Step 1 – Make a List of Your Patient Care Experiences
Start by making a thorough and honest list of all your patient care experiences in the U.S. and abroad. This set of notes will help you reflect on your clinical exposure, and prepare you for a detailed comparison with professional guidelines in step 2.
- Be comprehensive: Include every experience where you interacted with patients or took on clinical responsibilities, both formal (hospital volunteering, shadowing, international programs) and informal (health fairs, outreach).
- Record key details for each experience:
- Location, organization/program name, and dates
- Your title/role and length of involvement
- Specific activities performed and level of direct patient involvement
- Who supervised you (and their qualifications)
- Anything you feel uncertain about or want to review more closely
- Use a spreadsheet or table: Organizing your experiences side-by-side can make it much easier to compare each to AAMC/ADEA guidelines and spot concerns efficiently.
- Be honest and specific: Don’t generalize what you did; the more precise your notes, the more accurately you can assess each experience in the next step.
Thinking critically at this stage can help you spot any red flags or questions early—making it easier to be objective and prepared for Step 2.
Step 2 – Compare Experiences to Guidelines
Compare your experiences to the AAMC and/or ADEA Guidelines. Any concerns?
- If No, you can include these experiences in your application(s).
- If Yes, continue to Step 3.
Step 3 – Evaluate Number and Severity of Concerns
- Think about the strength of your application with and without these particular experiences.
- Decide your comfort level in discussing activities you participated in beyond your training or licensure.
- Consider if admission committees could learn about this trip or these experiences in other ways (for example, through letter writers, other students, or organization affiliations).
Step 4 – If Including These Experiences in Your Application(s)
- Make sure you:
- Are always honest
- Highlight positive experiences
- Understand that the door is now open to any and all questions, especially during your future interviews
- Realize you may end up acknowledging participation in activities beyond your training or licensure
- Be prepared to explain what you have learned about:
- Potential harm to patients
- Potential harm to yourself
- Ethical implications of your actions
- Whether you have encouraged others to avoid these situations if applicable
You are welcome to schedule an appointment at the UM University Career Center or with your pre-medical advisor to discuss these questions in detail.