As far as admissions goes, "clinical experience"
pretty much encompasses anything where you'll be
interacting on a personal level with patients. The
admissions committee wants to know that you've
experienced the good side, and the bad side, of
interacting with people. It's one thing to talk to
people when lining up at the grocery checkout, but an
entirely different animal when the person is in pain,
or has just received terrible news. Having this
patient contact is crucial to seeing whether you have
the empathy, and sensitivity for being a good physician.
What most premeds usually do is volunteer at the local
hospital, often in the Emergency department. There,
you'll get to greet, and often converse with the
patient and his/her family in the waiting room, which
helps develop your people skills. Candystriping is
another option. Volunteering at a local clinic is acceptable as well.
Another avenue to gaining clinical experience comes
from "shadowing" a physician for a day. Here, by
following and observing a doctor, you'll gain an
understanding of the doctor/patient relationship, but
from the *doctor's* perspective. Again, this will
give you some insight as to what a career in medicine will encompass.
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