Experiences

Oftentimes students believe that they must complete a “checklist” of experiences that can include:

• Shadowing/Volunteering/Internship
• Research
• Joining Clubs
• Study Abroad

These are all wonderful experiences but when deciding which experiences you want to pursue, keep in mind: what you do with your time helps define who you are in your application. Experiences are part of who you are. Therefore, use your time at UC Davis (and beyond) to explore, develop new passions, and find the connections between your personal passions and your motivation for health. Health professional schools will learn what applicants care about and who they are through experiences that align with their interests, goals, and passions. The goal with your experiences is that they are meaningful to you, it can be incorporated into your applications, prepare you for the health professional school, and inform your career aspirations.

Choosing Experiences

There are many ways to gain experiences through campus resources including: 

• Join or create a student club or organization through the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) 
• Community service projects through student clubs and organizations 
• Volunteer opportunities through the Career Center resources 
• Health-Related Experiences through the Career Center 
• Volunteer at a Student Run Clinic 
• Research opportunities through the Undergraduate Research Center (URC)  
• Summer Global Health Internships through the Global Learning Hub  
• Health-related internships through the Washington Program 
• Becoming a peer advisor or mentor through one of many departments including programs/offices in Student Affairs or Student Housing and Dining Services 
• Becoming a tutor at the Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers (AATC) 

With each experience, students are encouraged to start a journal of their healthcare and other experiences with stories and descriptions of shadowing, working with patients, research, tutoring, etc. This will help with remembering impressions and learning moments during experiences which will be useful during the writing process for pre-health applications. Students are able to utilize HPA’s Experiences Tracker.

Please note that not all your experiences have to be healthcare related. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you are dedicated, passionate about it, and motivated to pursue it!

Clinical Experiences

Many students are interested in pursuing clinical experiences or gaining exposure into the healthcare field at UC Davis. Here are some examples to get you started: 

• Health-Related Experiences through the Career Center 
• Volunteer at a Student Run Clinic 
• UC Davis Sports Medicine Internship program 
• UC Davis Fire Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification Program.This program trains you to become an EMT and does guarantee employment.

There are also clinical experiences outside of UC Davis that students are welcome to explore. Please note however, there is a difference between hands-on patient care experiences and healthcare experience. Hands-on patient care experience would be when students are directly involved in treating patients while healthcare experiences could be volunteering at the front desk at a hospital or setting up patient rooms. 

Different health professions may have certain hour requirements or recommendations for clinical and shadowing experiences. Students are encouraged to research the schools they are interested in, keep these hours and types of experiences in mind, and follow those guidelines when selecting clinical experiences.

More questions? Check out the frequently asked questions or schedule an appointment with an advisor.