Building a Medical Resume

[MilkmanAl]

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Whoa there. Let's not be freaking out the high school kids. Time to clear up the clear-up.

1) There are some medical schools that ask on their secondary about your SAT score and/or your class rank in high school. Again, only a minority of schools ask.

Yes, I recall hearing that there are a few schools that ask for your SAT scores. I know that UMKC is one of them, if nothing else. However, your SAT scores will not affect your chances of getting into med school or finding a residency, even if the schools ask.

Also, YES the things you do in high school CAN make a difference. Don't listen to the naysayers. I know the OP is pretty much done with HS, but for example, one could win the intel science fair at the regional or national level, which I imagine would shine on one's college/med school/residency application (assuming they keep up that calibur of work after high school).

I think you're giving people false hope. You're talking about very exceptional accomplishments that hardly anyone achieves. Yeah, if you have a first authorship in Nature when you're 16, that's going to help you get into med school and find a residency spot. How many people have credentials like that, though? Few enough that saying high school activities won't help you is accurate for the vast majority majority of people.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

Whoa there. Let's not be freaking out the high school kids. Time to clear up the clear-up.


Yes, I recall hearing that there are a few schools that ask for your SAT scores. I know that UMKC is one of them, if nothing else. However, your SAT scores will not affect your chances of getting into med school or finding a residency, even if the schools ask.

Yeah - the only school I know of that does this is WashU, and they stated it was only for statistics purposes (e.g. is there a correlation between SAT and MCAT scores) and that it did not factor into admissions decisions

 

[JuniperK]

Hello Dreaming Big,

Your ambition and preparation is really commendable and impressive. I wish I was so put together in high school. Also, don't let anyone tell you that you don't know what you want to do. You seem to have enough immersion in the medical field to understand what medicine is and enough experience to know that this is what you want to do.

However, here is my advice. While in college, you need to explore other subjects and other passions for many reasons. First, you might be incredibly passionate about medicine throughout your life and find out architecture or something else is even better for you. The point here is not that it will happen, the point is you want to be 100% sure your'e making the right decision. It's important to have the maturity to understand that your interests change, just like you might go into medical school thinking you want to do surgery and 4 years later go into psychiatry.
The other reason you need to have other interests is because medical school want to see someone who doesnt have a one track mind, but a varied interests. Its simple enough: other intersts = interesting people and medical schools and residencies want interesting people (with great MCAT and GPA). DO something different.


Shadowing, medical research and volunteering in hospitals etc are great experiences to make sure you want to go to med school but they won't set you appart from the crowd. When you get to residency you need to set yourself apart by showing you passion for medicine in an interesting way.

Good luck!

 

[Dreaming big]

Hello Dreaming Big,

Your ambition and preparation is really commendable and impressive. I wish I was so put together in high school. Also, don't let anyone tell you that you don't know what you want to do. You seem to have enough immersion in the medical field to understand what medicine is and enough experience to know that this is what you want to do.

However, here is my advice. While in college, you need to explore other subjects and other passions for many reasons. First, you might be incredibly passionate about medicine throughout your life and find out architecture or something else is even better for you. The point here is not that it will happen, the point is you want to be 100% sure your'e making the right decision. It's important to have the maturity to understand that your interests change, just like you might go into medical school thinking you want to do surgery and 4 years later go into psychiatry.
The other reason you need to have other interests is because medical school want to see someone who doesnt have a one track mind, but a varied interests. Its simple enough: other intersts = interesting people and medical schools and residencies want interesting people (with great MCAT and GPA). DO something different.


Shadowing, medical research and volunteering in hospitals etc are great experiences to make sure you want to go to med school but they won't set you appart from the crowd. When you get to residency you need to set yourself apart by showing you passion for medicine in an interesting way.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice! What are some unique medical activities that one could try and get? What are really competitive but worth it if you do get them? Thanks!

 

[MilkmanAl]

You could try to get involved in some mission trips, I suppose. There aren't really any "unique medical activities" that I'm aware of. the best way to get "unique medical experience" is to get involved with an activity early and stick with it. That is, if you start research your freshman year, you might be able to run your own experiment or at least have some high authorship publications by the time you graduate. That would be unique. If you work at a clinic during the beginning of college, you might be granted some additional responsibilities that most people don't get to do. That would be unique.

None of the things you can do are particularly competitive unless you're applying for schools' special research thingies, which I understand can be a bit selective. However, if you're already doing your own research, there's no reason to participate in things like that. Also, I think you're going about this whole credential gaining the wrong way. You don't necessarily want to accumulate a bunch of "competitive" activities to put on your resume. Instead, it would be better to have a few "normal" activities that you enjoy, have stuck with, and have benefited from enough to discuss them in your med school essays and interviews. Furthermore, it's not really important to bludgeon everyone with your stellar honors and accomplishments. Do some things you enjoy, and do them well. That'll look far better than someone who's doing a bunch of gunnerish junk just to look cool.

 

[Dreaming big]

You could try to get involved in some mission trips, I suppose.
the best way to get "unique medical experience" is to get involved with an activity early and stick with it.
That is, if you start research your freshman year, you might be able to run your own experiment or at least have some high authorship publications by the time you graduate.

Also, I think you're going about this whole credential gaining the wrong way. You don't necessarily want to accumulate a bunch of "competitive" activities to put on your resume. Instead, it would be better to have a few "normal" activities that you enjoy, have stuck with, and have benefited from enough to discuss them in your med school essays and interviews. Furthermore, it's not really important to bludgeon everyone with your stellar honors and accomplishments. Do some things you enjoy, and do them well. That'll look far better than someone who's doing a bunch of gunnerish junk just to look cool.

Thanks for the help,MilkmanAl. I will look into the mission trips. Could you give me more information about that? Would I write on my resume - went to eye camp in nicaragua in 08 summer?

About the research bit, I have been involved with research through 9th grade in high school (nothing big, I might add) and have gotten 2 publications (3rd, 4th authorshisp). If I plan to do something throughout college, would it better to do it in general science or in medical topics?

Also, I HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED INTO MED SCHOOL VIA A BS/MD PROGRAM. So I am not doing any of this for med school, rather in order to be the best possible applicant for a residency postition.

What are some other competitive programs/research/activities that one could do to make their resume stand out. A lot.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yeah, I forgot about the BS/MD thing. Sorry.

What are some other competitive programs/research/activities that one could do to make their resume stand out. A lot.

Like I've been saying, research is really the only thing you can do in college that might matter where residencies are concerned. Medical research relevant to the specialty you want to pursue is best though not really much better than research in anything else.

On another note, it sounds to me like you are taking this whole "standing out" through extracurriculars thing far too seriously. You don't have to reinvent the wheel to get a good residency or fellowship. Every time I read your posts, I get a mental image of Tweak from South Park as a pre-med. Chill out a little. You're already well on your way to having far more research than just about everyone else. And really, if you look at what residency directors value in an applicant, research (along with other extracurriculars) is usually waaaaaay down at the bottom of the list with your personal statement, with a few exceptions. If you really want a super-competitive residency, kick butt in med school, destroy Step 1, and do well on your residency interviews. Until then, just keep up what you're doing, and you'll be fine.

 

[Dreaming big]

Yeah, I forgot about the BS/MD thing. Sorry.

Like I've been saying, research is really the only thing you can do in college that might matter where residencies are concerned.

On another note, it sounds to me like you are taking this whole "standing out" through extracurriculars thing far too seriously.
And really, if you look at what residency directors value in an applicant, research (along with other extracurriculars) is usually waaaaaay down at the bottom of the list with your personal statement, with a few exceptions. If you really want a super-competitive residency, kick butt in med school, destroy Step 1, and do well on your residency interviews.

Thanks Milkmanal. Those things you mentioned are not in my control ATM, nor can they be. I can, however, control my EC's and hope to build them up so that if it comes down to me and another slightly better applicant, I might get the nudge. That's the only reason in Hell bent on doing this, and will don anything I can to improve my future application.

Are there any certifcations that would look good on a resume? Also, what are some really competitive summer programs (not only research, but other things that have instand recognition with med school and residency directors)? I know in High school there is TASP, but what is there in college? and what do they look for? How can I build my resume for them ?

Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Dreaming big]

Thanks Milkmanal. Those things you mentioned are not in my control ATM, nor can they be. I can, however, control my EC's and hope to build them up so that if it comes down to me and another slightly better applicant, I might get the nudge. That's the only reason in Hell bent on doing this, and will don anything I can to improve my future application.

Are there any certifcations that would look good on a resume? Also, what are some really competitive summer programs (not only research, but other things that have instand recognition with med school and residency directors)? I know in High school there is TASP, but what is there in college? and what do they look for? How can I build my resume for them ?

Thanks for your help guys!

Can anyone answer this? Are there also any prestigious award that is well known and worth something?

 

[MilkmanAl]

I'm not sure how much more plainly I can put this. Nothing you can do now will help you land a residency spot besides doing research, and the benefit of that is minimal unless A) you have prominent publications involving the field you're going into, B) the field you're going into heavily favors applicants who have done research (like pediatric surgery or rad/onc, for example), or C) you're applying to a school that focuses very heavily on research, like Stanford. In cases B and C, research won't really set you apart from other applicants because it's essentially an unwritten requirement. Everyone you're competing against will have similar experience. In case A, research isn't something that your specialty values all that highly, so it won't give you the big edge you're lusting after.

Aside from that, all the summer programs, volunteerism, candlelight vigils, work experience, honors, academic fraternities, and whatever else you can think of to do with your time will have next to no effect on your candidacy for a residencies.

 

[Dreaming big]

I'm not sure how much more plainly I can put this. Nothing you can do now will help you land a residency spot besides doing research, and the benefit of that is minimal unless A) you have prominent publications involving the field you're going into, B) the field you're going into heavily favors applicants who have done research (like pediatric surgery or rad/onc, for example), or C) you're applying to a school that focuses very heavily on research, like Stanford. In all of those cases, research won't really set you apart from other applicants because it's essentially an unwritten requirement. Everyone you're competing against will have similar experience.

Aside from that, all the summer programs, volunteerism, candlelight vigils, work experience, honors, academic fraternities, and whatever else you can think of to do with your time will have next to no effect on your candidacy for a residencies.

Okay, lets try something different. Not for residencies or fellowships, but what are some prestigious summer programs that look good for med school (i am already accepted to med school, but lets forget that)? What are some prestigious awards? Could you provide links or something about said awards?

 

[Dreaming big]

Okay, lets try something different. Not for residencies or fellowships, but what are some prestigious summer programs that look good for med school (i am already accepted to med school, but lets forget that)? What are some prestigious awards? Could you provide links or something about said awards?

bump please answer this someone!

 

[MilkmanAl]

Winning a Nobel Prize, a Pulitzer Prize, or proving the existence of the graviton would all be good pursuits. You could also develop cold fusion and write the next great American novel to put icing on the cake. If you really want to build a strong resume and stand out, try becoming the President. Not too many people in your Hopkins neuro-oncological surgery residency will be able to claim that!

 

[Dreaming big]

Winning a Nobel Prize, a Pulitzer Prize, or proving the existence of the graviton would all be good pursuits. You could also develop cold fusion and write the next great American novel to put icing on the cake. If you really want to build a strong resume and stand out, try becoming the President. Not too many people in your Hopkins neuro-oncological surgery residency will be able to claim that!

Haha, I love the sarcasm.
On a side note, I have heard of awards like goldwater and someother stuff...can anyone tell me more about these awards?

BTW I AM ALREADY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF GUATAMALA - SO I ALREADY STAND OUT

 

[Iwilldietrying]

Just make sure to get a 30+ on ACT get into a good collage and shadow some docters because in all likelihood you will not be a docter

Way to crush a person's confidence.

 

[CScull]

Way to crush a person's confidence.

That crushed someone's confidence? 'Cause really, it just made me giggle a little.

 

[newdoc2013]

work as hard as you can for your goal while experiencing as much as you can in college -- make sure to explore other areas; it should not be 'medicine or bust' because this is not a field for those who have not thought hard about their decision to enter this field it is life long and it is physically and emotionally taxing (and I'm just a ms1, haha).

i feel like anything that you are truly interested in and can convey that in an interview will work to your advantage, but all the while make sure to get good grades and do well on standardized tests.

if you did research but hated it, why would you want to bring that up in an interview and say something like "i would love to continue to do research in residency" .... doesn't make sense to me? you would hate it!

 

[tennisball80]

GPA

MCAT

ECs

=All you need in college

 

[Mopp22]

Just make sure to get a 30+ on ACT get into a good collage and shadow some docters because in all likelihood you will not be a docter

Are you joking with that post?