Working with developmentally challenged - clinical

[MyOdyssey]

Would working with the developmentally challenged (individuals on the autism spectrum) by accompanying and engaging with them as they learn to fit into various social settings be considered clinical volunteering? The work would not be done in a hospital or clinical setting but would be done out in the world in different social settings. However, the volunteering would be done through a program offered by a center that treats individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

I would appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

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[LizzyM]

Are they receiving medical care when you are with them? Are they called patients or are they people with disabilities who are going about their daily lives? Just because people are living with disabilities doesn't make them "patients" 24/7 and if you aren't with patients, it isn't a clinical experience.

 

[teenyfish]

I’m was/am involved with this population and have been in different capacities for a few years. I worked in a group home that had 24/7 nursing care and could be highly medical in nature at times. Often I was involved in medical care, but just as often I was helping with dinner, daily living and fun activities. I ended up counting half of the hours as clinical.

But it seems like you aren’t in such a setting? Are you doing ABA by any chance? If so, I wouldn’t consider it clinical. It’s a great experience where you will learn teamwork, patience, empathy and so many other skills that will help in the clinical realm, but I wouldn’t consider it a “clinical experience”.

 

[Goro]

This is one of those few times I disagree with my learned colleague LizzyM. I consider your work to be clinical. And whether it's clinical or not, it's still admirable work.

 

[LizzyM]

This is one of those few times I disagree with my learned colleague LizzyM. I consider your work to be clinical. And whether it's clinical or not, it's still admirable work.

It is admirable work and it does teach a volunteer (or an employee) a great deal but clinicians (medical school admissions committee members, most of whom are physicians) will not consider it as checking the "clinical experience" box.

 

[MyOdyssey]

I’m was/am involved with this population and have been in different capacities for a few years. I worked in a group home that had 24/7 nursing care and could be highly medical in nature at times. Often I was involved in medical care, but just as often I was helping with dinner, daily living and fun activities. I ended up counting half of the hours as clinical.

But it seems like you aren’t in such a setting? Are you doing ABA by any chance? If so, I wouldn’t consider it clinical. It’s a great experience where you will learn teamwork, patience, empathy and so many other skills that will help in the clinical realm, but I wouldn’t consider it a “clinical experience”.

You obviously know a lot more than I do. The written description for volunteer positions speaks of modeling appropriate behavior in social settings and subtly coaching the patients, based on training the center provides, to behave appropriately. The center sees this work has having therapeutic value, and is generally geared to therapeutic interventions designed to help those on the autism spectrum.

I'm not sure that'd be considered ABA or not.

 

[teenyfish]

You obviously know a lot more than I do. The written description for volunteer positions speaks of modeling appropriate behavior in social settings and subtly coaching the patients, based on training the center provides, to behave appropriately. The center sees this work has having therapeutic value, and is generally geared to therapeutic interventions designed to help those on the autism spectrum.

I'm not sure that'd be considered ABA or not.

Hmmm... doesn't sound quite like ABA, but it sounds like a great volunteer gig. I'm really on the fence about this being clinical, as it seems like it's run out of a center as a therapy model. To be honest, it could probably go either way. Good luck!!