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Did anyone get into a Good School with so so EC's?
Started by NRAI2001
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Did anyone get in with a criminal record?
Did anyone get in with f's?
Did anyone get in with their fly undone?
Did anyone get in with a big hairy mole on their face?
Did anyone get in with ................?
Sorry, I got sick of these when I was in pre-allo......... though not as bad as the "what are my chances" threads
Did anyone get in with f's?
Did anyone get in with their fly undone?
Did anyone get in with a big hairy mole on their face?
Did anyone get in with ................?
Sorry, I got sick of these when I was in pre-allo......... though not as bad as the "what are my chances" threads
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I got into a school (to my mind any American med. school is "good") but only because I worked three jobs for much of undergrad (30-40hrs. a wk my first two years + no car so I had to walk everywhere...what a time drain) and had strong numbers. I did do a few ECs namely working out, research for one semester, martial arts from time to time and a bit of volunteer work. But that part of my application was certainly a weak spot. When are you planning to start your application process? Its not too late to start doing a few things to pad your resume (and improve yourself at the same time 😎 ). You could go to a foreign country and take an intensive language course over the summer(read "culturally sensitive"), start working out (to show dedication to your health), or take up a hobby like canoeing that is easy to learn and different so your interviewers will remember you.
Yes.
Man In The Box said:
I already work out a lot, working out actually eats up a lot of time for me. I am planning to apply this summer.
So far I have worked doing research at UCSF neurosurgery for 1 year (2 years ago during my soph year) and I was the head ta for a physio course. Thats about it. I am trying to get a volunteer job at UCSF but will one semester be enough?
I have tests next week...... tends to make everyone grumpy, unless you like studying that is.Without good ECs, even those numbers won't get you into a top 15 school, cept Wustl, they don't care.NRAI2001 said:
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"Extra-curriculars" suck. Surely everybody knows that people only do them to pad their application and show how much they care. I got certified and volunteered as an EMT but only enough to claim this on my application.
I think the EC "requirement" for medical school admissions is the most idiotic thing and a real burden to non-traditional students who might have families and jobs and thus lack the free time man the phones at a condom malfunction crisis hotline.
Just friggin' admit it. Most of us are in medicine for some combination of money, prestige, and interest. Everybody in the world except sociopaths likes to help others. Making this a de facto requirement for medical school is meaningless.
I think the EC "requirement" for medical school admissions is the most idiotic thing and a real burden to non-traditional students who might have families and jobs and thus lack the free time man the phones at a condom malfunction crisis hotline.
Just friggin' admit it. Most of us are in medicine for some combination of money, prestige, and interest. Everybody in the world except sociopaths likes to help others. Making this a de facto requirement for medical school is meaningless.
NRAI2001 said:
HAH!
[bitter bitter laugh]
I had those #s and got into 0 schools my first round of apps. Of course I only applied to schools I actually wanted. Like Wustl and all of California. I only wish numbers were a free ride. Interview skills are what I really worked on for the second round. That and changing my residency status - Cali to Montana. Some schools go bananas over geographic diversity. Like Einstein.
Interesting volunteer experiences are really key though. Do something like go to Africa for 2 months or something.
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If I were you, I'd go to Mexico this summer on a voluteer trip and learn to speak Spanish while I was there. That will make up for an aweful lot and give you something to yak about at your interviews.
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Kimmer said:
Does going to Africa as a mercenary count? Maybe you could join a group that overthrows the President-for-Life of some African ****-hole and replaces him with a psychopath who is friendlier to our rubber interests.
Does that count as volunteer experience?
Jeez. Folks. You do not have to go to friggin' Africa to get into medical school. I never left Louisana and did just fine.
LOL, I suspect that being a mercenary in Africa might be more rewarding than being a medical student! At least you'd be appreciated by somebody...and anybody who doesn't like your style, well they're just gettin shot 😀
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Man In The Box said:
Just trying to put the EC thing in perspective. The pre-med student raiding Africa for some extracurricular interest is almost a cliche.
You lefty you 😀
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Bo Hurley said:
Interestingly enough, at every residency program where I interviewed, my military service seemed to be viewed as the ultimate Extracurricular. Same with when I interviewed for medical school.
Admittedly there are not a lot of liberals in medicine down here. Every Emergency Medicine physician and most of the nurses I met on the interview trail were pretty solidly Republican. And very pro-military and supportive of the war on terrorism. Many of my interviewers were veterans themselves and some had sons and daughters in the military. Occasionally I sensed they were trying to see if I was a conservative without being so rude as to ask me. When they found out I was, either because I told them or because my GOP tie I sometimes wear made it obvious (a very subdued pattern but clear none-the-less) they seemed relieved. I saw a lot of "W" pins and Bush-Cheney" bumper stickers in parkinglots.
Now let's see if this is enough to push me high enough onto the rank lists of the programs where I really want to go.
Panda Bear said:
Sorry to bump, but I just had to say "Amen" when I read this. Especially since I said something similar over at oldpremeds.com a while ago, and got chewed out for it by people who apparently really do believe that you are not cut out for medicine unless you are a renowned philanthropist.
I'm still working full time at this point, and it's a big pain in the butt to find volunteering opportunities when everyone expects you to be able to come in in mid-day on weekdays just like all the retirees and college students who make up the bulk of volunteers.
Panda Bear said:
Its true that most people go into medicine for a combo of reasons. No one would go into it if it were purely for the money, they could become a stockbrocker, banker....etc and make as much if not more, and no one goes into it purely for philanthropy bc there are probably other occupations where u could help people out in greater ways, social worker, non profit lawyer...etc.
But i guess that med schools like to see some med related ECs so that they know that u know what ur getting into. Perhaps after a little bit of exposure to the med field, those people who were going into medicine just for the money or just for the prestige will realize that its not really there.
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