AMCAS Questions!

[voirlesetoiles]

1) Last semester, I shadowed a grad student in a well-known lab from my college. It was tough to just get my foot through the door, I didn't do any research just shadowed.

Should I list this as an activity? I think it may be advantageous to be associated with the lab, it does breakthrough research.... But then again, I didn't really do anything. If I list it, what should my position be? "Graduate Student's Persistent Shadow"?!??

2) If I group two associated organizations (one is university branch and the other is a regional branch) together to save AMCAS EC space, will it be viewed as "cheating" to squeeze in more activities?

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[MSTP08]

For the first question, I personally wouldn't put it down. Shadowing research seems weird (especially with shadowing grad student vs. the PI of the lab). Of course, if you did gain something valuable from the experience, put it down on the application. However, be prepared to answer interview questions asking why you didn't make time/effort to become involved in the research (which I am assuming you must have had some interest in).

For the second question, I think it would be better to keep them together. Of course, I do not know what the things you were involved in were but it seems like they are the same organization and you were involved both at your university and the region (a handful of other universities in the area?). I would imagine that if you listed these seperately, it would appear you are trying to overload your application w/ ECs that are not unique from each other. In other words, they are looking for quality vs. quantity, so use the description space to explain your involvement in the organization both at the university and regional levels.

 

[glamqueen]

I spent a semester learning techniques, terms and research experiments in a high-profile lab at my school under a tech working under a prominent researcher. I plan to put it down, because I did it in preparation for doing a research project with the lab for a class the next semester. I wanted to be familiar with technique and the lab before I took on a complicated project, and I wanted to learn about the projects the lab had going on. I think it shows just as much initiative as shadowing a doctor and learning what they do...

But I'm sure many will differ in opinion from me!

 

[ssquared]

I think shadowing is valuable in learning about the medical profession, given that if you are not a licensed professional you are not allowed to practice medicine.

For lab research, though, no such qualification is needed. I just don't know how much you could have learned shadowing a grad student (I've never heard of shadowing researchers before). I would be hesitant to put it down because it's such a stretch-how does it relate to medicine? What did you gain from the experience? What was your contribution? I would save it and talk about it in interviews or your PS.

 

[voirlesetoiles]

Thanks, I will refrain from including it in the AMCAS EC's. Glamqueen, you had a followup project but I just shadowed. I think I will talk about it in my interview if research experience comes up.