I am a senior applying to college intending to go on the pre-med track. My extracurriculars are not great. I have tried to volunteer at clinics in the past, but was unable due to being under 18, when I turned 18 COVID hit and that stopped me from volunteering as well. My mom works at a physical therapy office and her boss just started letting me shadow the physical therapist this month. With my applications being due in 2 weeks, is it appropriate to add my clinical shadowing? It will be an on going thing for now on.
If you’re actually doing it, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be appropriate to include it.
Given the late start, it might not influence a college application much, but it’s better than not having it there.
More importantly, if it’s good experience and you enjoy doing it, it has more value than just a line on an application.
I agree that it probably won’t make much difference for admissions to universities. However, I like the EC quite a bit.
One issue is that physical therapy in my experience has been a HUGE benefit. I did not expect much at all, but the results were fabulous. I think that it is a good thing for a student who is thinking of premed to be aware of. Most students who start off premed end up doing something other than medical school, and physical therapy is something very good for a student to be aware of as one of the many alternatives.
I would mention it, but I do not think that it is a big deal.
And yes, COVID has messed up a lot of things. Hopefully by September enough of us will be vaccinated and the pandemic will be over.