EC application question

[nb07013]

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As I'm going through my undergrad EC's for my application I've come across a few questions. I recently ran a 5k raising money for local charities. I also plan to do a bike tour in September to raise money for MS. I should include these on my application as well right?

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

I think maybe if you get a couple more things like it and you can accurately show your passion for it, I dont think it could hurt. It is a nice hobby that is part of a good cause. I would not necessarily have that as the meat of your ECs though... I think especially if you became really involved with either of these groups, then that is definitely something to talk about - it shows passion and commitment.

 

[nb07013]

I have other EC's I was just wondering if I should add that one event as well. I only ran a 5k so my hours logged would be 0.5 lol!

 

[nb07013]

I also may end up running a half marathon in October but it probably will not end up on my application. So It's more like a recent commitment!

 

[WesternRedCedar]

No point putting that as its own entry, seems desperate.

Have a entry for hobbies, and include "marathon running etc" and list however many you've done.

 

[Doctor Dream]

I would include them in your app, but maybe lump it in with all of your other "inconsistent, one time only" volunteer events. I've done something similar to you, I've raised money for one charity and did a 2 mile run associated with the charity 3 years in a row, and I've raised money for another charity and did a 3 mile run associated with that two times, and I've volunteered twice for a scholarship fundraiser. I plan on putting all those together in one category, my "inconsistent, one time only" volunteer events.

Like the others have said, I would include it, but don't make it a highlight of your volunteering experience, unless you get heavily involved for a decent period of time.

 

[Admissions to Medicine]

No. Unless you were the organizer of this event, there is no need to list it to fill up a space. Would you list everytime you gave $1 to someone in the street on your application? Unless you show a meaningful attachment to the event, listing one off events like this really does not add any value. - Admissions to Medicine

 

[Andrew77]

^^Agree.

This really isn't an extra-curricular unless you're president of a club that runs 5Ks every month, and/or help run the charity.
Remember that there's a fairly lengthy section for description for your ECs. Glorifying simple participation in a yearly event may hurt you more than help you. Think "Proficient in Windows Word" on resumes.

 

[medickdb]

Also, do not put down things you have not yet done. We can all plan to do something, but we haven't done it until well... we've done it.

 

[Doctor Dream]

Think "Proficient in Windows Word" on resumes.

What do you mean by that?

 

[Andrew77]

What do you mean by that?

Sorry, I should have clarified more but I was lazy.

Often, people put "Proficient in Microsoft Word" as a skill in resumes. Considering that resumes are single pages and are meant to make you stand out -- similar to your application to medical schools (hence my analogy) -- something as ubiquitous as knowledge of how to type into a document and format font doesn't cut quite it. The question then becomes: "Is this person trying to pad their resume to make it look more impressive by mere volume of text, or do they simply have no other distinguishing skills?"

I've also received resumes containing such items as "Proficient in use of iPad." I'm pretty sure that iPads are meant to be user friendly. Though I suppose it could prove difficult for a small minority, and this person considered their mastery an accomplishment?

 

[Doctor Dream]

Sorry, I should have clarified more but I was lazy.

Often, people put "Proficient in Microsoft Word" as a skill in resumes. Considering that resumes are single pages and are meant to make you stand out -- similar to your application to medical schools (hence my analogy) -- something as ubiquitous as knowledge of how to type into a document and format font doesn't cut quite it. The question then becomes: "Is this person trying to pad their resume to make it look more impressive by mere volume of text, or do they simply have no other distinguishing skills?"

I've also received resumes containing such items as "Proficient in use of iPad." I'm pretty sure that iPads are meant to be user friendly. Though I suppose it could prove difficult for a small minority, and this person considered their mastery an accomplishment?

Ah ok, thanks for the clarification. So you're saying it probably isn't a good idea to include minor or fairly insignificant events in your app, because it looks as though you're trying to embellish something that doesn't carry much weight.

I've done a few "one and done" volunteer events throughout my undergrad so far (in addition to volunteering on a regular basis), so would you not suggest including these in my app at all, or could I lump them all together as one EC? These "one and done" volunteer events obviously wouldn't be my main source of volunteering hours, but they show that I have an interest in running and might show supplemental volunteering to the volunteering I already do.

 

[malamed]

No. Unless you were the organizer of this event, there is no need to list it to fill up a space. Would you list everytime you gave $1 to someone in the street on your application? Unless you show a meaningful attachment to the event, listing one off events like this really does not add any value. - Admissions to Medicine

Wow, this is pretty disappointing to me. I am a big advocate of 5k's for a greater cause and have done a TON of them throughout college and recently, mostly for cancer research. This really doesn't show any sort of compassion? Trust me, I don't do it because I like to run. I wasn't going list them one by one and I have other EC's as well, but this is kind of surprising.. If you've ever ran in honor of a cancer survivor, you know it IS meaningful and much more than "fluff" on an application.

 

[malamed]

no thoughts? ok..

 

[Admissions to Medicine]

If you want you can list it once and put it as ongoing, however to list each one is not what that section is for.

 

[Andrew77]

Wow, this is pretty disappointing to me. I am a big advocate of 5k's for a greater cause and have done a TON of them throughout college and recently, mostly for cancer research. This really doesn't show any sort of compassion? Trust me, I don't do it because I like to run. I wasn't going list them one by one and I have other EC's as well, but this is kind of surprising.. If you've ever ran in honor of a cancer survivor, you know it IS meaningful and much more than "fluff" on an application.

This sounds more like a personal statement or secondary theme rather than an extra-curricular for you. This is a great cause, and something I would definitely want to relay to ADCOMs -- especially if I plan on continuing while in med school and beyond. However, I personally approached ECs as avenues in which I could describe skills I learned and physician-esque characteristics I demonstrated. You shouldn't have to justify why you did an EC, which you are doing in this post. ADCOMs might read it and subconsciously sense a defensive tone just by the nature of the EC section.

I've done a few "one and done" volunteer events throughout my undergrad so far (in addition to volunteering on a regular basis), so would you not suggest including these in my app at all, or could I lump them all together as one EC? These "one and done" volunteer events obviously wouldn't be my main source of volunteering hours, but they show that I have an interest in running and might show supplemental volunteering to the volunteering I already do.

I empathize with you -- I really do -- but I have to go with what I said just above. I don't even think there's a limit to how many ECs you can put on the AACOMAS, so you can easily add it on, but assuming that your other ECs are great and paint a picture of the kind of person you are, something like this will probably pale in comparison. In that case, it might catch the ADCOMs off-guard if it isn't of the same tone as the rest of that section of your app.
It's pretty easy to mold almost most secondary prompts into what you want it to be, and I think talking about intangibles such as your passion for representing and supporting your community would be a great theme/topic.

 

[Doctor Dream]

I empathize with you -- I really do -- but I have to go with what I said just above. I don't even think there's a limit to how many ECs you can put on the AACOMAS, so you can easily add it on, but assuming that your other ECs are great and paint a picture of the kind of person you are, something like this will probably pale in comparison. In that case, it might catch the ADCOMs off-guard if it isn't of the same tone as the rest of that section of your app.
It's pretty easy to mold almost most secondary prompts into what you want it to be, and I think talking about intangibles such as your passion for representing and supporting your community would be a great theme/topic.

Thanks for the advice, I totally understand what you're saying. That's kind of what I was afraid of. Dedicating a whole section of EC's to small events might come across as really scraping the bottom of the barrel, and just trying to find something to fill up space in my application. I like you're thought process though, include EC's where you learned physician-esque qualities. I think things that helped you make your decision in choosing medicine would also fall into that too. Raising money for charity once a year and doesn't really fit with either of those.