*~*~*~*Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips Thread 2015-2016*~*~*~*

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1. If I worked at a theatre for more than a year as a cashier, which category should I use to list my job experience?

2. Also, I worked with verizon last summer. I did quality control of the cell phones and fixed returned cell phones. Does this go to "Other"?

Although both of them were paid experiences, I don't know if they fit under "Paid employment-medical/clinical" or "Paid employment-not-medical/clincal"

3. I volunteered at a local thrift store last winter. What category should I list it under?

I am having a great confusion on what "not-medical/clinical" covers in terms of paid employment or volunteer positions.
For AMCAS purposes, if you didn't interact with current patients, it's not clinical (even if you were in a clinical environment, like a hospital or clinic). So:
1) Employment - Not Medical/Clinical

2) Employment - Not Medical/Clinical

3) Volunteer/Community Service - Not Medical/Clinical

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For AMCAS purposes, if you didn't interact with current patients, it's not clinical (even if you were in a clinical environment, like a hospital or clinic). So:
1) Employment - Not Medical/Clinical

2) Employment - Not Medical/Clinical

3) Volunteer/Community Service - Not Medical/Clinical

Thanks alot! Also, I was a founding member of a pre health organization. Furthermore, I have held two leadership positions in the last two years for the same club. How should I go about naming the experience? I was thinking of putting it under leadership. Should I split this into two experiences: 1)Fouding member and talk about the responsibilities and challenges we faced in opening a pre health club. 2) Two leadership position I have held for the past two years and talk about the responsibilities.

Or should I just include all of these into one experience?
 
Thanks alot! Also, I was a founding member of a pre health organization. Furthermore, I have held two leadership positions in the last two years for the same club. How should I go about naming the experience? I was thinking of putting it under leadership. Should I split this into two experiences: 1)Fouding member and talk about the responsibilities and challenges we faced in opening a pre health club. 2) Two leadership position I have held for the past two years and talk about the responsibilities.

Or should I just include all of these into one experience?
If you feel both experiences are strong enough to stand on their own, and if you have enough space, you can use two spaces. If you prefer to keep all the leadership for that club grouped together, you'd give it an all inclusive title, like Founder (if you were in charge, otherwise Co-Founder) and Officer of Pre-Health Organization, or Leadership Roles Related to XXXX Club.
 
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hey, if I organized a historical tour for college students what should I put as the organization? Also, would a participant be a valid contact?
 
hey, if I organized a historical tour for college students what should I put as the organization? Also, would a participant be a valid contact?
Did the university recognize the event(s)? What was the umbrella organization under which you created the tour? Who helped you, or was it a solo initiative? Who marketed it? How did students sign up? How many times did tours depart? Did it cost money? Were you paid?
 
Hello,

Thanks for your assistant. Quick questions, pharmacy technician in a retail pharmacy, can that be considered paid employment, medical/clinical? After all, we are interacting with the patients. Also when does one chose "leadership" vs. "extracurricular activity". for example, I was the undergraduate coordinator for an organization. Should that be titled leadership. What if I were VP of an organization. And for both positions, I served 2 terms. I am using the 'repeated' option to list the 2 terms. is this okay?

also, if we speak about an experience in our PS - should we NOT chose it as a meaningful experience (but still list it.)

Thank you very much,

Sincerely
 
Quick questions,
1) pharmacy technician in a retail pharmacy, can that be considered paid employment, medical/clinical? After all, we are interacting with the patients.
2) Also when does one chose "leadership" vs. "extracurricular activity". for example, I was the undergraduate coordinator for an organization. Should that be titled leadership. What if I were VP of an organization. And for both positions, I served 2 terms. I am using the 'repeated' option to list the 2 terms. is this okay?
3) also, if we speak about an experience in our PS - should we NOT chose it as a meaningful experience (but still list it.)
1) It is Employment, but I think most would suggest you call it -Not Medical/Clinical. You might then mention your role in dealing with clients, among your other duties. You could also suggest the %time you are interacting with folks at the window compared with your other roles and let the readers decide for themselves that it is clinical, or not, based on that.
2) You would choose Leadership when the entire date span listed refers to a leadership role, as opposed to general membership proceeding it. If you pick Extracurricular, you could mention the all inclusive dates and title the activity something like, "General Membership and Officership in XXX Club."
3) If you have enough to say, you can discuss an activity in both places.
 
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Hey all. Sorry if this has been covered previously--I am not having any luck with thread searches. In college I worked on research that was later published, however I was not listed as an author. Is there any ettiquette for describing this situation in my activity summary? I have something like "I was involved in research on Y, work that was later published in [journal name]" but I'm afraid of being perceived as trying to make it sound like I myself was published. Still it seems like a significant detail to include.. Advice?
 
In college I worked on research that was later published, however I was not listed as an author. Is there any ettiquette for describing this situation in my activity summary? I have something like "I was involved in research on Y, work that was later published in [journal name]" but I'm afraid of being perceived as trying to make it sound like I myself was published. Still it seems like a significant detail to include.. Advice?
I agree that sounds awkward to mention a publication when you weren't named. And it would sound worse to state that you weren't given an authorship position. Best to stick to your contributions, after mentioning the focus of the research.
 
1) It is Employment, but I think most would suggest you call it -Not Medical/Clinical. You might then mention your role in dealing with clients, among your other duties. You could also suggest the %time you are interacting with folks at the window compared with your other roles and let the readers decide for themselves that it is clinical, or not, based on that.
2) You would choose Leadership when the entire date span listed refers to a leadership role, as opposed to general membership proceeding it. If you pick Extracurricular, you could mention the all inclusive dates and title the activity something like, "General Membership and Officership in XXX Club."
3) If you have enough to say, you can discuss an activity in both places.


Thank you very much!
 
Hey! So, I have grouped all my EMS experiences under one activity, which includes where I got my certification, where I volunteered as a dispatcher, and another place where I practice being an EMT. They don't have the same contact information... should I write who I am currently volunteering with? Thanks in advance =)
 
Hey! So, I have grouped all my EMS experiences under one activity, which includes where I got my certification, where I volunteered as a dispatcher, and another place where I practice being an EMT. They don't have the same contact information... should I write who I am currently volunteering with? Thanks in advance =)

I would imagine the most recent contact information (in this case, who you're currently working with) is totally fine.
 
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I agree that sounds awkward to mention a publication when you weren't named. And it would sound worse to state that you weren't given an authorship position. Best to stick to your contributions, after mentioning the focus of the research.

Bummer, that's what I feared. But thanks!
 
Hey! So, I have grouped all my EMS experiences under one activity, which includes where I got my certification, where I volunteered as a dispatcher, and another place where I practice being an EMT. They don't have the same contact information... should I write who I am currently volunteering with?
I would imagine the most recent contact information (in this case, who you're currently working with) is totally fine.
I agree you should put the most recent contact in the header. The other contact information can be included in the narrative box as you describe the other two positions.
 
For the "Contact's Title" entry, can I put down the abbreviation PI, or should I write out Principal Investigator? (I'm asking b/c I wrote "PI, XYZ Institute"; if I write out Principal Investigator, the name of the institute won't fit.)
 
First time using this, but I was wondering what people thought about adding study abroad experiences to work and activities. It was a 2 week study abroad class in Belize that focused on marine and rainforest biodiversity, but it got me addicted to snorkleing which became a hobby of mine. Should I list it as hobby, leadership-not listed, or what?

Second question: I started a new job the first week of may and have been there for 2 months. This job requires me to do all cares (I am a PCA and CNA) for a 19 y.o. female. Is it too short or recent of an experience to mention?
 
Just wanted to drop by to say that I submitted yesterday.
Thank you so much once again Catalystik. You are seriously the best. I couldn't have done this without you!
 
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For the "Contact's Title" entry, can I put down the abbreviation PI, or should I write out Principal Investigator? (I'm asking b/c I wrote "PI, XYZ Institute"; if I write out Principal Investigator, the name of the institute won't fit.)
I suggest writing out the the title without the PI abbreviation.
 
1) First time using this, but I was wondering what people thought about adding study abroad experiences to work and activities. It was a 2 week study abroad class in Belize that focused on marine and rainforest biodiversity, but it got me addicted to snorkleing which became a hobby of mine. Should I list it as hobby, leadership-not listed, or what?

2) Second question: I started a new job the first week of may and have been there for 2 months. This job requires me to do all cares (I am a PCA and CNA) for a 19 y.o. female. Is it too short or recent of an experience to mention?
1) Abroad experiences can be listed under "Other." The snorlking could be mentioned there, or put in another space under "Hobbies".

2) I think it's fine to mention.
 
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Question about a high school experience. I participated in a foreign exchange program the summer before my senior year of high school. Would this be ok to mention or should I not since it wasn't something that continued into college?
 
Question about a high school experience. I participated in a foreign exchange program the summer before my senior year of high school. Would this be ok to mention or should I not since it wasn't something that continued into college?
I don't see this as enhancing your candidacy for med school, unless you gained some remarkable insights that are atypical for someone of that age. But perhaps you see it differently?
 
If I have an individual shadowing experience, how would I name the experience?
"Observer of a primary health care physician" or "Observer of Dr. XXX"
or should I include the word "shadowing" instead of "observer"? I am asking this because I feel shadowing makes it sound a lot more interesting. lol Thats just my opinion though.
 
If I have an individual shadowing experience, how would I name the experience?
"Observer of a primary health care physician" or "Observer of Dr. XXX"
or should I include the word "shadowing" instead of "observer"? I am asking this because I feel shadowing makes it sound a lot more interesting. lol Thats just my opinion though.
Either Observation or Shadowing of Primary Care Physician would be fine. Or you could name the doc's specialty, like Shadowing of Family Practice Doctor.
 
Hi!

If I had multiple roles with significant work for the same student organization, should I use more than one activity slot? or should I just cut it down.

Also, if I group honors, should I just list myself as a contact, since they all have different contact info?

Thanks!
 
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Hi,

I am a undergraduate student in an allied health field and as part of my program, I spent two months "working" full-time as an entry level professional under the supervision of licensed professionals. Part of performing my profession-specific duties involved working with different doctors.
I would like talk about this as one on my most meaningful and I'm wondering what category to list is as, especially since it appears as a course on my transcript. As well, would it be OK to describe the time I spent working with doctors as shadowing since I was technically observing them, even though I was also doing my professional thing?
 
Hi!

1) If I had multiple roles with significant work for the same student organization, should I use more than one activity slot? or should I just cut it down.

2) Also, if I group honors, should I just list myself as a contact, since they all have different contact info?

Thanks!
1) Its fine to split out roles with the same organization when they're strong enough to stand on their own.

2) Use your college Registrar, who will have a record of all collegiate honors.
 
Hi,

1) I am a undergraduate student in an allied health field and as part of my program, I spent two months "working" full-time as an entry level professional under the supervision of licensed professionals. Part of performing my profession-specific duties involved working with different doctors.
I would like talk about this as one on my most meaningful and I'm wondering what category to list is as, especially since it appears as a course on my transcript.

2) As well, would it be OK to describe the time I spent working with doctors as shadowing since I was technically observing them, even though I was also doing my professional thing?
1) "Other" is a good category to use when describing a curricular experience.

2) Yes. You can call attention the the embedded Shadowing by using the word in the Name you give the activity, as well as referring to it again in the narrative description.
 
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I shadowed a family practice doctor. Is it ok if I refer her as primary care physician? Or should I refer to her as family practice doctor. I have a paragraph about that experience on my personal statement. Thus, wanted to be sure before I turn in the application.

I have listed my shadowing experience as shown below:
Experience Type: Physician Shodowing/Clinical Observation
Experience Name: Observer of a Primary Care Physician or Observer of a Family Practice Doctor (one of these)
Contact's First Name: xx
Contact's Last Name:yy
Contact's Title: Doctor

Do I need to put MD. If so, where would it go?
 
1) "Other" is a good category to use when describing a curricular experience.

2) Yes. You can call attention the the embedded Shadowing by using the word in the Name you give the activity, as well as referring to it again in the narrative description.
Yeah, that what I was thinking. Thanks!
 
I shadowed a family practice doctor. Is it ok if I refer her as primary care physician? Or should I refer to her as family practice doctor. I have a paragraph about that experience on my personal statement. Thus, wanted to be sure before I turn in the application.

I have listed my shadowing experience as shown below:
Experience Type: Physician Shodowing/Clinical Observation
Experience Name: Observer of a Primary Care Physician or Observer of a Family Practice Doctor (one of these)
Contact's First Name: xx
Contact's Last Name:yy
Contact's Title: Doctor

Do I need to put MD. If so, where would it go?
A primary care doc can be a pediatrician, internist, OBGYN, or family physician. I think being specific would be good.

For Contact Title, you might enter MD there, instead of the word Doctor.
 
A primary care doc can be a pediatrician, internist, OBGYN, or family physician. I think being specific would be good.

For Contact Title, you might enter MD there, instead of the word Doctor.

Thanks!
Also, I was a member of a student organization since freshman year (I am a rising senior). I will continue to be a member next year as well. Out of these three years, I was an officer during my sophomore year. How would I go about specifying the end date and number of hours. Also, should I use the repeated feature? I was thinking of putting the start date as Aug 2012 and specifying the end date as June 2016 without using the repeated feature since I never really left the club. I plan to put it under extracurricular activities (not leadership) since I spent a lot of my time as a member not just as an officer.

Should I split up the hours I put in into two categories: Historian (xx hours) and Member (yy hours) in my description? Or only listing the total hours would work?

Also I havent really listed hours/week in my description for any of my experiences just because the total hours is already listed? Does that sound ok?
 
Regarding religiously-themed ECs...

I know that there are differences in opinion regarding whether or not an applicant should include information about religious affiliation.
My issues is that my attendance to religious observances takes up at least 4 hrs a week, my volunteering in religious education takes another 4 hrs (both of which I've been involved with for decades). These two I can leave out if people generally think this is the way to go, but I also volunteer with a construction team with the same organization and I would have liked to include the construction one since it's a little bit different from the typical research, shadowing, etc. If I were to do this, would it be weird to use deliberately vague descriptors like "religious organization" as opposed to actually naming it?

Thoughts?
 
1) Also, I was a member of a student organization since freshman year (I am a rising senior). I will continue to be a member next year as well. Out of these three years, I was an officer during my sophomore year. How would I go about specifying the end date and number of hours. Also, should I use the repeated feature? I was thinking of putting the start date as Aug 2012 and specifying the end date as June 2016 without using the repeated feature since I never really left the club.
2) I plan to put it under extracurricular activities (not leadership) since I spent a lot of my time as a member not just as an officer.

3) Should I split up the hours I put in into two categories: Historian (xx hours) and Member (yy hours) in my description? Or only listing the total hours would work?

4) Also I havent really listed hours/week in my description for any of my experiences just because the total hours is already listed? Does that sound ok?
1) Consider using the Repeated feature to differentiate between Completed dates and hours and future dates and hours. This will only work if your first end date and second start date are the same month and year.

2) That is appropriate. You might make your title something like General Member and Historian of XXX Club .

3) In the narrative where you mention your dates and role as Historian, you might state, "xx hours for Historian duties are included in Total Hours above.

4) This requirement was taken out two years ago, but sometimes including it gives adcomms a better sense of how busy you were if hours vary, like working 10 hr/week during the school year, but 40 hr/week in the summer.
 
Regarding religiously-themed ECs...

I know that there are differences in opinion regarding whether or not an applicant should include information about religious affiliation.
My issues is that my attendance to religious observances takes up at least 4 hrs a week, my volunteering in religious education takes another 4 hrs (both of which I've been involved with for decades). These two I can leave out if people generally think this is the way to go, but I also volunteer with a construction team with the same organization and I would have liked to include the construction one since it's a little bit different from the typical research, shadowing, etc. If I were to do this, would it be weird to use deliberately vague descriptors like "religious organization" as opposed to actually naming it?

Thoughts?
The teaching of religiously-based classes is not an unusual inclusion. The faith-based construction team should certainly be entered. Be vague about the organization if it makes you more comfortable, but if you choose to be specific, I can't imagine it being held against you (at least not in the USA midwest, where I'm based). Proselytizing activities, OTOH, would likely work against you at the majority of med schools, where an appreciation of diversity is a common theme.
 
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Yeah, that makes sense and coincides with opinions in other threads I've read. OK, if you say it's not suspicious to use vague descriptors then I think I might just go with that.
Thank ya!
 
1) Its fine to split out roles with the same organization when they're strong enough to stand on their own.

2) Use your college Registrar, who will have a record of all collegiate honors.

Thank you! What about for pre-college competitions/awards?
 
I have another research project I'm working on during this upcoming fall semester, and all preparations have been made for it, but we aren't actually starting the testing until August. Would it be ok to mention that I created this project, applied and received funding, and presented a research design at a regional conference? Or should I just refrain since it hasn't started yet?
 
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I have another research project I'm working on during this upcoming fall semester, and all preparations have been made for it, but we aren't actually starting the testing until August. Would it be ok to mention that I created this project, applied and received funding, and presented a research design at a regional conference? Or should I just refrain since it hasn't started yet?
I think you have plenty to say about what you've already accomplished to set things up, so go for it.
 
Hi! I have another question. One of my entries is regarding mentoring my younger sister. I mentored & tutored her, read with her etc. That activity means a lot to me, but I don't know whether I can mention it in the AMCAS work/activities. Will AdComs roll their eyes at it? I'm apprehensive that they might consider it not that big of a deal, because perhaps its implied that siblings help each other. What's your take on that?
 
Hi! I have another question. One of my entries is regarding mentoring my younger sister. I mentored & tutored her, read with her etc. That activity means a lot to me, but I don't know whether I can mention it in the AMCAS work/activities. Will AdComs roll their eyes at it? I'm apprehensive that they might consider it not that big of a deal, because perhaps its implied that siblings help each other. What's your take on that?
Adcomms will roll their eyes if you call it a Volunteer activity, but if you handle it right, it might come across OK if you use the Other tag for it. Some might still think it iffy (like including parenting as an EC), but if it's meaningful to you, and you feel it adds to your candidacy for med school, you might decide to include it regardless. Have your premed advisor review the entry for reassurance.
 
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How many hours should I list for the Hobbies section? I put 1, because it can't really be measured. I thought it would look odd to max it at 99,999
 
How many hours should I list for the Hobbies section? I put 1, because it can't really be measured. I thought it would look odd to max it at 99,999
A one is fine, with a note in the narrative that you have no idea of the number of hours but that during the college years it varied from 0 to 5 hours per week. Or 99, or 999, or even 9999, depending on what might be closest to your most conservative estimate. A 99999 choice is impossible and shouldn't be used, so I agree with you there.
 
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In terms of wording, is it good to add a little bit of information about skills/qualities that you learned/developed to the description. Or should that sort of thing only be mentioned in the additional info paragraph of the most meaningful ECs.

e.g. for an EC that isn't one of the most meaningful, which would be better phrasing: "Showed initiative: designed systems for patient record/scheduling & safe product storage" or just "Designed systems for patient record/scheduling & safe product storage?"

2. I translated abstracts for a peer-reviewed journal when I was in high school. Should I mention this. If so, under what category.

3. For physician shadowing that occurred while I was on a clinical placement for my professional studies, is it bad to not specify actual physician names? For example, I observed and assisted with many urology cases but with different surgeons each time. How would you manage this?
 
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1) In terms of wording, is it good to add a little bit of information about skills/qualities that you learned/developed to the description. Or should that sort of thing only be mentioned in the additional info paragraph of the most meaningful ECs.

2) e.g. for an EC that isn't one of the most meaningful, which would be better phrasing: "Showed initiative: designed systems for patient record/scheduling & safe product storage" or just "Designed systems for patient record/scheduling & safe product storage?"
1) Yes. Then in the MM essay one can write anecdotes, insights, impact, and maybe future plans.

2) b of the two choices.
 
1) Yes. Then in the MM essay one can write anecdotes, insights, impact, and maybe future plans.

2) b of the two choices.
Sorry, I snuck in a few questions in my original post...Bad etiquette? :oops:
I don't quite understand what you mean by "yes" to the first question: include skills/qualities in the description? But then, you said option B was better (which did not have skills/qualities included)
 
I don't quite understand what you mean by "yes" to the first question: include skills/qualities in the description? But then, you said option B was better (which did not have skills/qualities included)
You asked if it was good to add a little bit of information about skills, etc, to which I said, "Yes."

Then, I thought you were asking a second question. I didn't like the prase, "Showed initiative." This is something an LOR writer should say about you. Rather than telling your reader this, you should show how you did it.
 
2. I translated abstracts for a peer-reviewed journal when I was in high school. Should I mention this. If so, under what category.

3. For physician shadowing that occurred while I was on a clinical placement for my professional studies, is it bad to not specify actual physician names? For example, I observed and assisted with many urology cases but with different surgeons each time. How would you manage this?
2) If you are fluent in a language other than English, that can be mentioned in another part of the application. If you repeatedly acted as a translator, that would be worth entering as an Experience. The category would depend on what capacity you acted as translator: employment, volunteer, artistic endeavor, Other, etc.

3) I'd hope you know a few names, but otherwise they could be referred to as Staff Urologists of XXX Hospital.
 
2) If you are fluent in a language other than English, that can be mentioned in another part of the application. If you repeatedly acted as a translator, that would be worth entering as an Experience. The category would depend on what capacity you acted as translator: employment, volunteer, artistic endeavor, Other, etc.

3) I'd hope you know a few names, but otherwise they could be referred to as Staff Urologists of XXX Hospital.

2. In Grades 11 and 12, I volunteered on the Editorial Board of the journal. My responsibilities included interviewing francophone authors in order to write up a short bio, as well as translating select abstracts from English to French. I am also named as a translator on editions of the Journal where my translations were published.

3 Yes, I know their names and could probably find their contact info, but I am certain that they would have no idea who I was if someone were to ask them about me because I would have only done one or two cases with each of them (a year ago!)...which is why I wonder if there is value in writing down their names.
 
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