<p>I will be an undergraduate freshman in Stony Brook University in fall of 2007. In the future, I want to go to medical school and hopefully achieve an MD/PhD degree. I already have a lab position, but in order to get into medical school, I need clinical experience or so I've heard. I know that SBU has an EMT service, but training for it for a whole semester is too time consuming at least in my opinion. What are some alternatives? What if I volunteer in their medical center for like 5 hrs. or so weekly? Is that not sufficient? I mean EMT requires 4 hrs. weekly, but then with making the rounds and everything it will probably be longer. During the summertime, I have another lab position, so I am virtually in the same predicament all over again? Please some advice will greatly be appreciated.</p>
<p>Your goal is to find a meaningful clinical experience that will allow you to learn about sick people and the ways in which medical personnel take care of them. Only you can determine what's meaningful enough to give you that experience.</p>
<p>Is it bad if I were to devote more time overall to research than clinical experience? I feel that I can get a few publications thats why.</p>
<p>Experiences are measured by growth and accomplishment, not hours.</p>
<p>Besides, you're thinking MD/PhD. So research is comparatively more important.</p>
<p>So by not doing EMT, but lets say physician shadowing, I will not be hurt when it is time for med school admissions? I am hoping to get a few co-author publications by then.</p>
<p>Obviously EMT is a good thing, so not doing EMT relative to doing EMT is "hurting" you.</p>
<p>Similarly, not winning a Nobel Peace Prize relative to winning a Nobel Peace Price is "hurting" you.</p>