AdComs, which extra-curricular amongst applicants do you fine more of: valuable research or valuable community service?

[ayjaystudent]

Am wondering which one is more common amongst applicants.

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[Lifeblood_20]

Getting fined over cool ECs? Wow those costs of applications are getting out of hand.

In all seriousness it depends on the school's mission.

 

[dr_kateb]

Research probably.

 

[Goro]

Am wondering which one is more common amongst applicants.

Define valuable research.

Great community service is far more common.

 

[Dr panda]

Define valuable research.

Great community service is far more common.

What stands for great community service?

 

[993444]

Define valuable research.

Great community service is far more common.

As long as you have time and a decent mode of transportation, nothing is stopping you from gaining community service experience and learning more about homelessness.

On the other hand, there are a million and one things that can stop someone from getting research accomplishments (lack of funding, lab environment, not finding a PI with a lab where you fit in, etc.....).

 

[mwsapphire]

Define valuable research.

Great community service is far more common.

...is volunteering at a senior center "great" haha but actually though, can work that isn't with underserved populations count as great community service?
Do you mean it's more common to have good volunteer experience for people who apply or people who get in?

 

[dr_kateb]

No, this is one of the biggest premed myths. Volunteering and community service are far more important

In a 2013 AAMC survey* where 127 medical admissions offices responded, found research experience is only of medium importance at private schools and of low importance to public schools as an experiential factor in offering both interview invitations and acceptance. Healthcare experience, community service/volunteer experience, experience with underserved populations, navigated through cultural barriers or challenges, leadership experience were considered of higher importance in factors for interview invites and offers of acceptances. This was further borne out in the 2015 AAMC Survey** where 130 medical school admissions found that both community service or volunteer in both medical and non-medical settings ranked higher in importance than physician shadowing

*https://www.aamc.org/download/434596/data/usingmcatdata2016.pdf#page=7
see page 3 (pdf p7) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, and Demographic Application Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants to Receive an Interview Invitation and Offer Acceptance (N=127)

** https://www.aamc.org/download/462316/data/mcatguide.pdf#page=21
See page 4 (pdf page 9) Table 1. Mean Importance Ratings of Academic, Experiential, Demographic, and Interview Data Used by Admissions Committees for Making Decisions about Which Applicants Receive Interview Invitations and Acceptance Offers (N=130)

I meant research was common as in more people have done it, not more important.

 

[907914]

While the 20171 AMCAS® Medical School Applications by the Numbers shows that 85.1% have "research/lab experience", the Matriculating Student Questionnaire 2018 All Schools Summary Report shows only about 60%, with clinical volunteering at 92% and community service at 87%. The discrepancy maybe that AMCAS applicant data shows some lab coursework in this stat. Generally applicants will have significantly more hours in research, though typically because of how research is structured and the belief that they need it. The words "valuable" have absolutely no meaning in this context.

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Off topic, but 57.7% took an MCAT prep course? I wonder what they include in that...just buying the Kaplan books or something...?

 

[Dr panda]

Off topic, but 57.7% took an MCAT prep course? I wonder what they include in that...just buying the Kaplan books or something...?

Don't forget how many students come from upper class families who can afford any courses/consulting, nothing really surprising.

 

[907914]

Don't forget how many students come from upper class families who can afford any courses/consulting, nothing really surprising.

Why can’t the MCAT have the adversity score that the SAT has? Gimme that 529...lol

Serious note, I guess that make sense. I just didn’t think a preparatory course would be as prevalent.

 

[993444]

Why can’t the MCAT have the adversity score that the SAT has? Gimme that 529...lol

Serious note, I guess that make sense. I just didn’t think a preparatory course would be as prevalent.

I honestly wonder how much higher my score would be if I had the money to purchase one...

 

[Dr panda]

I honestly wonder how much higher my score would be if I had the money to purchase one...

I actually talked to one girl who paid for both – consulting and prep course. Almost everything she got could be found on SDN for free (many thanks to gentleman from NYC), and that prep course basically was useless she said (n=1, of course).

 

[Isoval]

Not an adcom, but I’d hedge my bets that significant community service is much safer option in the majority of places.

Some schools love research, some don’t care.
Everybody loves community service.

 

[Dr panda]

Not an adcom, but I’d hedge my bets that significant community service is much safer option in the majority of places.

Some schools love research, some don’t care.
Everybody loves community service.

To extend this a bit:
Strong research with less than top stats will not give you any advantage even at top schools, while strong commitment to service will give you an advantage if you apply to service oriented schools (and remember that they have relatively low average gpa/mcat).

 

[Moko]

Not an adcom, but I’d hedge my bets that significant community service is much safer option in the majority of places.

Some schools love research, some don’t care.
Everybody loves community service.

Agree 100%. All medical schools are first and foremost looking to train competent and compassionate physicians. Even at research-heavy institutions, lack of research is not considered an automatic deal-breaker (though having it certainly helps address 'why us').

 

[beattheprocess]

I honestly wonder how much higher my score would be if I had the money to purchase one...

Probably lower tbh. They’re generally a waste.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

While the 2017 AMCAS® Medical School Applications by the Numbers shows that 85.1% have "research/lab experience", the Matriculating Student Questionnaire 2018 All Schools Summary Report shows only about 60%, with clinical volunteering at 92% and community service at 87%. The discrepancy maybe that AMCAS applicant data shows some lab coursework in this stat. Generally applicants will have significantly more hours in research, though typically because of how research is structured and the belief that they need it. The words "valuable" have absolutely no meaning in this context.

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What percentage have publications? Does having first author publication adds significant value at research heavy schools (provided other things being strong)?

 

[sadpremed121]

What percentage have publications? Does having first author publication adds significant value at research heavy schools (provided other things being strong)?

I have a couple friends at t10s who said at least 50% of their class have a pub. It’s not required but it certainly helps since it shows productivity in the lab.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

What stands for great community service?

Military service tops the list.

Then there’s Peace Corps, Teach for America, and Americorps.

Starting national or international nonprofits or free clinics also counts.

Sometimes, public health policy also counts; maybe you were a Representative and worked crafting federal healthcare policy on the Hill.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

To extend this a bit:
Strong research with less than top stats will not give you any advantage even at top schools, while strong commitment to service will give you an advantage if you apply to service oriented schools (and remember that they have relatively low average gpa/mcat).

So...a 3.6/510 with three first-author papers in Nature who’s an associate professor at Harvard at 26 doesn’t get cut any slack on the metrics for their extraordinary research productivity? How about a MacArthur Genius Grant winner?

 

[Dr panda]

So...a 3.6/510 with three first-author papers in Nature who’s an associate professor at Harvard at 26 doesn’t get cut any slack on the metrics for their extraordinary research productivity? How about a MacArthur Genius Grant winner?

 

[Walter Raleigh]

What is this picture? It’s a tank-top-clad man walking down a street in a computer animation. What does it mean?

 

[907914]

What is this picture? It’s a tank-top-clad man walking down a street in a computer animation. What does it mean?

Walking towards danger taking the same damn path one always takes. You will understand soon enough.

 

[dr_kateb]

What is this picture? It’s a tank-top-clad man walking down a street in a computer animation. What does it mean?

This is what he means