CV value of different specialty student interest group involvement

[TelemarketingEnigma]

[This is mostly a curiosity question - not really worried about my own CV]

For students who were involved in student interest groups (ie, exec positions) outside of the field you eventually applied (or will soon apply) to, did you keep it on your CV/residency app? I know that some interest groups are fluff, but some at my school actually do a lot of work coordinating things like shadowing, research experiences, educational events, etc., so it seems worth listing. But I wonder if it would be more detrimental than helpful if it's completely different than the field you ultimately want to go into. Or do PDs generally understand that students change their minds (assuming the student can explain their current interest well)?

curious to hear peoples thoughts/experiences.

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[kopftonmd]

Just a med student, but I'm planning on keeping it barring any issues in ERAS, I'm planning to keep my various groups. I have a narrative for each (why I chose to do it, what I did, the value of it/what I learned), so they aren't just filler. I think you're right, PDs appreciate that students can change their minds or have multiple interests. Will they matter much in the end? Perhaps not, but I put in the hours for these groups and I might as well keep them.

Just my two cents.

 

[NotaCop]

Depends on value. I’d say nix all but those relative to your career interests. For ex if applying gen surg but interested in onc cases, include your leadership in surg IG and onc IG but omit your role in cards IG

 

[g3tb0mbed]

I can't possibly see how including a group completely unrelated to the field you are applying to can help. Interest groups already are bs and barely matter for residency applications, including a random one might show uncertainty and hurt more than help.

 

[WinslowPringle]

One or two leadership positions outside the field you go into don't hurt and might help a minimal amount. (They also might help you get more well known among your classmates if it matters for that GHHS or whatever else popularity contest that is and AOA if it's elected). If you have a lot of activity in a single group that you don't go into you have to be able to explain why you switched interests. And if you just 'spam' clubs (ie, you're treasurer of the peds interest group, and VP of the urology group, and secretary of the IM group, member of the neurosurgery group) it's seen for what it is and you can't really spin it that you just want to be a med-peds craniourological surgical hospitalist.

 

[7331poas]

These clubs are meaningless. Doesn't matter if you add them or not. I have had a few PDs at my home program tell me that they basically skip over those lines.

 

[theonlytycrane]

lEaDeRsHiP! Lol eras feels like middle school kids applying to be a cub scout

it should just be board scores, PS, MSPE, letters, interview

bless there aren't money grab secondaries this time around

 

[Frogger27]

My thought would be that these would just occupy space and take away from things you actually want people to look at..... If this was some awesome experience that taught you a lot and that you want to talk about, that is fine. But if you are thinking to add it just because you held some exec position, no one cares and it will distract from other parts of your app.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I mostly agree, if you had any leadership in these other IGs it's fine to put it on, particularly if you actually created something new (ie you weren't just the treasurer and processed reimbursements). If you showed up to a few random events, that's just filler that can distract from actual good stuff.