As much as I would love to give you a straight number, how many clinical hours you need for applying to med school greatly varies among schools. On top of that, it’s not all about quantity but the quality of your clinical experience often plays an even greater role in becoming a successful applicant.
Yes, we will also talk about specific numbers though. This will help you have a better idea of what to aim for when planning your own clinical experience!
This post is all about how many clinical hours for medical school you actually need.
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Find out how many clinical hours for med school is needed
What is Considered Clinical Experience for Medical School?
When you choose which work or extracurricular activities you want to make room for in your busy pre-med schedule, you want to make sure that you also include clinical experience. This can be either paid (e.g. Medical Assistant) or clinical volunteer opportunities (e.g. helping out in a clinic). What actually counts as clinical experience basically comes down to having contact with patients in a healthcare setting.
Non-clinical examples could be working in medical administration, lab-based research or public health initiatives like outreach projects. These can be still highly valuable experiences, also for your upcoming medical school application. But they wouldn’t fill the spot of clinical experience as an essential part of your medical school application.
Minimum Clinical Experience Hours for Medical Schools
Many medical schools do not have a minimum requirement for clinical hours, but expect applicants to have substantial, meaningful experience. A common number that’s often mentioned is around 100-150 hours, with more being even better.
How many clinical hours you need also depends on the strength of the other factors you bring to the table. This can include your GPA, MCAT score, volunteering, research or other valuable experiences. If you lack in one area, for example a lower GPA, it can be extremely helpful to balance it with greater strengths in another area.
Apart from that, improving all other factors in your control an greatly maximize your chances. Such as writing great essays, applying early, sharing your unique story, casting a wide net and more.
To learn the strategies I used to earn 10 acceptances (despite a 3.3 GPA) sign up for my Free Premed Workshop.
Here, you’ll get a special inside look into my own AMCAS application, including the mistakes I made the first time I (unsuccessfully) applied.
Balancing Quality and Quantity of Clinical Hours
While accumulating a significant number of clinical hours can be helpful in the big picture, the quality of your experience is equally important. Medical schools value applicants who can demonstrate learning and growth from their clinical experiences. It’s more impactful to have fewer hours with meaningful patient interaction and learning opportunities than to have many hours with superficial involvement.
In addition, while some schools may not specify a number, others might have specific expectations. Researching the requirements of each school you are interested in can be very valuable for increasing your chances of acceptance. This ensures that you meet their expectations and tailor your application accordingly. Remember, exceeding the minimum hours can be helpful, but the focus should be on what you learn and how you grow from these experiences.
Next, balancing your clinical experiences with your academic responsibilities is vital. You should aim to excel academically while gaining clinical exposure. Time management is key to ensuring you don’t overextend yourself. Quality clinical experiences where you can articulate what you learned and how it influenced your decision to pursue medicine are highly valued by admissions committees.
How to Get Clinical Experience?
This starts at identifying which type of clinical experience you are most interested in. Additionally, consider what best aligns with the goal for your clinical experience.
- Are you looking for paid or volunteer opportunities?
- Do you want to dedicate a few hours per week, or free up your summer for a clinical project?
- Do you want to get an inside look into a specific medical specialty, like pediatrics or neurology?
- What range of tasks would you be interested (e.g. Medical Assistant, EMT)
- Do you need a certification for this type of work?
- What kind of skills and qualities do you want to learn through your clinical experience?
- Are there specific clinical experiences the med schools you are applying to require?
To find suitable positions, you can connect with your professors, pre-med advisors and any healthcare professionals you know. Apart from that, research online for suitable positions in your area. You can also find great opportunities though pre-med clubs, medical career fairs and similar events.
Getting ready to apply to medical school?
In case you are already preparing for your application cycle while gaining clinical hours, I know it’s a lot to juggle all at once. Getting ready for your primary application, letters of recommendation, your school list and all the other tasks involved with a successful application. To make it work, you need a clear strategy. You also need to make sure you get all the information you need without having to spend hours over hours on research.
In my course Road to Acceptance I guide you through each step along the way with video lessons, actionable worksheets, ready-made templates and more. So you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself but can fully focus on giving it your best and maximize your chances of admission!
How Many Clinical Hours For Med School – What Actually Counts
Clinical experience can be a powerful factor as a medical school applicant, especially if you have weaknesses in other areas of your application.
Although aiming for 100-150 hours can be a great guidance for your own pre-med journey, it’s not all about the numbers. It’s also about the depth and opportunity for growth that a clinical experience might offer you. So when searching for the right fit for you personally, select a position that aligns with your interests.
Take into account the level of interaction and patient contact that you seek to improve your skill set and knowledge as an aspiring medical student.
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