How much to medical schools really value clubs?

xnfs93hy · May 31, 2009

Every school will most likely have some kind of volunteer club, pre health professions club, you know.

It is nice and all but does being the leader of one of these clubs show med schools much at all, even if you DO do something with your organization, how much will it matter?

I know people say do what you love but it seems to me that unless you run your own club and actually DO something with it, clubs are utterly useless in terms of getting into medical school.

If you don't want to do clubs, what are some other ways (besides the obvious) that a student can show leadership?

RySerr21 · May 31, 2009

get a job where you actually have responsibilities and people are looking up to you for help or guidance (a tutor might be a good place to start). Play sports.

BlueElmo · May 31, 2009

I was involved with a pre-med club pretty extensively my freshman year and I put it on my application. If you involved with it and can write about it, I think it's worth putting it down on your application.

Mattabet · May 31, 2009

jefgreen said:
If you don't want to do clubs, what are some other ways (besides the obvious) that a student can show leadership?

What is the obvious? Navy Seals?

I think you should list clubs that matter to you, accept the responsibilities that come your way, and lead where you can. You don't have to be the president of anything to be a leader, and you don't have to do any clubs you don't want to get into medical school.

scarletgirl777 · May 31, 2009

jefgreen said:
Every school will most likely have some kind of volunteer club, pre health professions club, you know.

It is nice and all but does being the leader of one of these clubs show med schools much at all, even if you DO do something with your organization, how much will it matter?

I know people say do what you love but it seems to me that unless you run your own club and actually DO something with it, clubs are utterly useless in terms of getting into medical school.

If you don't want to do clubs, what are some other ways (besides the obvious) that a student can show leadership?

My club leadership was important to me and helped frame my application. I also think it was something that interviewers were very interested in. It depends on if your club was doing anything, and if you were guiding your club in the activities it was doing.

LizzyM · May 31, 2009

I've never heard an adcom member comment on membership or elected office in a club as a "plus" in supporting an application. If you've organized a group of people to make something happen... that's leadership. I've seen an applicant who was responsible for all the students who assisted with alumni weekend, or an applicant who organized a bone marrow donor registry on campus. You could help organize blood drives, be the editor of a publication and therefore responsible for the reporters and photograhers, be a section leader for a band or orchestra.

redlight · May 31, 2009

lol so i'm guessing taking a leadership course and getting a certificate from the University doesn't count much?

Wolffman · May 31, 2009

Where do fraternities fall into all of this? Does being President or Vice President of your chapter "count" as a valuable leadership experience?

LizzyM · May 31, 2009

Wolffman said:
Where do fraternities fall into all of this? Does being President or Vice President of your chapter "count" as a valuable leadership experience?

you need to make the point in your description of the activity such that we see it and say, "wow, this guy was a leader among men".

BlueElmo · May 31, 2009

Wolffman said:
Where do fraternities fall into all of this? Does being President or Vice President of your chapter "count" as a valuable leadership experience?

I think it will.

ThaliaNox · May 31, 2009

Another way besides clubs (I didn't put any clubs on my application) to develop and show leadership is being a camp counselor. I got positive reactions to my camp counselor history when I applied. The commitments do not have to be all summer, either. Your local Boy Scout/Girl Scout council would probably love to have a college-age counselor for a week, especially if you were to volunteer.

How much to medical schools really value clubs?

xnfs93hy

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RySerr21

i aint kinda hot Im sauna

BlueElmo

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Mattabet

Doctor Thunder

scarletgirl777

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LizzyM

the evil queen of numbers

redlight

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Wolffman

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LizzyM

the evil queen of numbers

BlueElmo

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ThaliaNox

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