Getting Experience

Since you're not yet a physician, it is (of course) impossible to practice as one, but there are plenty of other ways to get a better sense of the field. Many components of medical and health professions overlap with other experiences, such as empathizing with people when they're vulnerable, listening to their stories, and being of service. Volunteer or internship experiences allow you to assess how you feel while doing these tasks; shadowing (watching physicians work) will also give you some idea of whether you could see yourself enjoying the field. In addition, undergraduate and postgraduate research can further inform and enhance your preparation and decision to enter a medical or health profession. Identify what you want out of the experience and what your responsibilities will be.

Below are some general things to consider when looking for experience opportunies, and be sure to look at what you should be doing in year one, as well as years two and three.

• Shadowing a physiciain is usually not sufficient experience. Consider applying to formal volunteer and internship programs (in hospitals or clinics, for instance) or creating your own clinical internship by contacting practitioners and organizations directly. Your choice of extra-curricular activities should be guided by your interests. There is nothing intrinsically better about a cultural organization, a literary society, or the sports team. Leadership in one or two things rather than membership in many is probably more meaningful, but really, this is an area where you should simply do what appeals to you. Depth of involvement in an activity often leads to leadership opportunities, and this type of depth and commitment is something that is valued by professional schools.
• Paid employment must also be seen as an extra-curricular activity. It is recognized that some students must work in order to help contribute to their college expenses and families.
• Consider opportunities outside your comfort zone. If you have worked with children, perhaps consider working with the elderly. If you have never worked in a hospital, it might be helpful to see what it’s like.
• In larger organizations or formal programs, you may have less flexibility over what you do. In smaller or more under-resourced organizations, you may find more “hands-on” experience, though you may need to be more proactive and demonstrate a higher level of confidence in a clinical setting.
• What you will do is often more important than where you will be (e.g. pediatrics versus emergency medicine). Even if you didn't get into the particular department you wanted, you will still gain exposure to important aspects of healthcare.
• Be aware that many volunteer and internship programs have mandatory orientation programs and health screenings before you're permitted to work. Many of these programs have minimum requirements for the hours per week and the length of commitment.
• Consider EMT
• Experience with diverse cultures can be an important activity whether it is within a health care facility or even tutoring underserved students.
• Those interested in dentistry can also volunteer in any health care facility.

Special Programs and opportunities at Lander College for Women:

LCW offers an online medical ethics course each year that is taught by the pre-health adviser. This course addresses many of the ethical challenges that a physician and dentist will face in their careers. In addition, taking this course helps prepare you for interviews giving you a deeper understanding of current ethical issues that we are facing in today’s technological world.

LCW plans to run a special program each year on medical ethics called Biomedical Cross Cultural Educational Program (BioCEP). Student from LCW spend about 10 days in Bangkok, Thailand experiencing first hand some of the most challenging ethical situations. This is a great program for those students interested in learning more about medical ethics. See Dr. Loike for more details.