Best EC's you've ever seen?

[Chemistry>Physics]

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Hopefully this post can attract gyngyn, mimelim, goro, or some of the other adcoms on SDN.

But what are some of the hands down, best Extracurriculars you've seen? Maybe one of your med school classmates dug wells in Kenya, or taught in refugee camps, or maybe you know a pre med with 3+ publications. What are just some outstanding EC's that left you awestruck.

 

[medic86]

I heard some guy in my class cured cancer.

 

[Chemistry>Physics]

I heard some guy in my class cured cancer.

Classic

 

[senzen]

I've heard some people start a non-profit. I guess one can say that is pretty impressive.

 

[medic86]

I've heard some people start a non-profit. I guess one can say that is pretty impressive.

Assuming the nonprofit is actually doing something.

 

[gyngyn]

Every year I see applicants who have risen above grinding poverty, violence, homelessness and hopelessness to do to well in college and well on the MCAT. When interviewed, they have the wisdom of ancients. They are kind to their tormentors and generous to their peers. They articulate a real plan to be of service and follow through with it. Every time we are lucky enough to matriculate one of these amazing students, they bring us joy.

 

[senzen]

Like Homeless to Harvard. Those types of people are truly so inspiring!

 

[ProudMD]

I've heard some people start a non-profit. I guess one can say that is pretty impressive.

Assuming the nonprofit is actually doing something.

I wouldn't place too much weight on starting non-profits.

I've heard from a former classmate that someone (a female applicant to professional schools) tried to convince her friend to attempt to commit suicide so that she can start a non-profit organization (something related to "suicide-prevention/outreach) to boost her application.

 

[NickNaylor]

One of the most impressive applicants I've seen was someone who suffered a high spinal cord injury and did a lot of work with other disabled folks. I suppose the ECs themselves weren't particularly "great" but the interest in what he/she was doing was obvious. Probably the best applicant I saw all year.

 

[mimelim]

Olympic silver medalist
Climbed the Seven Summits
2 years of volunteering in Lebanese refugee camps during active conflict
Restructuring of soup kitchen to triple their abilities to provide assistance
Research... High impact journals, 3+ publications, etc etc

Those are the ones off the top of my head. But, like @gyngyn the one that really sticks out was one of my fellow applicants for residency. We were at a program that does a dual interview, two applicants with the program director and he interviews you both together at the same time. The other guy went from homeless/eating out of a hotel's dumpster to valet for that same hotel to doorman of the hotel to manager of the hotel all the while putting himself through high school, then college and then finally got a scholarship for medical school.

 

[spirited_away]

This might be a dead giveaway...but it's incredibly impressive how the guy was able to juggle his time between research, sports and academics and be able to do it well

NCAA Div. 1 basketball player on scholarship (huge crowd favorite, traveling walk-on, so that's a HUGE chunk of time everyday)
Goldwater scholar, among many, many others scholarships
research...numerous publications
other clinical/nonclinical volunteering, founded a club, coached basketball, etc
but what makes it amazing: close to 4.0 GPA (though I'm pretty sure he has a 4.0), in an honors program.
The guy lives and breathes basketball and books. Whenever he would leave the library, I'd always think he was just pretending to go to sleep
Result: accepted to the likes of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Duke, etc.

 

[Feelgood Inc]

This might be a dead giveaway...but it's incredibly impressive how the guy was able to juggle his time between research, sports and academics and be able to do it well

NCAA Div. 1 basketball player on scholarship (huge crowd favorite, traveling walk-on, so that's a HUGE chunk of time everyday)
Goldwater scholar, among many, many others scholarships
research...numerous publications
other clinical/nonclinical volunteering, founded a club, coached basketball, etc
but what makes it amazing: close to 4.0 GPA (though I'm pretty sure he has a 4.0), in an honors program.
The guy lives and breathes basketball and books. Whenever he would leave the library, I'd always think he was just pretending to go to sleep
Result: accepted to the likes of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Duke, etc.

I'm guessing Pat Lenehan. His story reminds me of Myron Rolle.

 

[frodo25]

I wouldn't place too much weight on starting non-profits.

I've heard from a former classmate that someone (a female applicant to professional schools) tried to convince her friend to attempt to commit suicide so that she can start a non-profit organization (something related to "suicide-prevention/outreach) to boost her application.

This is sad and I hope people with this kind of mentality don't get into med school.

 

[Planes2Doc]

If the purpose is to get into medical school, I'd say hospital volunteering for four hours once a week. It gets people in. End of story.

 

[caffeinemia]

I ran a basement clinic for the underserved, invented a new type of cautery device, became the first minority surgeon in my city, fathered a child out wedlock with my childhood best friend/patron's engaged daughter.. Oh wait, been watching too much Knick again.

 

[Spinach Dip]

US Coast Guard Officer
Published Novelist
3rd Degree Black Belt in Jujitsu
International Competitor in Eventing (with numerous trophies and certificates)
Author of Multiple Smartphone Apps

We had an adcom member talk a few years ago and they said they would rather see 1 EC which requires years of dedication than a dozen which only require a few hours a week for a term or two. The five I listed above are some of the examples they gave.