Trust us, you need experience before medical school. So many aspiring medical students go into medicine because of a glamorized idea in their minds inspired by US TV shows. It isn’t like that.
The realities of medicine are much harsher, and there’s definitely less comedy.
But fear not, there are tons of ways to gain healthcare experience before medical, and we’ve picked out five of the best. You’ll be happy to know most of them are on a volunteer basis, but they are worth it. The experience prepares you to go into medical school, which is a shock in itself.
Read on to find out more.
Volunteering at Healthcare Facilities
Volunteering will be the theme of this article. There isn’t much you can do to get the experience you’re thinking of as a medical student. Some jobs put you close to the environment, but the actual role is impossible to replicate. What you can do is volunteer your time to healthcare facilities to understand what happens there.
This hands-on experience in hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes will show you the realities of patient care and facility operations. It isn’t like you won’t be doing anything, you just might not be doing what you want to do. Volunteers typically do administrative tasks, cleaning, or basic patient care.
And when it comes to your medical school application, evidence of volunteering is essential. It puts you ahead of others in a massively competitive market. Picking the right volunteering also helps. It shows you’re developing the soft skills that are crucial in medicine.
Shadowing Physicians and Healthcare Professionals
Shadowing is one of the best things you can do. You won’t get paid for it, and you’ll often end up doing the role of a medical student, anyway. But with a good mentor, it’s one of the best things you can do to learn.
You can pick to shadow someone in a field you’re interested in and learn whether you’re interested. It’s common for medical students to think they want to specialize in an area, only to run a mile after spending a day there.
This experience is invaluable for understanding the diversity of medical specialties and the challenges each presents. And there will be challenges. But don’t worry, you’re only an observer. You won’t be there ready with a scalpel in hand.
You can contact hospitals directly to ask about shadowing – they’ll have to run specific security checks, but it’s typically not that difficult to find shadowing work in a variety of settings.
Get A Job Medical Scribing
Most of the things we’re suggesting are on a volunteer basis – but applying for a job as a medical scribe is an excellent way to bring in income. And it puts you in the heart of the medical field. It’s an excellent way to learn about taking and understanding patient stories, taking correct documentation, and how to work fast-paced.
Becoming a medical scribe is a great way to get the experience you want and earn money – but it’s only scribing. You won’t have more involvement than that. Still, the things you’ll learn will be worth it.
Engaging in Research Projects
Research projects. It sounds fun, doesn’t it? Trust us, you’ll be doing many research projects in medical school, so you might as well start early. But seriously, they’re a great way to learn and learn about something you’re interested in. It’s also a great thing to put in your student portfolio. It’s also great for your medical school application if you haven’t done it already.
You’ll soon understand medical research is essential for learning and development as a medical student.
Joining Healthcare Outreach Programs
Healthcare outreach programs are really good. They’re usually on a volunteer basis, but until you reach the paid medical student level, most experience will be volunteer.
You can take part in activities like:
- Volunteering at free clinics
- Performing health screenings
- Organizing health education events
The health screenings are an excellent way to get used to documentation and taking a patient story.
You’re going to want experience before you go into medical school. It helps you see the true side of medicine. It’s not all Grey’s Anatomy and Scrubs – it’s actually none of that. Well, sometimes it is, but not as funny. So many people go into medicine and realize it isn’t for them because they haven’t been in the setting before.
Getting experience is essential. It won’t make you ready to do the job, but it does prepare you for the realities.
