viewed when submitting apps for med school?

Sorry for the long post and I appreciate any replies or insight you have.

Thankful for this community.

Adam

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[deleted367183]

I think working in the urgent care sounds cool. You'll also likely get a better letter from there because you'll be working closely with people. I'd go for it. A lot of people will have "COVID screener" on their applications, anyway.

 

[adamreid86]

My thoughts exactly. I think urgent care sounds like a cool gig and something that would offer a ton of experience across a multitude of areas.

I have a meeting with the primary physician this afternoon to discuss the opportunity further.

And yes, I feel like most applicants to med-school during this time will have "COVID screener" on their applications. Not really a "standout" position right now!

 

[Dral]

The more clinically relevant the better, regardless of name of facility. You want to show people that you understand what you're getting into. While COVID testing is helpful and great, it doesn't show us that you are getting a true taste of day to day medicine in a normal sense.

 

[adamreid86]

The more clinically relevant the better, regardless of name of facility. You want to show people that you understand what you're getting into. While COVID testing is helpful and great, it doesn't show us that you are getting a true taste of day to day medicine in a normal sense.

Thank you so much for your response. This is along the lines of what I was thinking as well. I'm also looking at PA school and of course that comes with recommendations for paid clinical hours, which would necessitate something more...well..clinical.

Again, thank you for your input.