Advice/Input on my ECs (Kind of a Long Post)

[nikeshp]

These will be the ECs I plan on listing. I am a second semester sophomore. Anything I am missing?

Student Forest Activities Club --- Co-executive --- Since Freshmen year, about 4 hours of work a month --- My school has a huge experimental forest, so we just try to get more money for the forest to build better trails, etc. along with taking students out and raising awareness of the forest.

Research --- 40 hours a week --- Summer after Freshmen year --- In Organic Chemistry

Guitar --- 1-2 hours a week --- something I do for fun, started second semester freshmen year.

Internship at School Radio Station --- 2 hours a week --- Second Semester Sophomore Year --- Only to learn about new music

Ethics Debate Team --- 10 hours a week, for 8 weeks a semester --- During my sophomore year and first semester of junior year --- I get course credit for it, my school is a national championship winning team, by far the best experience of undergrad so far for me.

Creation v. Evolution Project --- 3 hours a week --- Same time period as Ethics debate team --- We are making podcasts dealing with common misconceptions in the debate, and we are hoping to spread this around to teachers who have problems with this and see the effects it has.

Shadowing --- at least 20 hours a week --- Summer after sophomore year --- I will try to make this into some sort of internship, do this and study for the MCAT all summer

Philosophy Club --- 4 hours a week --- 2 meetings where we just go and talk about various social/philosophical issues.


The thing I know I am lacking is volunteering, but is it really necessary? If so, would medical volunteering suffice or do I need both. I also plan on studying abroad second semester Junior year, not sure if that means anything.

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[236116]

You need vols. Clinicals. Possibly shadowing.

 

[nikeshp]

right, so i plan on doing shadowing all next summer, so that should be fine, i think. I guess i will have to get some clinical volunteering in during the school year sometime.

 

[LizzyM]

It would be in your best interst to show some effort, out of the goodness of your heart, on behalf of the sick, the poor, the uneducated, or others who are "less fortunate" (I hate that phrase but it's what works here). Adcoms believe that this demonstrates an applicant's altruism, rather than their ability to follow directions and jump through hoops to get into medical school so that they can make a lot of money and make their momma proud and be highly esteemed in the community.

 

[diosa428]

right, so i plan on doing shadowing all next summer, so that should be fine, i think. I guess i will have to get some clinical volunteering in during the school year sometime.

It doesn't have to be clinical volunteering, as long as you have exposure to healthcare/medicine elsewhere on your application (shadowing or paid work). Volunteer work is simply to show altruism, so if you can't find good clinical volunteering (which often happens - hospital gift shops/checking people into the ED are often boring options), volunteer somewhere that you enjoy your work - soup kitchen, church, after school program, etc.

 

[nikeshp]

so besides volunteering, how is everything else? do i need to worry about getting more of something?

 

[diosa428]

Couple of things:

#1 - it's really important to be consistent with your activities and be involved in some stuff over the course of your entire (or at least most of) undergraduate experience. I can't really tell very well if there's anything you've consistently been doing, but I'd recommend not jumping around as much. A couple of things you're really involved in is more impressive than a bunch of things you did for a semester.

#2 - Shadowing for 20 hours/week is a LOT and will probably get really boring. I'd say a couple of hours per week (<10, maybe 2 mornings or 2 afternoons) is more than enough.

 

[Forthegood]

Agreed with the above. Definately more volunteering and clinical experience.

Instead of the time thing, try to focus on actually getting some experience. Ask interesting questions, choose interesting specialties... in short, do something that really really interests you. Something that you are going to want to talk about at your interview.

When the inevitable "tell me more about your clinical experience" question comes at the interviews...
Tis better to say "Well, one experience that really changed my view of medicine was this patient..." than, I did 20 hours of standing around trying to look professional with Dr. Soandso.