What AMCAS asks for each experience
The Work and Activities section holds up to 15 experiences. For each one, the AAMC's applicant guide asks for:
| Field | What to have ready |
|---|---|
| Experience type | Clinical, shadowing, research, community service, leadership and so on |
| Dates | Start and end month; if you did it again later, each extra date range with its own hours |
| Hours completed | The total for that date range, not a guess at the end |
| Hours anticipated | Hours you will add before medical school starts, with their own dates |
| Contact | Someone who can verify it: name, title, and an email or phone number |
| Description | 700 characters or fewer; 1,325 more for up to three most meaningful experiences |
Anticipated hours must start in the current month or later and end by August of the application cycle, when medical school begins. If no one else can verify an experience, AMCAS lets you list yourself as the contact, but a supervisor, physician or mentor is stronger.
How many hours?
There is no official minimum. Johns Hopkins' pre-professional advisers say there is no “magic” number of hours and suggest shadowing several physicians in several settings over your pre-med years, with most clinical experience in the United States. West Virginia University's pre-health advisers suggest 100 hours each of healthcare experience, research, community service and leadership as a good goal, and remind students that only hours after high school belong on professional school applications.
Log it the day you do it
- Same day: date, hours, place, what you did and who supervised you.
- A contact for each experience: name, title and email, while you still have them.
- One sentence of reflection: what you noticed about patients or the team. Hopkins advising suggests keeping a journal while shadowing; these notes become your 700 characters.
- Separate the types: clinical, shadowing, research and non-clinical service, because schools and programs read them differently.
Track it free
In My Award Tracker, activities have their own categories for clinical experience, shadowing and research. Set a goal for each area, such as 100 hours of healthcare experience, and see the hours left and the weekly pace. Supervisors confirm hours with one click by email, so every entry already has its contact. More for college students on the college students page, and PA applicants should read what counts as patient care hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many experiences can I list on AMCAS?
Up to 15 in the Work and Activities section. Each gets a description of 700 characters or fewer, and up to three can be marked most meaningful for an additional 1,325 characters each.
How many clinical and shadowing hours do I need for medical school?
There is no official minimum. Johns Hopkins advising says there is no “magic” number and suggests shadowing several physicians in several settings; West Virginia University advising suggests 100 hours each of healthcare experience, research, community service and leadership as a good goal.
Can I include hours from high school?
Pre-health advisers such as West Virginia University’s say only hours after high school should go on professional school applications, so start your log in your first semester of college.
Who should be the contact for an experience?
Someone who can verify your participation, usually your supervisor, the physician you shadowed or your research mentor. AMCAS lets you list yourself if no one else can, but a real contact is stronger.
What should I write down after each shift?
The date, hours, place, who supervised you and what you did, plus a sentence on what you noticed. Johns Hopkins advising suggests keeping a journal while shadowing; those notes become your descriptions later.