What to do about getting experiences during all of this?

[Brooklyn-doc97]

Trying to maintain a steady balance of experiences these days seems impossible. I am currently living with an immunocompromised family member and I have not at all touched an extracurricular activity since prior to 2020. I am a senior as of right now and am close to taking my MCAT. But I only have 20+ hours of shadowing and about 20+ hours in clinical volunteering. With all these new variants coming out, and even with the booster shots that are supposed to help. I don't feel comfortable exposing my family to these new variants that keep coming out. So what do you guys think I should so? Try and take most of my experiences online, or try something else? Online activities often worry me in that med school will not view them as being legit as in person. Such as shadowing a physician for example. Honestly though this whole pandemic has really thrown a wrench into my plans for applying.

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[Princeton Medical Student]

Honestly as much as the situation you are in sucks you don’t really have that many great ways out. Essentially your options are either to find great online clinical and volunteering opportunities or to move out.

 

[Proudfather94]

Trying to maintain a steady balance of experiences these days seems impossible. I am currently living with an immunocompromised family member and I have not at all touched an extracurricular activity since prior to 2020. I am a senior as of right now and am close to taking my MCAT. But I only have 20+ hours of shadowing and about 20+ hours in clinical volunteering. With all these new variants coming out, and even with the booster shots that are supposed to help. I don't feel comfortable exposing my family to these new variants that keep coming out. So what do you guys think I should so? Try and take most of my experiences online, or try something else? Online activities often worry me in that med school will not view them as being legit as in person. Such as shadowing a physician for example. Honestly though this whole pandemic has really thrown a wrench into my plans for applying.

I did some virtual shadowing and got in just fine so it's possible. Some experience is better than none so at worst they won't count it but if they even consider it a little you're better off having it. Can you volunteer from home? Maybe try to do some online tutoring for kids or try to organize a food drive or something?

 

[Blueprint Med School]

I did some virtual shadowing and got in just fine so it's possible. Some experience is better than none so at worst they won't count it but if they even consider it a little you're better off having it. Can you volunteer from home? Maybe try to do some online tutoring for kids or try to organize a food drive or something?

This is well written. There are opportunities to do good from afar especially if you can provide infrastructure management for a good cause, especially the touchless or 'touch light' options like food drives or toy drives. You may be helpful to reach out specifically to schools when you apply to explain why your app is virtual heavy 'even beyond' the average pandemic applicant, but if the rest of your CV/app checks major boxes and is competitive I think you will get schools to give you a fair chance.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

I did some virtual shadowing and got in just fine so it's possible. Some experience is better than none so at worst they won't count it but if they even consider it a little you're better off having it. Can you volunteer from home? Maybe try to do some online tutoring for kids or try to organize a food drive or something?

Thank you. I mean there are some churches and other places that seem as though they are hard up for food with the increase of poor people joining pantries thanks to this pandemic. I could try to set up things to be done in which I can help the burden of food shortages in that regard virtually. Also, when explained in the way that you did, I could go ahead then and just try for online experiences as opposed to do nothing then. Thank you.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

This is well written. There are opportunities to do good from afar especially if you can provide infrastructure management for a good cause, especially the touchless or 'touch light' options like food drives or toy drives. You may be helpful to reach out specifically to schools when you apply to explain why your app is virtual heavy 'even beyond' the average pandemic applicant, but if the rest of your CV/app checks major boxes and is competitive I think you will get schools to give you a fair chance.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

Thank you for the advice, for the most part though I can try to run a food and toy drive virtually to help families that are struggling. Especially with the constant amount of holidays coming up.

 

[Moko]

But I only have 20+ hours of shadowing and about 20+ hours in clinical volunteering. I don't feel comfortable exposing my family to these new variants that keep coming out. So what do you guys think I should so? Try and take most of my experiences online, or try something else?

You're in a tough spot. Personally, I would have a very hard time voting to accept someone with almost exclusively contactless experiences when medicine is practiced at bedside. YMMV with other adcom members.

Like you said, COVID is not going away anytime soon. You should start doing some contactless activities now (something is better than nothing), but to increase your chances of getting into medical school, you should plan on accruing some in-person experiences, even if it means moving out from your current living situation. Just my thoughts and best of luck.

 

[candbgirl]

When do you plan to apply? Maybe start with volunteering for food drives and toy drives at your church. The holidays are approaching and people will need both food and toys. You could even organize the toy drive if it isn’t already organized. People love giving kids toys at Christmas. Find an agency or a partner with another church that has big needs and go for it. But hurry. You should be able to rack up lots of hours over the next few weeks. This would be good for nonclinical volunteering.
As to the shadowing and clinical experiences, I don’t know. You are in a tough situation. But what are you going to do once you start med school and progress on your journey? Not see your family? That’s not reasonable but you have to plan for that time. Good luck as you figure this out. We keep saying this will be over but I’m not sure when or even how.

 

[Goro]

1. Move
2. Meals on Wheels
3. Scribe or telescribe
4. Check with your local houses of worship

Harsh truth: the health of you ill family member may be more important than your career plans, unless you're willing to make a significant change in your own life.

But med schools aren't going anywhere. They'll wait.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

1. Move
2. Meals on Wheels
3. Scribe or telescribe
4. Check with your local houses of worship

Harsh truth: the health of you ill family member may be more important than your career plans, unless you're willing to make a significant change in your own life.

But med schools aren't going anywhere. They'll wait.

Sorry for the late reply. But yeah my options for the most part are pretty limited. I have a feeling that moving might be for the best though anyways, as that would eliminate any worry I have about bringing home the bug. I just been nervous about doing so.

 

[Brooklyn-doc97]

When do you plan to apply? Maybe start with volunteering for food drives and toy drives at your church. The holidays are approaching and people will need both food and toys. You could even organize the toy drive if it isn’t already organized. People love giving kids toys at Christmas. Find an agency or a partner with another church that has big needs and go for it. But hurry. You should be able to rack up lots of hours over the next few weeks. This would be good for nonclinical volunteering.
As to the shadowing and clinical experiences, I don’t know. You are in a tough situation. But what are you going to do once you start med school and progress on your journey? Not see your family? That’s not reasonable but you have to plan for that time. Good luck as you figure this out. We keep saying this will be over but I’m not sure when or even how.

Sorry for the late reply, but I plan on applying some time in spring 2023. I plan on spending 2022 finishing my last classes, take the MCAT, and bombard volunteering places so that I can rack up my experiences in time. But yeah, so far though I do feel a little flustered trying to work around everything. Thanks for the info by the way, i'll try to see what I can do.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Sorry for the late reply, but I plan on applying some time in spring 2023. I plan on spending 2022 finishing my last classes, take the MCAT, and bombard volunteering places so that I can rack up my experiences in time. But yeah, so far though I do feel a little flustered trying to work around everything. Thanks for the info by the way, i'll try to see what I can do.

You may also try volunteering for a suicide prevention or abuse hotline, or contact tracing, but most med schools will want to see some interaction with sick people. However, you do have time until you apply.

 

[JD1998]

So, if you want volunteering that’s from home, something I do is I write letters to prisoners through a couple of local and National programs. It’s been a great experience, but of course it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s something you can do from home; you can even use an email service like jpay. It’s something I plan on continuing through medical school if I have time too. Ive really enjoyed it.