Being a TA- a leadership role?

[woodhorse22]

hello,
please take this question seriously because for some of the posts, people have made fun of them it thinking I was being sarcastic.

I have been a Instructor Assistant (TA or IA) for 3 semesters in Biochemistry in my last 2 years of undergraduate. When medical schools ask me for leadership roles, do you think being an IA would count? I believe that I helped people or "led" them to clarify their concepts. I enjoyed doing it too. Please post.

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[ace22pmike]

Hi.

I also used my experience as a TA as a leadership position. In essays and interviews I just described how I helped "lead" and "guide" peers in their studies, and how I acted as a role model and that students looked to me for advice and guidance. To be honest, I dont know how this compares to being president of your premed club, but I think most schools will count it as a leadership position.

 

[Kfire326]

hello,
please take this question seriously because for some of the posts, people have made fun of them it thinking I was being sarcastic.

I have been a Instructor Assistant (TA or IA) for 3 semesters in Biochemistry in my last 2 years of undergraduate. When medical schools ask me for leadership roles, do you think being an IA would count? I believe that I helped people or "led" them to clarify their concepts. I enjoyed doing it too. Please post.

If I remember correctly, there is a teaching/tutoring option for extracurriculars on AMCAS. I think this experience would be more appropriately placed in that category. That's what I did, and I was a TA for intro molecular bio, organic chem, and general chem.

 

[yankdez]

how would i go about getting a TA position as an undergraduate? i was hoping to TA for an undergrad lower div class. i go to ucla, if any fellow bruins could help...

 

[Bacchus]

how would i go about getting a TA position as an undergraduate? i was hoping to TA for an undergrad lower div class. i go to ucla, if any fellow bruins could help...

Usually the department that you wish to TA for will release applications for students interested. Upon passing the application and being chosen you need to participate in laboratory safety training and sometimes grading excercises if you will be a grader for the lab as well. This is just what I have seen going on in a general sense so be sure to check with the department you are interested in TA'ing for.

 

[PseudomonasPAO1]

how would i go about getting a TA position as an undergraduate? i was hoping to TA for an undergrad lower div class. i go to ucla, if any fellow bruins could help...

It depends on the TA coordinator for the department. Find out who that person is and e-mail him/her that you're interested in TAing. Or better yet, see if you can get on the department's grad student e-mail list (where requests for TA/Adjuncts appear regularly). As an undergrad, there's a good chance you could teach a lab for non-science majors, since there are usually a lot of sections. I think it's a good experience, and I'm sure adcoms would ask you about it. Good luck!

 

[UCLAstudent]

how would i go about getting a TA position as an undergraduate? i was hoping to TA for an undergrad lower div class. i go to ucla, if any fellow bruins could help...

You could apply to be a UA for LS2 or LS3. It's not the same thing as being a TA, but it's still a leadership/teaching role.

 

[Ihateverbal]

UCLA Does not let you TA if you are an undergrad.

You must have graduated or be in grad school to TA. You should apply to be a UA (undergraduate assistant).

I think it sucks that some schools require this because I hear UCSD doesn't. I have a co-TA who graduated from UCSD for her undergrad and she said she TA-ed as an undergrad.

So being a TA at UCLA, may be a big deal since it's not easy to get a position, but students at other schools may not think it's a big deal since any undergrad can TA