can this schedule be used to demonstrate work ethic?

[aspiring20]

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i understand that med schools look at work ethics, and my undergrad GPA isn't that high (just under 3.6)

i am in my gap years now, and my current plan is to spend 40 hrs a week on art, 25 hrs a week studying for the MCAT, and 4-5 hrs a week volunteering. this schedule will continue until next may, when i take the MCAT

after may 2013 and until june 2014, the time i'll apply, i'll keep the artistic commitment but will replace the MCAT time slots with additional class work, if i am able to register for classes at local universities. i will also continue my service commitments

i just hope that med schools won't think i am slacking off during my time off just because i am not holding a job.

 

[MedPR]

i understand that med schools look at work ethics, and my undergrad GPA isn't that high (just under 3.6)

i am in my gap years now, and my current plan is to spend 40 hrs a week on art, 25 hrs a week studying for the MCAT, and 4-5 hrs a week volunteering. this schedule will continue until next may, when i take the MCAT

after may 2013 and until june 2014, the time i'll apply, i'll keep the artistic commitment but will replace the MCAT time slots with additional class work, if i am able to register for classes at local universities. i will also continue my service commitments

i just hope that med schools won't think i am slacking off during my time off just because i am not holding a job.

Full time hobby doesn't demonstrate work ethic.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Doudline]

i understand that med schools look at work ethics, and my undergrad GPA isn't that high (just under 3.6)

i am in my gap years now, and my current plan is to spend 40 hrs a week on art, 25 hrs a week studying for the MCAT, and 4-5 hrs a week volunteering. this schedule will continue until next may, when i take the MCAT

after may 2013 and until june 2014, the time i'll apply, i'll keep the artistic commitment but will replace the MCAT time slots with additional class work, if i am able to register for classes at local universities. i will also continue my service commitments

i just hope that med schools won't think i am slacking off during my time off just because i am not holding a job.

If the time you spend on arts leads to a project, good. If it's spent playing bassoon for 5 hours a day in your basement, not so much.

 

[aspiring20]

If the time you spend on arts leads to a project, good. If it's spent playing bassoon for 5 hours a day in your basement, not so much.

it leads to the publication of a book

 

[DAPI]

C'mon, next time just post a new reply in your old thread about this graphic novel instead of making a new thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=964010

But no, this is not going to show work ethic IMO as most pre-meds that have graduated and have taken a year or two off work 40 hrs a week instead of work on an art project. Its all going to look the same in terms of work ethic.

 

[MedPR]

it leads to the publication of a book

I still say no. I spend 500 hours per week on SDN. That's a huge chunk of time that I could be spending studying, but because I have such great work ethic I continue to post here. Nope.

 

[lobo.solo]

I still say no. I spend 500 hours per week on SDN. That's a huge chunk of time that I could be spending studying, but because I have such great work ethic I continue to post here. Nope.

serious? That's a big commitment to SDN. 😀

 

[MedPR]

serious? That's a big commitment to SDN. 😀

I know. It's totally unfair.

 

[aspiring20]

I still say no. I spend 500 hours per week on SDN. That's a huge chunk of time that I could be spending studying, but because I have such great work ethic I continue to post here. Nope.

i respect your views, but obviously you have no idea of the types of commitment and work ethics artists/art majors have

and btw, i spend 5000 hours per week on facebook...that's true work ethics

 

[sliceofbread136]

I still say no. I spend 500 hours per week on SDN. That's a huge chunk of time that I could be spending studying, but because I have such great work ethic I continue to post here. Nope.

Do u have that harry potter time turner thing?

 

[aspiring20]

Do u have that harry potter time turner thing?

haha, imagine how much more productive we can all be if we have this harry potter time turner thing (which i think is actually an hourglass?)

 

[pre med 2014]

Hobbies are good but why would you need to show work ethic? 3.5 is the magic number anyways and you're above it

 

[aspiring20]

Hobbies are good but why would you need to show work ethic? 3.5 is the magic number anyways and you're above it

i know my gpa isnt bad, but when i see SDN automatons with 3.9 and 39, i can't control shaking in my boots

and this is more than just a hobby; it is a serious artistic/literary endeavor that defines who i am. i majored in this stuff and got graduation honors for it.

 

[mcloaf]

i know my gpa isnt bad, but when i see SDN automatons with 3.9 and 39, i can't control shaking in my boots

and this is more than just a hobby; it is a serious artistic/literary endeavor that defines who i am. i majored in this stuff and got graduation honors for it.

FFS, I have had it up to my eyeballs with this "SDN automatons" BS. People with good numbers aren't robots with no friends who only ever study. Some of them yes, but not all and not necessarily even most. There's really no need to not so subtly dig at people who, for whatever reason or set of circumstances, were able to achieve at a high level in class and on the MCAT. Get over it.

/ rant

 

[487806]

C'mon, next time just post a new reply in your old thread about this graphic novel instead of making a new thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=964010

But no, this is not going to show work ethic IMO as most pre-meds that have graduated and have taken a year or two off work 40 hrs a week instead of work on an art project. Its all going to look the same in terms of work ethic.

👍 Couldn't have said it better.

 

[aspiring20]

FFS, I have had it up to my eyeballs with this "SDN automatons" BS. People with good numbers aren't robots with no friends who only ever study. Some of them yes, but not all and not necessarily even most. There's really no need to not so subtly dig at people who, for whatever reason or set of circumstances, were able to achieve at a high level in class and on the MCAT. Get over it.

/ rant

it wasn't my intent to mock/dig those people; i mostly find it to be a funny phrase, that's all

no need to get upset over something i didn't intent

 

[aspiring20]

C'mon, next time just post a new reply in your old thread about this graphic novel instead of making a new thread.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=964010

But no, this is not going to show work ethic IMO as most pre-meds that have graduated and have taken a year or two off work 40 hrs a week instead of work on an art project. Its all going to look the same in terms of work ethic.

so you are saying that an independent, intensive art project that results in publication (carried out alongside MCAT prep, classes, volunteering, service) doesn't show work ethics, while a job does?

i thought work ethics mean the ability to successfully complete multiple tasks over a long period of time. at least thats my definition.

are you implying that we are expected to do one or a combination of the following and nothing else during gap years?
1) a job
2) mcat/classes
3) science related stuff
4) service related stuff

 

[mcloaf]

I think if you're actually able to publish/follow through on the graphic novel in a measurable way then you should be fine. The risk is that if it doesn't work out as you plan you're stuck, whereas with a job your having been busy can safely be assumed.

 

[aspiring20]

I think if you're actually able to publish/follow through on the graphic novel in a measurable way then you should be fine. The risk is that if it doesn't work out as you plan you're stuck, whereas with a job your having been busy can safely be assumed.

fair enough. and i definitely agree

 

[DAPI]

so you are saying that an independent, intensive art project that results in publication (carried out alongside MCAT prep, classes, volunteering, service) doesn't show work ethics, while a job does?

i thought work ethics mean the ability to successfully complete multiple tasks over a long period of time. at least thats my definition.

are you implying that we are expected to do one or a combination of the following and nothing else during gap years?
1) a job
2) mcat/classes
3) science related stuff
4) service related stuff

No, I'm saying your project is equivalent to a job and that anyone who has graduated and still needs to take the MCAT like you is in the same boat. There is no difference between the 'work ethic' of you working on a book and someone else working a job. Therefore there is no real way to gage your work ethic as you are doing what everyone else is. So if that's what you want to show, sure it demonstrates your average pre-med's work ethic, but it's nothing beyond the ordinary.

 

[aspiring20]

No, I'm saying your project is equivalent to a job and that anyone who has graduated and still needs to take the MCAT like you is in the same boat. There is no difference between the 'work ethic' of you working on a book and someone else working a job. Therefore there is no real way to gage your work ethic as you are doing what everyone else is. So if that's what you want to show, sure it demonstrates your average pre-med's work ethic, but it's nothing beyond the ordinary.

i see. my bad - i misread what you said and i apologize.

it's just that because this endeavor is so different from what the "typical" premed student does during gap years, and i am worried that some adcoms might not like the notion of spending a significant part of those two years doing art

but then again...if i am so passionate about this project, then it shouldn't matter what other people might think/feel in the future.

it's just a character flaw of mine placing an overwhelming amount of stock in what others think/feel

once again, sorry for completely misinterpreting your post

 

[DAPI]

i see. my bad - i misread what you said and i apologize.

it's just that because this endeavor is so different from what the "typical" premed student does during gap years, and i am worried that some adcoms might not like the notion of spending a significant part of those two years doing art

but then again...if i am so passionate about this project, then it shouldn't matter what other people might think/feel in the future.

it's just a character flaw of mine placing an overwhelming amount of stock in what others think/feel

once again, sorry for completely misinterpreting your post

Don't worry about it. The first part of my post wasn't all that nice so I can see how you missed the very last sentence

Ummm yeah, I do see you running into some adcoms that don't like this as much as someone working in a lab or something. You are going to need to sell this the best you can in your AMCAS application. Like I said in your other thread. I personally would not be interested in the artistic end of it, but rather the what inspired you and the challenges you face writing it and what you learned from it. That's just me though as I'm not into graphic novels or art at all really.

 

[sliceofbread136]

FFS, I have had it up to my eyeballs with this "SDN automatons" BS. People with good numbers aren't robots with no friends who only ever study. Some of them yes, but not all and not necessarily even most. There's really no need to not so subtly dig at people who, for whatever reason or set of circumstances, were able to achieve at a high level in class and on the MCAT. Get over it.

/ rant

I like having those numbers and studying hardly ever

 

[aspiring20]

Don't worry about it. The first part of my post wasn't all that nice so I can see how you missed the very last sentence

Ummm yeah, I do see you running into some adcoms that don't like this as much as someone working in a lab or something. You are going to need to sell this the best you can in your AMCAS application. Like I said in your other thread. I personally would not be interested in the artistic end of it, but rather the what inspired you and the challenges you face writing it and what you learned from it. That's just me though as I'm not into graphic novels or art at all really.

fair enough

 

[MedPR]

Wait I have a full-time job and I still publish hours and hours worth of text on SDN. Extreme work ethic? I believe so!

 

[aspiring20]

Wait I have a full-time job and I still publish hours and hours worth of text on SDN. Extreme work ethic? I believe so!

did you have a full time job through the entirety of your time off? or just right now after you've received your acceptances?

if i am not mistaken, you posted elsewhere that for your first gap year, you did nothing. now that's a perfectly reeasonable way to spend your time off imo, but that doesnt exactly demonstrate good work ethic.

 

[NonTraditional3]

i respect your views, but obviously you have no idea of the types of commitment and work ethics artists/art majors have

and btw, i spend 5000 hours per week on facebook...that's true work ethics

I can't hold my tongue here. I am going to preface what I say here, by saying that I do believe that Art has its merits. However, the commitment that artists make, is one to themselves, working towards artistic fulfillment. This may be through the performing arts (theatre, dance, music) or through the visual arts (sculpture, painting, cartooning, etc.) Be this as it may, the pursuit of artistic fulfillment is to the benefit of self, and not a sacrifice of self to service and benefit others. Sure, Michelangelo's David has been marveled by millions for centuries, but was Michelangelo seeking to provide an outlet of entertainment for society, or was he just being true to himself through artistic expression? Art can provide a tremendous avenue of relief through therapy - the hospital I volunteer at has art, creative writing, and music therapy programs available to all patients. This is really the only direct practical merit that art has in medicine. There is also the possibility of using ones talents to benefit charities and hospitals, such as free concerts (such as GlobalFest) and selling ones work to raise money for given charity or a hospital, but that is not how you describe your use of your talents.

The bottom line is, spending 40 hours a week on art might get your book published, but if you are going to be spending 25 hours a week studying for the MCAT, it may suggest that your work ethic is not as strong as you claim it to be....people who do well on the MCAT commit far more time than that to prepare for it. Rethink your priorities and decide if you want to do well on the MCAT and go to medical school, or if you want to be an artist. 40 vs 25....sounds like art is a priority over medicine to you....and any physician with an art hobby will probably tell you that they find time for their artistic ventures....but the hospital always comes first.


EDIT: really, what I am trying to say here, is that unless you are using your talents to somehow benefit or service people other than yourself, it really has no place being a point of emphasis in your application. I am not saying it doesn't warrant any mention whatsoever - I am just saying I would not harp on it as being a key element of what you bring to the table with your application. I will probably include on my application one line or two about my guitar hobby, if there is room for it.

 

[NonTraditional3]

so you are saying that an independent, intensive art project that results in publication (carried out alongside MCAT prep, classes, volunteering, service) doesn't show work ethics, while a job does?

i thought work ethics mean the ability to successfully complete multiple tasks over a long period of time. at least thats my definition.

are you implying that we are expected to do one or a combination of the following and nothing else during gap years?
1) a job
2) mcat/classes
3) science related stuff
4) service related stuff

I think that's a fair assumption. You need to demonstrate your willingness to sacrifice your time, being content with professional responsibilities encroaching on your personal life, because that's what a career in medicine will be like.

I did all of the above in my gap years, but I still found time to engage in my hobbies (I study foreign languages for fun and I play classical spanish guitar.) I certainly didn't land a job offer with the FBI to be a drone in Argentina or russia or anything like that, and I definitely haven't gone platinum with my musical stylings either, but I have a lot to show for myself professionally when it comes time to face the admissions committees, and at the end of the day, I still enjoy my personal ventures.

In 19 months.....
40-55 hours/week working in a lab....
40+ hours/week MCAT studying....
5+ hours/week volunteering or shadowing...
......played a few gigs/jams and learned a new language.....
****MCAT studying was only for 8 of those months

Work ethic, btw, is a demonstration of holding yourself accountable to your responsibilities and to others. Hobbies are hobbies, not responsibilities. You do them because you want to, not because you have to.

 

[Geebeejay]

Spending the majority of your time doing something that you enjoy doing (art) does not show work ethic. Spending all of your day waste deep in ****, getting stung repeatedly in 100+ degree weather to get into medical school shows work ethic.

 

[Aerus]

To me, work wthic is measured in productivity, not number of hours committed.

A person who "studies" for 1000 hours and gets less than half done than a person who goes over material 4-5 hours a day for a few weeks has better work ethic, in my opinion.

Since you can't really prove to adcoms how productive you were during these intense hours, numbers and accomplishments are the best way to demonstrate "work ethic".

That would be your GPA, which is fine. Thus, I don't see any reason to question whether your gap year activities show work ethic or not.

 

[aspiring20]

I think that's a fair assumption. You need to demonstrate your willingness to sacrifice your time, being content with professional responsibilities encroaching on your personal life, because that's what a career in medicine will be like.

I did all of the above in my gap years, but I still found time to engage in my hobbies (I study foreign languages for fun and I play classical spanish guitar.) I certainly didn't land a job offer with the FBI to be a drone in Argentina or russia or anything like that, and I definitely haven't gone platinum with my musical stylings either, but I have a lot to show for myself professionally when it comes time to face the admissions committees, and at the end of the day, I still enjoy my personal ventures.

In 19 months.....
40-55 hours/week working in a lab....
40+ hours/week MCAT studying....
5+ hours/week volunteering or shadowing...
......played a few gigs/jams and learned a new language.....
****MCAT studying was only for 8 of those months

Work ethic, btw, is a demonstration of holding yourself accountable to your responsibilities and to others. Hobbies are hobbies, not responsibilities. You do them because you want to, not because you have to.

that certainly is impressive, but for every one who did the above, i bet that there are multiple who mostly slacked off but still ended up in med school

 

[aspiring20]

To me, work wthic is measured in productivity, not number of hours committed.

A person who "studies" for 1000 hours and gets less than half done than a person who goes over material 4-5 hours a day for a few weeks has better work ethic, in my opinion.

Since you can't really prove to adcoms how productive you were during these intense hours, numbers and accomplishments are the best way to demonstrate "work ethic".

That would be your GPA, which is fine. Thus, I don't see any reason to question whether your gap year activities show work ethic or not.

i guess that can be one definition of work ethics...though it certainly doesn't take into account productivity/efficiency

 

[aspiring20]

Spending the majority of your time doing something that you enjoy doing (art) does not show work ethic. Spending all of your day waste deep in ****, getting stung repeatedly in 100+ degree weather to get into medical school shows work ethic.

agree to disagree

we all all come to a consensus that most premeds do the following things during gap years

1) MCAT
2) additional classes
3) continual hospital/community service + shadowing

in addition to 1-3, many of us do something else "full time".

so when i have to choose between 40 hrs/wk bagging groceries or working as a lab tech washing test-tubes and 40h hrs/wk working on an intensive art project that leads to publication (and heavily influenced by service and academic experiences in the past), my decision is to choose the second option.

whether or not it demonstrates "work ethics" is up for debate.

and btw, i've spend a fair amount of my time doing manual labor under 90+ weather (and even suffering minor injuries) not to "get into medical school" but primarily to serve with a humane organization that i am found and proud of in my backyard.

 

[NonTraditional3]

agree to disagree

we all all come to a consensus that most premeds do the following things during gap years

1) MCAT
2) additional classes
3) continual hospital/community service + shadowing

in addition to 1-3, many of us do something else "full time".

so when i have to choose between 40 hrs/wk bagging groceries or working as a lab tech washing test-tubes and 40h hrs/wk working on an intensive art project that leads to publication (and heavily influenced by service and academic experiences in the past), my decision is to choose the second option.

whether or not it demonstrates "work ethics" is up for debate.

and btw, i've spend a fair amount of my time doing manual labor under 90+ weather (and even suffering minor injuries) not to "get into medical school" but primarily to serve with a humane organization that i am found and proud of in my backyard.

www.artinstitutes.edu

You should apply there. You'll totes get in.

 

[MedPR]

nevermind.

 

[aspiring20]

www.artinstitutes.edu

You should apply there. You'll totes get in.

thanks.

and you should apply there, i heard they have your name written all over it...

http://www.rossu.edu/medical-school/

and btw, what's your purpose showing me that link?

do you really feel that what you are doing is superior to what i am doing?

 

[NonTraditional3]

thanks.

and you should apply there, i heard they have your name written all over it...

http://www.rossu.edu/medical-school/

and btw, what's your purpose showing me that link?

do you really feel that what you are doing is superior to what i am doing?

I never said that. I think you are not taking an informed approach to applying to medical school, and if you don't heed the errors that people here are trying to steer you away from, applying to art school will be just as effective in securing for yourself a career in medicine as applying to medical school. No one is telling you not to do what you enjoy. Just realize that the value you are assigning to it will not likely be matched by admissions committee members, and that you should not place the emphasis you seem to want to place on it in your applications.

Sometimes it takes a tough dose of realism to crystallize a point, especially to a mind fogged by self-delusion and ill-guided ambition. That was nice of you to send the RossU link. I think I heard about that school on the radio once. Do you know if it's a good school? I hope they like american applicants there. Maybe I can tell them about the posters I make for every New York Knicks game that I go to and that after the games I give them to the homeless to shield them from the rain. I feel like I give back to society in a huge way by doing that. Don't you? Sometimes I'll draw posters in my backyard, even if it's really hot out. One time I helped my uncle build a shed in my backyard and then I told people I helped out with a humane mission. I think medical schools will say I have a good work ethic. Maybe RossU will say that too!

 

[aspiring20]

I never said that. I think you are not taking an informed approach to applying to medical school, and if you don't heed the errors that people here are trying to steer you away from, applying to art school will be just as effective in securing for yourself a career in medicine as applying to medical school. No one is telling you not to do what you enjoy. Just realize that the value you are assigning to it will not likely be matched by admissions committee members, and that you should not place the emphasis you seem to want to place on it in your applications.

Sometimes it takes a tough dose of realism to crystallize a point, especially to a mind fogged by self-delusion and ill-guided ambition. That was nice of you to send the RossU link. I think I heard about that school on the radio once. Do you know if it's a good school? I hope they like american applicants there. Maybe I can tell them about the posters I make for every New York Knicks game that I go to and that after the games I give them to the homeless to shield them from the rain. I feel like I give back to society in a huge way by doing that. Don't you? Sometimes I'll draw posters in my backyard, even if it's really hot out. One time I helped my uncle build a shed in my backyard and then I told people I helped out with a humane mission. I think medical schools will say I have a good work ethic. Maybe RossU will say that too!

your sarcasm is misguided. the part about injury/humane organization was in reference to someone else's post about stand in **** all day under 100 degree whether in order to get into med school.

here's the way i look at it

we all know that successful matriculants have around 150 hrs of clinical expose, a year of research, and some other odds and ends in addition to solid numbers.

if i can exceed all those categories (clinical exposure, community service, research, tutoring, honors thesis, international experience) and have additonal, unique, and meaningful/substantial artistic endeavors on top, then that will only work in my favor. do you not agree?

say i have 600 hrs of combined service experience when i apply. the fact i have 600 hours of "relevant" experience in addition to substantial artistic endeavors will look better than someone who only have 300 hrs of relevant experience but nothing else "non-medical", even if that person claims a "better commitment to medicine" because he/she did nothing else in addition to it.

again, if you already have a solid amount of all the experiences that adcoms look for (volunteer, shadowing, research, tutoring, community service, honors thesis, etc.), then your time and your application will be better off if you spend it on something else....esepcially when that something else transcends just a silly hobby.

and your implicit notion that what i am doing constitutes nothing more than some random/silly hobby is, quite honestly, offensive.

lastly, you seem to think that all i have is my artistic endeavor and nothing else. that's simply not true. my ECs are solid/well rounded, and the additional of something unique and substantial outside of medicine doesn't diminish my other ECs

i get a feeling that you (and many others on this tread) feel this way:

applicant A: has 300 hours clinical experience, nothing

applicant B: has 400 hours clinical experience, but 2000 hours of art

conclusion: applicant A is better suited to medicine because he/she is "more dedicated"

 

[NonTraditional3]

Let me ask you this: do you think emphasizing the fact that your artistic endeavors eclipse your clinical endeavors in magnitude highlights your dedication to a clinically oriented career?

This is a yes or no question.

 

[NonTraditional3]

The point is, while your art can warrant some mention, it should not have an emphasis priority over other things that you have done which DO point to an interest and commitment to a career of service such as that of medicine.

 

[advair250]

Some of the posts here are really off base. OP you're fine, do as you please, and spin it as you wish later.

To the people spending 40hrs/week for 8 MONTHS?! on MCAT, is that a joke? Or were you so far removed from your pre-reqs that you needed to relearn everything?

It's my pet peeve when people say you need to dedicate your whole life studying for a test, that really just tests your basic undergrad sciences. I know plenty of people who studied for a max of people who study intensively for 6-8 weeks and score 30+. Heck 3 of my close friends studied for less than a month and did the same.

OP ignore NonTraditional3, he/she has no idea what they are talking about.

 

[NonTraditional3]

Some of the posts here are really off base. OP you're fine, do as you please, and spin it as you wish later.

To the people spending 40hrs/week for 8 MONTHS?! on MCAT, is that a joke? Or were you so far removed from your pre-reqs that you needed to relearn everything?

It's my pet peeve when people say you need to dedicate your whole life studying for a test, that really just tests your basic undergrad sciences. I know plenty of people who studied for a max of people who study intensively for 6-8 weeks and score 30+. Heck 3 of my close friends studied for less than a month and did the same.

OP ignore NonTraditional3, he/she has no idea what they are talking about.

Actually, yes. MCAT studying came about 5 years after I had taken my pre-req's. I absolutely know what I'm talking about. I never said they needed to dedicate the entirety of their time to preparing for the MCAT. Be aware though, that medicine is very competitive, and there will be people who are doing exactly that....and that is who the OP will be competing against....people who absolutely sacrificed everything to secure this career for themselves. Think about it. I realize this brings us to something of a gray area, but at the end of the day, hard work pays off. Slacking doesn't. End of story.

You are both completely missing my point here. The "artists" hobbies should not be the focal point of discussion in their application, considering that they have meaningful (allegedly) experiences that are more relevant to medicine. Keep in mind, admissions committees look for reasons not to accept - they don't have time time dwindle and try and justify....if you don't impress from the first second, you're out. I wouldn't jeopardize all that hard work hoping someone (a total stranger, btw) would see the same merit in my "art" that I do.

 

[aspiring20]

Let me ask you this: do you think emphasizing the fact that your artistic endeavors eclipse your clinical endeavors in magnitude highlights your dedication to a clinically oriented career?

This is a yes or no question.

i appreciate the question

the answer is no

and i feel this is not a good question. you dont need an extreme number of hours to demonstrate your commitment to medicine

and let me ask you a follow up

do you think that someone who have 500 hrs of clinical experience spread over 4 years and an additional 3000 hours of art is more attractive than someone with 150 hrs of clinical experience spreading over 2 years and no art?

my point is the 3000 hrs in art doesnt make the 500 hrs of clinical experience/over 4 years less impressive than the 150 hrs of clinical over 2 yrs.

 

[aspiring20]

The point is, while your art can warrant some mention, it should not have an emphasis priority over other things that you have done which DO point to an interest and commitment to a career of service such as that of medicine.

the amcas allows you to identify three activies as your most meaningful

one will be this art

the other two will be clinical/service oriented

so it's 2 vs. 1

i dont think it's harmful at all to include a non medical activity as one of your most meaningful.

 

[aspiring20]

Actually, yes. MCAT studying came about 5 years after I had taken my pre-req's. I absolutely know what I'm talking about. I never said they needed to dedicate the entirety of their time to preparing for the MCAT. Be aware though, that medicine is very competitive, and there will be people who are doing exactly that....and that is who the OP will be competing against....people who absolutely sacrificed everything to secure this career for themselves. Think about it. I realize this brings us to something of a gray area, but at the end of the day, hard work pays off. Slacking doesn't. End of story.

You are both completely missing my point here. The "artists" hobbies should not be the focal point of discussion in their application, considering that they have meaningful (allegedly) experiences that are more relevant to medicine. Keep in mind, admissions committees look for reasons not to accept - they don't have time time dwindle and try and justify....if you don't impress from the first second, you're out. I wouldn't jeopardize all that hard work hoping someone (a total stranger, btw) would see the same merit in my "art" that I do.

i see your point here, and i think it's a good one. but having multiple passions, with medicine as one of them, doesnt hurt.

you seem to think that showing any other passion alongside medicine will be harmful, that the only way to go is to dedicate everything to medicine and relegate everything else to minor, hobby status

there will be some adcoms who share this view, no doubt, but i am confident that most adcoms will look at it very differently.

let's me honest, the majority of matriculants are not non-trads, and they all have fairly limited clinical exposure.

 

[sliceofbread136]

OP do what u want during a gap year. If you do actually get published it will be impressive, probably much more so than waiting tables or w/e

Edit: man reading through this thread, some people are so freaking off base. Do everything else well and your artistic endeavors could possibly be a huge asset to your application, especially if u get published.

But you do need SOME clinical exposure. Just go volunteer or something and shadow.

 

[aspiring20]

OP do what u want during a gap year. If you do actually get published it will be impressive, probably much more so than waiting tables or w/e

Edit: man reading through this thread, some people are so freaking off base. Do everything else well and your artistic endeavors could possibly be a huge asset to your application, especially if u get published.

But you do need SOME clinical exposure. Just go volunteer or something and shadow.

i already have over three years of clinical exposure and a year of shadowing done during undergrad. i'll get some more, of course.

and i'll look into scaling the book back a bit so i can add in "some responsibility" and "work ethic" and get a part time job.

heard some adcoms look down on not having a job

 

[Aerus]

i guess that can be one definition of work ethics...though it certainly doesn't take into account productivity/efficiency

It does. Getting more stuff done in less time means you're more productive during that time. Work ethic is how well you can dedicate yourself to doing actual work.

Some people claim to study for 10 hours a day, yet get very little done during that time due to distractions and such. Other people need only 4 hours a day, but can get a large amount of work done within that time.

The latter has better work ethic. The former has a lot of time on their hands.

 

[sliceofbread136]

It does. Getting more stuff done in less time means you're more productive during that time. Work ethic is how well you can dedicate yourself to doing actual work.

Some people claim to study for 10 hours a day, yet get very little done during that time due to distractions and such. Other people need only 4 hours a day, but can get a large amount of work done within that time.

The latter has better work ethic. The former has a lot of time on their hands.

You can make up definitions all you want, but that's not the definition of work ethic:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/work+ethic

The efficiency of the studying doesn't factor in. Some people are just slow.

 

[aspiring20]

You can make up definitions all you want, but that's not the definition of work ethic:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/work+ethic

The efficiency of the studying doesn't factor in. Some people are just slow.

"a belief in the moral benefit and importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character"

that's a pretty useless definition from dictionary.com

i guess it's my bad...shouldn't have used the words "work ethic" to begin with