Clinical Experience

If you're thinking about medical or other professional school, gaining significant clinical experience will give you confidence as you apply to graduate programs. Grand Rapids stands out among college towns with its countless opportunities to get experience, with its impressive Medical Mile and numerous other healthcare complexes.

Getting clinical experience will help you find out early if you are really interested in a medical career. Ask yourself what kind of a medical professional you would really like to be; what specialty can you see yourself doing? These are just a few ways to find clinical experiences:

Get a job providing service in a medical setting

In the Grand Rapids area there are several major health systems and specialty hospitals as well as numerous extended care facilities. Students who work as Certified Nursing Assistants gain skills and experience along with their paychecks.

See more details about places you could work and volunteer.

Shadowing

This involves following a health provider around to see what their job is all about. This is a great first step. You won't have any responsibilities while shadowing, but you can observe and ask questions while you stay out of the way.

Basic science research

This is a step up from shadowing. You can volunteer or get a job in a hospital clinical department, pharmaceutical company, at Calvin in one of the science departments, or at Calvin's West Michigan Regional Lab. These are all excellent options. Getting some experience doing research, or even cleaning cages, is helpful because you gain an understanding of research methodology. While you are an undergraduate, take advantage of any opportunity you have to hear medical research presentations.

Clinical research

If you can get experience in clinical research, that would be extremely valuable. This would most likely be in a hospital or clinic associated with a medical school. Your role may as a volunteer who is willing to do anything that is needed. You might be fortunate enough to help enroll subjects in clinical studies. An opportunity like this will give you patient contact and you might ultimately contribute enough to be an associate author on a published paper.

How do you get this experience?

• Take advantage of the service learning center, a robust resource for connecting students to opportunities for learning through experience.
• Approach the Calvin professors who are doing research that interests you.
• Ask the doctors, dentists and veterinarians who you know.
• Talk to the veterinarians who work at the West Michigan Regional Lab.

Set up appointments with these people. Treat it like a practice interview. Talk about your interest in a medical career. Ask about the research they have done or are doing. Explain that you are thinking about going to medical (dental/veterinary) school and that in order to make up your mind you would like to see first-hand what taking care of patients is all about. Mention that you are willing to do anything to get your foot in the door and be involved in their clinical research.

Grand Rapids health care providers with potential for volunteer/work opportunities

More information about obtaining health care experience in general can be found here.

• Medical Scribe Job Opportunities

  Job Location: Grand Rapids, MI

  Who is Medical Scribe Systems?

  Medical Scribe Systems (MSS) provides real-time documentation services for emergency departments, outpatient clinics, and hospitalists nationwide.

  What’s a Medical Scribe?

  Scribes chart on the electronic medical record during the patient examination. They take care of documentation so doctors can better focus on the patient.

  Does this sound like you?

  You are energetic, organized, and personable. You strive for perfection and want to work in the healthcare field. The ideal candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced clinical environment. Great experience for: Medical School, Physician Assistant School, and Nursing School. Requires a one-year commitment and the ability to work a minimum of two shifts per week.

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Currently pursuing a degree or career in healthcare
  • Able to take constructive criticism
  • Able to prioritize and multitask
  • Extroverted and personable
  • Strong desire to learn something new on a daily basis
  • Must always be aware of surroundings; no tunnel vision
  • Type 50+ WPM

  Job Duties

  • Transcribing the patient examination in real time into an Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
  • Understanding clinical workflow
  • Reviewing prior medical records
  • Checking on the progress of x-rays and other patient data

  Apply online at www.scribejob.com.

  Also, scribes are now used at Cherry Street Health Center (see above for information)

  To see a training source for Emergency Care Specialists for scribe training, visit http://www.gvsu.edu/scribe/.

• Hospital/Medical Clinic Sites

  Spectrum Health—Blodgett Campus

  1840 Wealthy SE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Spectrum Health—Butterworth Campus

  100 Michigan St. NE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Helen De Vos Children’s Hospital

  100 Michigan St. NE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Mercy Health St. Mary’s Health Care

  200 Jefferson Ave. SE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

  235 Wealthy St. SE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Clinica Santa Maria

  730 Grandville Avenue SW
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 685-8400

  Metro Health Hospital

  5900 Byron Center Ave.
  Wyoming, MI
  (616) 252-7009

  Employment

  Baxter Community Center

  935 Baxter St.
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment Volunteer

  Cherry Street Health Services

  100 Cherry St. SE
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 965-8200

  Employment

  Cherry Street Health Center

  550 Cherry St. SE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Employment

  Exalta Health

  2060 Division Ave. S
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Volunteer

  Oasis of Hope Center

  522 Leonard St NW
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 451-8868

  Volunteer

  Faith Hospice

  2100 Raybrook Ave SE #300
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 235-5100

  Volunteer

  Spectrum Health Hospice

  750 Fuller Ave NE
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 391-4200

  Volunteer

  Hospice of Michigan

  989 Spaulding SE
  Ada, MI
  (888) 247-5701

• Retirement Village Sites

  Holland Home System

  Corporate Office
  2100 Raybrook SE, Ste 300
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 235-5000

  Breton Woods
  2772 Pfeiffer Woods Dr
  Grand Rapids, MI 49512
  (616) 643-2582

  Raybrook Campus
  2121 Raybrook SE
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 235-5002

  Fulton Campus
  1450 East Fulton
  Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  (616) 643-2600

  Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods
  8214 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW
  Byron Center, MI 49315
  (616) 356-4820

  Employment Volunteer

  Samaritas

  Luther Village, Maple Creek Campus
  2000 32nd St. SE
  Grand Rapids, MI 49508

  Employment Volunteer

  Porter Hills Retirement Communities

  Porter Hills Retirement
  Communities & Services
  4450 Cascade Road, Suite 200
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 949-4975

  Porter Hills Home Care
  4450 Cascade Rd SE, Suite 300
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 949-5140

  Porter Hills Village
  3600 East Fulton Street
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 949-4971

  Cook Valley Estates
  1049 East Paris Avenue
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 949-3739

  Porter Hills Foundation
  4450 Cascade Road, Suite 200
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 949-4975, ext. 20415

  Sunshine Transportation
  4450 Cascade Road, Suite 400
  Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  (616) 464-1509

  Meadowlark Village
  65 Ida Red Ave.
  Sparta, MI 49345
  (616) 887-8891

  Employment Volunteer
• Certified Nurse Assistant Training Sites

  Walker Medical Instruction

  1035 4 Mile Road NW
  Grand Rapids, MI
  (616) 784-3001

  Training info

  Goodwill Industries

  Porter Hills Presbyterian Village
  4450 Cascade Rd SE
  Grand Rapids, MI

  General info Specific info

  Advance Medical Training, Inc.

  5317 Alpine Ave. NW
  Comstock Park, MI 49321
  (616) 551-3073 (phone)
  (616) 551-3801 (fax)

  General info
• EMT Training Sites

  Great Lakes EMS Academy

  1001 S. Division
  Grand Rapids, MI 49507
  (616) 459-1736

  Training info

  Life EMS Ambulance

  1275 Cedar St. NE
  Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  (616) 458-LIFE (5433)

  Training info

  Two the Rescue

  1907 Millbrook Street SE
  Grand Rapids, MI 49508
  (616) 262-8455

  Training info

Questions?

Teri Crumb

Pre-Health Advising Coordinator

Full profile

• (616) 526-7959
• teri.crumb@calvin.edu
• Pre-Health
• DeVries Hall 350 | Map