Apologies in advance for the wall of text, am feeling especially discouraged tonight and would appreciate guidance.
Current MD applicant but planning on a reapp cycle (high stats but low hours and late app). Worried that I still will not have obtained enough "clinical" hours at my current job in time for the next cycle, so trying to decide if I'm in better shape than I feel or if I need to find a new position/plan on yet another gap year. Here's what I have:
Recently started working full-time as a clinical research assistant in a private clinic. Most of my work is administrative, but I also do some PRN medical assisting and scribing for the physicians for their normal (non-research related) office visits. Unfortunately, with my current labor division I estimate I will have obtained only ~150 hours of direct non-research related diagnostic/treatment exposure by June. I took the job because the providers are inspiring people that I enjoy working with and it lets me pay the bills (a scribe/CNA job makes that a lot harder).
I am particularly stressed about this because there was also ambiguity regarding whether my previous position could be classified as true clinical experience, so I would like further clarification on that. I worked as a patient care technician (450 hours) for an attending physician with a major physical disability. I was trained to be in the hospital with the physician to assist with manual aspects of physical exams and transcribing notes/orders, but the physician's position (and therefore mine) was changed to remote right before my first day due to the provider's high risk for COVID complications. I assisted with all aspects of the provider's daily clinical work (videoconference inpatient rounds, telemedicine outpatient appointments, patient care conferences, call weekends, didactics, etc) and also personal care duties such as catheterization, but because I never got the chance to physically work in the hospital there was debate as to whether or not this could be considered a real clinical experience.
Other than that, I have 80 hours of volunteer work in an underserved clinic and 40 hours of PCP shadowing.
Sorry again if this is TMI. I don't know what to do at this point other than keep applying for the rare MA position that doesn't require certification and pray that volunteer positions reopen at some point. I'm in a gap year right now and miserable, the thought of having to make it through another one or possibly two years of this limbo is completely overwhelming me tonight. Any feedback or guidance would be appreciated. TIA.
