Types of Experiences
Shadowing and Clinical
Clinical experience gives you a first-hand look into the daily life of a physician. It often involves:
- Care and treatment of patients.
- Observing the patient/doctor relationship.
Clinical experience is important because medicals schools want to be confident that:
- You have a good understanding of the realities of medicine.
- You are service-minded and people oriented.
- You are committed to the practice of medicine.
Medical schools evaluate your clinical experience by:
- Length/time of commitment (some schools expect a minimum of one year).
- Depth of experience.
- Lessons learned from the experience.
Non-Clinical
Volunteering in any community service setting can demonstrate personal qualities that are valued in the health professions, such as:
- Commitment to service.
- Willingness to give of one's time and energy.
- Capacity to work with and relate to people of different cultures/socioeconomic levels.
- Ability to balance academics with outside interests.
Further, many medical schools prefer to see that applicants have engaged in both medical AND non-medical volunteer experiences.
Research
Admission committees like to see applicants with research experience because it shows they:
- Contributed to the advancement of knowledge.
- Engaged in critical thinking.
- Developed an appreciation for how research is done.
- Gained skills in working in a team-environment.
- Learned basic lab, survey and/or other research skills.
Students who participate in research may also have an opportunity to contribute to the publication of a paper, or may develop an interest in pursuing an MD-PhD.
Summer Programs
Gain in-depth experience through participation in summer enrichment, internships, or research programs.
Program admissions staff and faculty are often interested in your ‘journey traveled,’ essentially what it has taken to get where you are, currently, and how their program will further your journey. So, take some time to reflect on your journey, past, present and future.
Post-Graduation Programs
Thinking about taking time off before applying to medical or graduate school? There are many, many things you can pursue during your bridge years – the key is planning ahead! Below, you’ll find a few resources and ideas to explore further. This list is not exhaustive; there are many other regional, national, and international opportunities available as well.