Health Careers Advising
Experiential Learning
Why Experiential Learning?
There is so much more to what makes a good healthcare provider than simply their grades and standardized test scores. It is important that you also spend time in experiences that help develop the skills, mindset, and knowledge that will prepare you to succeed in the profession you have chosen.
Most health professions schools have suggestions of activities that they feel you should be involved in to help you grow and prepare. It is important that you not think about these activities as a checklist of items you must do before you apply. Instead, you need to think about them in terms of how they will help you develop into the type of person that is a good healthcare provider.
Types of Experiential Learning
The types of experiential learning recommended by most health professions schools include Clinical Experience, Research Experience, and Community Service. They also recommend that you obtain leadership experience within some of the activities. However, these are not the only types of experiences that are valued by professional schools. Participation in sports, the arts, clubs, teaching, tutoring and other activities that you are interested in are an excellent way to prepare to be a better human and a better healthcare professional.
If you plan to pursue a career in one of the health professions, it is important to gain experience in your chosen field before you apply. This is an excellent way to get an inside perspective on a career, so you can make an informed choice if it is the right profession for you.
Engaging in research, whether in the sciences or in other disciplines, is a wonderful way to enhance your education and to build connections with faculty mentors. Research provides you with an opportunity to delve deeply into a topic, think critically about it, develop your own questions, collect data to address these and so much more.
Medicine is performed in service to others and the desire to help others is a key characteristic of individuals who are interested in healthcare. While you may not yet have the knowledge or training to provide healthcare, you can give back to your community in other ways. This allows you to not only benefit your community but also demonstrates that you have an authentic desire to help others.
In a healthcare career, you will often have a leadership role, both with your patient and with the rest of the healthcare team. A career in medicine will require that you be able to work with others and step into challenging situations with confidence, ease, and a calm demeanor. This is why it is important to develop your leadership skills.