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clinical experience question...

7K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  varash 
#1 ·
Which is better..
A 3 months hands on clinical experience or 12 months of observership at various places?
further more, many programs put 5 year cut off. can they consider a 6 year old graduate even if he has been doing clinical experience in USA for last 1 year?
 
#2 ·
I'd say 12 months of observership at various places is better than 3 months externships.

But it all depends on the place where you do the experience, I'd say a 3 months of even observership at Harvard is better than 12 months of even hands-on at unknown private clinics.

The 5 years cut-off is usually set by programs so that they avoid people who have been out of experience for long time and therefore the fact that you'll be in clinical settings for the last year will significantly dilute this issue but you have contact the program directors and coordinators one by one and tell them your story so that hopefully you can automatically avoid the ERAS filter they put.

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#3 ·
In almost all cases clinical experience will trump observership. Most programs will adjust their graduate cut-off date if you have been engaged in serious medical activity. I doubt you'll get a chance to explain your personal circumstances to anyone, except through your personal statement. The most important filter is the USMLE score, especially Step 1. Make sure that is good and you will get through the first cut.

Ed
 
#4 ·
In almost all cases clinical experience will trump observership. Most programs will adjust their graduate cut-off date if you have been engaged in serious medical activity. I doubt you'll get a chance to explain your personal circumstances to anyone, except through your personal statement. The most important filter is the USMLE score, especially Step 1. Make sure that is good and you will get through the first cut.

Ed
I disagree with you on this one. I'm applying for the 2013 match and have contacted around 50 programs as I graduated way over 5 years ago but have a completed residency in Europe and have been in ongoing clinical activity in a university hospital ever since. Well, most of them have responded basically saying that I shouldn't apply to their program as they take their cut-off pretty seriously... There are some who said to apply. Anyway, I think this is a individual program decision and whatever issue you have you should check with them, no matter what. You can even write them and ask if they consider externship or observership more depending on the time and whatsoever.
Good luck
 
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