Am I Pinholing Myself? Adcom advice would be great

[andjusticeforal]

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I've had a long devotion to exercise. I have always especially enjoyed lifting weights and have done so religiously since I was 13 (i am now 22). It was not only great for my strength, but did wonders for my discipline, maturation, and confidence. When I transfered to a new high school at 15 I was always in the weight room. Over my 3 years there I went from a really thin guy to being muscular and very strong. I generated a major interest in exercise throughout the high school, I was always getting exercise/nutrition questions from kids, the weight room at the school that was rarely used became filled with new faces, I began to train kids at the high school for free, I was even getting exercise questions from kids via facebook 2 years after I graduated.

I went on to study exercise physiology in college and did well, 3.86 sGPA, 3.88cGPA, still have a couple pre-reqs to go. In my time at college I participated in a program where I used exercise to rehab patients with MS for a semester and it an amazing experience to see how such a simple tool could help patients so much. I also did a semester internship in cardiac rehab where exercise is used to alleviate the symptoms of cardiac patients (mostly CABG patients) and improve their quality of life. I also worked with faculty members and other exercise phys/physical therapy students to begin a non-profit program that offered exercise classes to local seniors, another great experience that resulted in an award from a senior organization.

I am currently taking 2 gap years to prepare my app. I want to get more research experience, all I've done is a full time summer internship at Novartis. I want to join this research program at my school that studies exercise and the benefits it has for kids.

My question is- would adcoms look at my background and think I should be a personal trainer regardless of how I state my mission/intentions in my PS? Should I gain more bench level research experience? Am I possibly pinholing myself with too much time devoted to exercise related activities?

 

[HipChick]

I'm not really sure why they would. I would see it as you found a major that you loved, you did well at it, and the prereqs. Question answered. I actually rarely think ex. phys=just personal trainer (because if you wanted to be a personal trainer just take the CSCS route).

My UG major was Athletic Trainer. Why? Because I love athletic training, thought athletic training would be a great adjunct to premed, and liked that I came out of UG with a national certification.

With the ever increasing rate of obesity in children, I think it would look nothing but excellent on a app. Research is excellent, IMO, no matter what. My graduate degree was from Michigan State University and they have a large program dedicated to youth sports development and all aspects (psych, physical, social, http://education.msu.edu/kin/research/).

Do what you love, do it well, support it, rock your GPA, MCAT, and research and you will be sitting pretty

 

[Frazier]

Parenthetical aside: OP, you prob mean to use the verb "pigeonholing" over "pinholing".

Hope that is of use in the future. 🙂

 

[sliceofbread136]

What's your big 3?

 

[andjusticeforal]

HipChick- thanks for the encouragement. we think along similar lines. I think a lot of people don't know what goes into an athletic training or ex. phys. curriculum.

Blais- you're right haha thats what I was thinking

sliceofbread136- can you elaborate on your question?

 

[Moosepig]

In my opinion, no not at all. You show a very clear and very powerful love for something that is medical related, your intelligence has been displayed in your GPA, and to boot I am sure you are eloquent enough to spin those details in your favor on the PS. I would say if anything your resume is more powerful than the run-of-the-mill application a lot of premeds have.

 

[sliceofbread136]

HipChick- thanks for the encouragement. we think along similar lines. I think a lot of people don't know what goes into an athletic training or ex. phys. curriculum.

Blais- you're right haha thats what I was thinking

sliceofbread136- can you elaborate on your question?

deadlift bench squat numbers. Often called "big three"

 

[punkedoutriffs]

HipChick- thanks for the encouragement. we think along similar lines. I think a lot of people don't know what goes into an athletic training or ex. phys. curriculum.

Blais- you're right haha thats what I was thinking

sliceofbread136- can you elaborate on your question?

Do you even lift?

 

[andjusticeforal]

Do you even lift?

yea I lift, where I'm from its called your "total"

bench- 420
squat- 515
deadlift- 590

i'm 189lbs. I was always good at benching because it was the first thing my dad taught me when I was 10.

 

[punkedoutriffs]

yea I lift, where I'm from its called your "total"

bench- 420
squat- 515
deadlift- 590

i'm 189lbs. I was always good at benching because it was the first thing my dad taught me when I was 10.

Call & raise:

171 lbs.

Bench - 225
Squat - 225
Deadlift - 245

 

[andjusticeforal]

In my opinion, no not at all. You show a very clear and very powerful love for something that is medical related, your intelligence has been displayed in your GPA, and to boot I am sure you are eloquent enough to spin those details in your favor on the PS. I would say if anything your resume is more powerful than the run-of-the-mill application a lot of premeds have.

Thanks for the positive remarks. I'm glad my background comes off that way to some and not as so one-dimensional.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Write down a list of the positive traits you have that you think will make you a good doctor. Next to each of these traits write down some activities you could do that would show that trait. (bolded for emphasis) Do some of these activities. This is helpful because when you fill out your app you can say "I have this positive trait, as seen by this activity".

You ideally want a mix of non-medical community service, medical community service, teaching, leadership, and research. You MUST have some sort of clinical exposure.

It sounds like you have some good activities, but the more well-rounded you are the better. Use the time you have to make your app as strong as possible.

 

[andjusticeforal]

bump for more opinions

 

[HughMyron]

Do it, they'll be def mirin'

 

[MiracleforMD]

Call & raise:

171 lbs.

Bench - 225
Squat - 225
Deadlift - 245

Dude, how is your squat equal to your bench?