Where can I get medical experience?

How can I get hands-on medical experience while still in college?

• I am an undergraduate student in my 2nd year in college and majoring in biology. I want to join a physician assistant (PA) program after I get my bachelors. I am taking as many science courses as I can and trying to keep up with my work, but I was researching the admission requirements for the physician assistant program and it said i will need at least 1000 hours of hands-on clinical experience in order to be considered. It suggested that I get the experience through certification for nursing, EMT, etc. Isn't there any other way I can still be considered for admission at a PA school if I don't have certification for another field? Like volunteer in hospitals, shadowing, etc. Honestly, I understand the fact that we should know the field before becoming part of it, but I found it kind of weird that we have to work towards a different field to be considered for this one. I'm so confused and would really appreciate the help!!

• Answer:

  There is a summer program for undergraduate students called the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program. It is offered at Case Western, Columbia University, UCLA, UNMC, Howard University, Duke University, UMDNJ, UT-Houston, University of Louisville, University of Virginia, University of Washington and Yale's medicine school. The program lasts about six weeks Early to Mid June - Early July. Duke's program has weekly Emergency Unit rotations, Houston offers internal medicine and family practice rotations, New Jersey allows you to shadow and do rotations in: internal medicine, general surgery, OB/GYN, pediatrics, emergency medicine, radiology, and ambulatory care health clinic. I am biased. I think UNMC has the best program they include rotations along with everything a PreMed student could do over the summer to prepare for. You can see a full description on the website ... http://www.smdep.org/progsites/basics.htm You submit an application online, your transcripts and letters of recommendations. There isn't really a deadline just try to get it all finished before February 1st. This opportunity is only available for freshman and sophomores so you should really look into applying for this summer.