How big of a red flag is having no extracurriculars?

[cluckcluck]

I'm an early M4 in the process of filling out my ERAS applying for IM, and have had major academic struggles throughout med school, leaving me pretty much too burnt out to participate in any extracurriculars/research opportunities. I did have one brief 3/4 year stint in a research lab in first year that eventually ended up falling out (PI had canceled the project and stopped contacting us and no publications/posters resulted from it), but that was all that I did before entirely shifting my time to studies since I was struggling to stay afloat. Would this be a major red flag?

In addition, I've found another negative consequence of having nearly no outside experiences is that I cannot find much to talk about in my PS. All I can speak of is from experiences from the pre-med school era, and clinical encounters during my rotations, and my interests in working in IM. Is this sufficient material to make an adequate PS?

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[Magillicutty]

I think you'll be fine. Your personal statement shouldn't be about your extracurriculars anyway -- it should be about why you want to go into your specialty and the personal qualities/experiences that back that up.

You should definitely list your 3/4 year research stint...(and be prepared to talk about why it was so awesome, during your interviews)

 

[Winged Scapula]

Extracurriculars are much much much less important for residency as compared to medical school admissions.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I wouldn't worry about the extracurriculars, but having "major academic struggles" in medical school will be a major red flag.

 

[cluckcluck]

I wouldn't worry about the extracurriculars, but having "major academic struggles" in medical school will be a major red flag.

I guess I should clarify. I was able to go through all my MS1/MS2 classes, albeit about 75% of the grades received there were just Pass grades. In the third year, I struggled a bit, have had nothing but Pass grades, and a rotation had to retake due to a failed shelf, but I believe the school says it just ends up with a Pass on my transcript and won't show it being a retake. For what it's worth, I have had Honors on my short elective rotations. My Step 1 was < 215. Does that qualify as academic struggles?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I guess I should clarify. I was able to go through all my MS1/MS2 classes, albeit about 75% of the grades received there were just Pass grades. In the third year, I struggled a bit, have had nothing but Pass grades, and a rotation had to retake due to a failed shelf, but I believe the school says it just ends up with a Pass on my transcript and won't show it being a retake. For what it's worth, I have had Honors on my short elective rotations. My Step 1 was < 215. Does that qualify as academic struggles?

No, not really. I assumed you meant that you had failed rotations, repeated a year, etc. Instead you're just describing a performance that will probably place you in the 4th quartile of your class. Certainly that will limit your options, but you should be able to match into IM.