About joining premed fraternity PhiDE

[XRanger]

how's PhiDE compared to AED?
Is it worth it? I'm thinking of joining one but it costs $110 and the meeting time conflicts with my other club.
Some of the things they do is medical school tour, med school panel, doctors interview and application workshop on how to make your application stand out...but is there information from these med school/doctors that we can't get elsewhere or from the book?

b/c those things are what interest me because the volunteering part, you can do it with almost any clubs.
How do med schools view premed fraternities/clubs like PhiDE and AED?

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[AnEyeLikeMars]

how's PhiDE compared to AED?
Is it worth it? I'm thinking of joining one but it costs $110 and the meeting time conflicts with my other club.
Some of the things they do is medical school tour, med school panel, doctors interview and application workshop on how to make your application stand out...but is there information from these med school/doctors that we can't get elsewhere or from the book?

b/c those things are what interest me because the volunteering part, you can do it with almost any clubs.
How do med schools view premed fraternities/clubs like PhiDE and AED?

Yeah, you can get that kind of info elsewhere. There are lots of people that will tell you "how to make your application stand out," but a lot of it is common sense. It might be good to check this stuff out for yourself to see if it is at all useful to you. I've no experience with these clubs (or my pre-med advisor for that matter), and I've done okay.

Those clubs might be helpful, but I don't know that it's something that boosts your app (unless your an officer or something).

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

These kinds of clubs are worthless AMCAS space-fillers in and of themselves. It all depends on what you put into it. They provide an avenue to correct for defeciencies in volunteerism, leadership, LORs, etc., but if you're already solid they just take your money.

 

[Disinence2]

At my school its a horrid waste of time. Avoid like plague!

 

[Crazy4F1]

am i the only one who thinks it's funny that a premed club called "AED" exists?




...or do i just have the cheesiest emt humor in the world? 😱

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

One of the things that I talked about in my interviews was how I started up new things for the fraternity (Phi Delta Epsilon). All the interviewers seemed impressed with what I told them. It's not about what you join but how you spend your time in the group. We have members that join and quit immediately, we have passive member and we have very active members. It's all up to you. What school would you be joining Phi DE from? At some schools there is a pledging process (like mine) and some schools treat it as a honors society with little or no initiation. Take that into consideration before paying the fee. By the way, part of the fee for Phi DE is mandatory by nationals. We have no control over it. However, if you take a look at the price, it's still much cheaper than joining a social fraternity. 🙂

Other benefits: We have thousands of graduate members. I even emailed the CEO and she was able to give me an extensive list of Phi DE physicians that live in the NYC area. Soon I will be emailing them to ask them about shadowing oppurtunities for the rest of my fraternity. Every year we have a national meeting where undergrads and graduates meet and greet. If you choose to go to that convention you will meet doctors from across the nation. Also, the undergraduate Phi DEs have really started to organize themselves in the last two years and we are starting to see better and better things happening (all thanks to our new CEO). Just last semester all e-boards were invited to a leadership convention where we were taught the finer aspects of leading and the like. And to sell it more, we are an extremely diverse group. I have always been able to talk well about that fact. Phi DE is also international. We have chapters set up in Canada and Ireland at the moment and other countries will soon follow. Keep in mind, fraternities and sororities are really an American custom (none of my european/australian/south african/Canadian) friends have heard of a fraternity till they came to America to work.

Ultimately, don't join if you want to "look good." Join because you want to be a part of something bigger and to learn from the experience. I hope that was helpful, if anything you can alway PM me.👍

 

[maestro1625]

damn, I was hoping this thread was going to be another greek/nongreek flamewar... damn.

oh well. carry on.

 

[Disinence2]

damn, I was hoping this thread was going to be another greek/nongreek flamewar... damn.

oh well. carry on.

Its not too late!

Do we have a pro-greek life activist willing to lose?

 

[QuakerPreMed]

damn, I was hoping this thread was going to be another greek/nongreek flamewar... damn.

oh well. carry on.

Phi Beta Kappa throws some rough parties around these parts. Wait a second...

Seriously, how many SDNers are Greek? We don't even have Greek life at my school (one of the reasons I chose it).

 

[Disinence2]

One of the things that I talked about in my interviews was how I started up new things for the fraternity (Phi Delta Epsilon). All the interviewers seemed impressed with what I told them. It's not about what you join but how you spend your time in the group. We have members that join and quit immediately, we have passive member and we have very active members. It's all up to you. What school would you be joining Phi DE from? At some schools there is a pledging process (like mine) and some schools treat it as a honors society with little or no initiation. Take that into consideration before paying the fee. By the way, part of the fee for Phi DE is mandatory by nationals. We have no control over it. However, if you take a look at the price, it's still much cheaper than joining a social fraternity. 🙂

Other benefits: We have thousands of graduate members. I even emailed the CEO and she was able to give me an extensive list of Phi DE physicians that live in the NYC area. Soon I will be emailing them to ask them about shadowing oppurtunities for the rest of my fraternity. Every year we have a national meeting where undergrads and graduates meet and greet. If you choose to go to that convention you will meet doctors from across the nation. Also, the undergraduate Phi DEs have really started to organize themselves in the last two years and we are starting to see better and better things happening (all thanks to our new CEO). Just last semester all e-boards were invited to a leadership convention where we were taught the finer aspects of leading and the like. And to sell it more, we are an extremely diverse group. I have always been able to talk well about that fact. Phi DE is also international. We have chapters set up in Canada and Ireland at the moment and other countries will soon follow. Keep in mind, fraternities and sororities are really an American custom (none of my european/australian/south african/Canadian) friends have heard of a fraternity till they came to America to work.

Let me compare Phi DE with another organization...The Red Cross.

Phi DE = Expensive Joining Fee + possible "initation" which if it needs to be taken into consideration is most likely not too desirable.
Red Cross = Free to Join, no initation

Phi DE= "All interviewers seemed impressed" Wow you actualy did something meaninfull with your frat? I'd be shocked too
Red Cross = Try talking about how you CPR certified the local "hero" who pulled a child from a swimming pool and gave correct CPR. If you teach for a few years its HIGHLY likly that somone you taught will have correctly used the skill, and this word will get back to you. Great prompt for all the "what is your most rewarding volunteer activity" questions

Phi DE= Sweet...america, ireland and canada
Red Cross= Almost the entire country! Most recognizable symbol in the world other than McDonalds... Talk about diversity.


All im saying is that if all of the resources and efforts that go into a fraternity or greek life where distrubuted elsewhere the world would be a much better place

 

[DrBowtie]

Since when was PhiDe considered Greek Life?

 

[maestro1625]

Since when was PhiDe considered Greek Life?

I'd never heard of it... hence my above comment.

...c'mon people. still time for that flame war...

 

[njcaldwell]

Screw a Pre-Med Fraternity, or any kinds of pre-med group. These groups dont help AT all in the app process. If you want to be competive, follow what you are passionate about, not some dumb pre-med group.

 

[maestro1625]

Screw a Pre-Med Fraternity, or any kinds of pre-med group. These groups dont help AT all in the app process. If you want to be competive, follow what you are passionate about, not some dumb pre-med group.

"b,b,but, it looks good on my application!"

 

[pennybridge]

Since when was PhiDe considered Greek Life?

seriously.


Join a "premed frat" if you want to be made fun of and never taken seriously. ever.

join a "real frat" if you want to be made fun of and never taken seriously ever and also have to pour chocolate syrup all over yourself and do pushups while reciting your big brothers' biographies.

you can see where the "not being taken seriously" comes into play in both situations, I'm sure.

 

[HumbleMD]

how's PhiDE compared to AED?
Is it worth it? I'm thinking of joining one but it costs $110 and the meeting time conflicts with my other club.
Some of the things they do is medical school tour, med school panel, doctors interview and application workshop on how to make your application stand out...but is there information from these med school/doctors that we can't get elsewhere or from the book?

b/c those things are what interest me because the volunteering part, you can do it with almost any clubs.
How do med schools view premed fraternities/clubs like PhiDE and AED?

Am I the only one laughing at the image of a room full of 100 pre-meds taking down notes on how to make their application stand out from each other's applications? Irony police anyone?

Here's some advice for how to make your application stand out, and it's free:

Screw a Pre-Med Fraternity, or any kinds of pre-med group. These groups dont help AT all in the app process. If you want to be competive, follow what you are passionate about, not some dumb pre-med group.

Don't join organizations with the word "pre-med" in their name. Ever. Do things you're actually passionate about instead. Oh, and they usually don't cost $100.

 

[pennybridge]

Am I the only one laughing at the image of a room full of 100 pre-meds taking down notes on how to make their application stand out from others applications?

Here's some advice for how to make your application stand out, and it's free:

Don't join organizations with the word "pre-med" in their name. Ever. Do things you're actually passionate about instead. Oh, and they usually don't cost $100.

I never paid AMSA any money but they won't stop emailing me. How can I punish them for these transgressions?

 

[maestro1625]

I find myself agreeing with Humble again...

btw, No one cares about Alpha Phi Omega either.

 

[pennybridge]

I find myself agreeing with Humble again...

btw, No one cares about Alpha Phi Omega either.

I'll do you one further.

Nobody cares about any combination of three greek letters besides these two:

Phi Beta Kappa

Alpha Omega Alpha


That's it. The rest are just for stories that begin "hey remember that one time I got hammered?..."


edit// which, coincidentally, is also what Duke's Second Look is for

 

[Instatewaiter]

Soon I will be emailing them to ask them about shadowing oppurtunities for the rest of my fraternity. Every year we have a national meeting where undergrads and graduates meet and greet. If you choose to go to that convention you will meet doctors from across the nation. Also, the undergraduate Phi DEs have really started to organize themselves in the last two years and we are starting to see better and better things happening (all thanks to our new CEO). Just last semester all e-boards were invited to a leadership convention where we were taught the finer aspects of leading and the like. And to sell it more, we are an extremely diverse group. I have always been able to talk well about that fact.

Guys are you serious... a pre-med frat... no words, i got nothing.

Clearly your college experiences were a lot different than my own.

 

[Psyche Estrelle]

In response to the Greek life in general debate...

As a sorority girl myself, in retrospect I think joining a sorority was simultaneously 1) a waste of time I could have spent doing things to beef up my application and 2) hands-down THE most fun, memorable, cherished thing I did in college. I've made some of my very best friends and experienced things socially that I never would have otherwise but it WAS still 100% a waste of time in regards to actually getting into med school... because the truth is, everyone is right, no one takes anything with the word "fraternity" or "sorority" seriously... even if it has "pre-med' in the front.

OP, if you join, you're joining for YOU - because YOU want to be a part of it and see what it's like - and NOT for your actual application. If that doesn't sound appealing, DON'T join. And yes, like everyone else has said, you can get all of the panels and talks and tours and info without being in PhiDE... just go to a bookstore and buy a "how to get into med school" book, visit the med school yourself, and attend one of the like 5 "exclusive med school panels" that Kaplan holds every year in order to sell their MCAT prep class. 🙂

A leadership position in such an organization is, like everyone else has said, a good space-filler to put in the AMCAS, and you probably would get asked about it at an interview, but that's about it... it really doesn't hold that much weight compared to things like research and clinical trips (disclaimer: this is in MY experience). BUT if it IS something you're passionate about, I'd still tell you to do it by all means, because it's not like it's something you wouldn't want to put!

Random fact, I'm actually the first of all of my sisters to go to grad school. lol. 🙂

 

[HumbleMD]

Random fact, I'm actually the first of all of my sisters to go to grad school. lol. 🙂

Did the rest all get Mrs. degrees?

 

[Psyche Estrelle]

Did the rest all get Mrs. degrees?

lol. actually *I* got the award for "most likely to get married first" as well (I have the longest-running relationship out of all of them)

 

[Vizious]

If the people in the frat are cool and you would enjoy hanging out with them, then join. Otherwise, don't waste your money+time.

 

[pennybridge]

experienced things socially that I never would have otherwise

please go on. and make it sexy.

 

[maestro1625]

If the people in the frat are cool and you would enjoy hanging out with them, then join. Otherwise, don't waste your money+time.

ironically enough, at my school it's cheaper to join a house than living on campus (you're required to do one or the other at my school).

brilliant budgeting at Albion College when a bunch of 18-22 year olds who spend house money on foam machines and beer can budget better than administrators making 6 figure salaries.

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

Phi Delta Epsilon was originally a medical society. The undergraduate chapters were established in 1994. It's not really considered greek life in the sense people usually thing of greek life i.e. social fraternities and sororities. But, like I said, it varies from school to school.

OP: Take the comments with a grain of salt. Obviously no one should join something because it looks good and if it was up to me this would be the case. Joining a society can provide you with opportunities that could be found elsewhere. Sometimes though, the group allows a more direct path to you goals. E.g. If you wanted to do community service, it might be easier to motivate yourself when your friends are doing it, a benefit of joining. The other posts about premed societies hold some truth. You will find people who joined just for the application. You will find people who are really big douchebags. The way I got through the years was remembering that I'll probably face people like them when I'm working. I learned to work with a variety of people. Again, you can learn that anywhere else if you wanted.

Ultimately, there will always be people insulting every sort of gathering of people anywhere. Join for the right reasons, because if you don't, it will end up looking like application padding.

 

[CardiacIntensivist]

Let me compare Phi DE with another organization...The Red Cross.

Phi DE = Expensive Joining Fee + possible "initation" which if it needs to be taken into consideration is most likely not too desirable.
Red Cross = Free to Join, no initation

Phi DE= "All interviewers seemed impressed" Wow you actualy did something meaninfull with your frat? I'd be shocked too
Red Cross = Try talking about how you CPR certified the local "hero" who pulled a child from a swimming pool and gave correct CPR. If you teach for a few years its HIGHLY likly that somone you taught will have correctly used the skill, and this word will get back to you. Great prompt for all the "what is your most rewarding volunteer activity" questions

Phi DE= Sweet...america, ireland and canada
Red Cross= Almost the entire country! Most recognizable symbol in the world other than McDonalds... Talk about diversity.


All im saying is that if all of the resources and efforts that go into a fraternity or greek life where distrubuted elsewhere the world would be a much better place

Opinion noted 👍

 

[DreamyKid]

I'm thinking about joining one too. Its the exposure and networking thats good. The downside, seriously, at my school I think it costs 25 reg fee + like 140 or something. Plus, to thik that I'm gonna be in it for a couple more years paints a big $$ flying out the pocket image in my head. I still don't kow if I'll join, 🙄 I'm gonna attend another meeting tonight to probably decide. It'll really suck after you pay, and theres only one event per week. That would be a rip :-(