I get asked by students all the time which clinical activities they should pursue to strengthen their application. So, I thought I’d put together a ranked list of high yield activities that I recommend for all-comers hoping to improve their application.
Free Clinic Volunteering – Many communities have free or charitable health clinics that serve low-income patients. Pre-med students can volunteer in roles from patient intake and navigation to assisting with health screenings and interviewing patients. Most of the time, these opportunities will provide valuable patient interactions and introduce foundational clinical skills like how to navigate difficult conversations, physical exam, and potentially even clinical reasoning. I actually got to volunteer at a local free clinic as a first and second year medical student serving Ghanaian patients in my community, and I believe it was actually one of the strongest points on my residency application. This earns the “A Tier” label because it is both a clinical and a service activity. It provides evidence for altruism that admissions committees are looking for while generating lots to talk about in application essays and interviews. Many of our applicants provide a narrative that they will aim to serve underserved communities, and this is one of the best methods of backing that claim.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Many of our strong applicants complete EMT training and serve on ambulance squads. This requires certification (state-approved EMT course), and typically requires volunteers to be ≥18. EMT volunteers or paid EMTs have direct patient interaction (emergency care, transport) and gain foundational knowledge in clinical skills and interventions. Though I was not an EMT myself, I had many friends and counseled applicants with this experience, and it was almost always a highlight on the activities section. I put this in the A Tier because it shows that applicants know how to perform under pressure, exhibit strong teamwork, reliability, adaptability and act competently in high-stakes scenarios. This experience also leads to exciting scenarios that can be discussed in personal statement hook paragraphs.
Medical Assistant – A medical assistant (MA) is a frontline clinical team member who works directly with physicians, nurses, and patients in outpatient clinics and some hospital-based settings. In this role, MAs typically room patients, obtain vital signs and medical histories, assist physicians during exams and minor procedures, administer injections or vaccines depending on state scope, perform basic clinical tasks such as EKGs or phlebotomy in some practices, document encounters in the electronic medical record, and communicate care instructions to patients. Medical assistants work in primary care, specialty clinics, urgent care, and community health centers. I put MA in the A tier because it provides sustained, hands-on patient interaction, demonstrates familiarity with clinical workflow and team-based care, and shows professionalism and responsibility in real medical settings. Depending on the state and clinic, formal certification may be required, but a lot of clinics have on-the-job training. I had the opportunity to work in a dermatology clinic as an MA during my gap year, and felt it was super valuable for building clinical skills–I would frequently deliver skin cancer diagnoses over the phone, administer injections, and assist with skin cancer excisions, which helped prepare me for medical school no doubt. This opportunity is better suited for gap year applicants (since most clinics are only open during business hours), but is definitely worth your time if you can find it.
Medical Scribe – Working as a medical scribe involves charting patient encounters for a physician. This is usually a paid, in-person or telehealth role (some scribing is now done remotely). This role offers valuable clinical exposure and is accessible to undergrads (no license needed, but some medical terminology training). A scribe essentially saves physicians time by documenting findings from patient exams. Therefore, you get to witness the patient’s history, physical exam, and workup, all the way through to the final diagnosis. This behind-the-scenes look into the role of the physician is what confirmed my decision to pursue medicine. I scribed in an emergency department, and still recall patient cases from that experience to this day. The reason I put this in B Tier is because this role will likely diminish with Artificial Intelligence handling more of the documentation. In addition, it does not have the “hands-on” element that the A Tier roles typically involve, and there is typically zero direct patient interaction.
Other Patient-Care Roles (CNA, Patient Care Technician, Pharmacy tech etc.) – Undergrads can become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) or Patient Care Techs in hospitals/clinics. These in-person roles involve direct patient care (bathing, vitals, transport). They usually require a state certification course or on-site training. While this does physically get you a formalized role in the hospital with plenty of interaction with the patient, it doesn’t give much insight into the role of the physician. You’ll typically be operating independently and completing tasks without understanding the patient’s condition or treatment plan. This earns a spot in the B tier for those reasons.
Hospice Volunteer – Many hospitals and hospices welcome volunteers for patient support (companionship, transport, non-medical care). These in-person roles are open to community members including undergraduates. While it can be informative to witness patients receiving end-of-life care, there is limited clinical medicine since the focus is comfort. Also, there will likely be little to no physician interaction. That being said, it is a strong way to demonstrate empathy and compassion, and can help you confirm if you can tolerate the emotional weight of discussing heavy topics with patients.
Shadowing
Shadowing is an observational experience in which a pre-medical student follows a practicing physician in clinical settings to gain firsthand exposure to the daily realities of medical practice. During shadowing, students observe patient encounters, clinical decision-making, physician–patient communication, and the workflow of healthcare teams across outpatient clinics, hospitals, or operating rooms, without directly participating in patient care. On the plus side, shadowing demonstrates that an applicant has intentionally explored the medical profession and understands the responsibilities, challenges, and realities of being a physician. Shadowing also helps students clarify specialty interests and provides context for clinical experiences discussed in personal statements and interviews. That being said, these experiences are passive, and do not allow you to develop tangible skills. In addition, these experiences are harder to get letters of recommendation from, since attending physicians cannot comment on your behaviors or abilities. I applied with literally 2 hours of pediatric ED shadowing on my application, and was no worse for the wear. C Tier.
Hospital Volunteer
Hospital volunteering is a service-based clinical experience in which pre-medical students support patients, families, and healthcare staff within a hospital setting while gaining exposure to the healthcare environment. Volunteers typically assist with non-clinical but patient-facing responsibilities such as transporting patients, providing wayfinding and support, stocking supplies, delivering meals or comfort items, and offering companionship to patients and families. The most valuable aspect of the experience is it shows a commitment to service, comfort in clinical environments, and occasionally the ability to interact with patients. I volunteered at a local hospital as a pre-med, transporting discharged patients via wheelchair to their cars. It was okay. However, there was never any interactions with physicians. These experiences almost never lead to good essay content or letters of recommendation. C Tier.
