EC issues...

[runrunrudolph1]

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Im having problems thinking of EC's to do in order to make my application stronger (I know I'm not the only one...) Do you guys think you could list what you put in as your 15 EC's or what you did to make your application stronger? Any advice would be appreciated really... so thanks!

 

[scattun]

You should really just do EC's that you enjoy, not EC's that will make your app stronger. Having said that, clinical experience is essentially required, so make sure you get some of that. Beyond that, I really don't know what EC's automatically make you stronger, barring an olympic medal, nobel peace prize, or writing your cultural anthropology thesis while living in Africa and engineering a water delivery system for outlying villages.

 

[schizosquirrel]

I think first and foremost you need to list all your clinical experiences, community service work, research projects, awards, and publications. Then you can add whatever you want (and hopefully, activities that were meaningful to you). Make yourself stand out with those. I worked on civil rights issues in the LGBQT community and also mentioned marathon training, teaching kids classical piano (and performing), my time as a TA, RA, and tour guide, etc. They'll expect the clinical, community service, research stuff...and while those can certainly make you stand out, I think more unique and personal activities are what makes an adcom remember you application.

 

[runx]

Shadowed Rheumatologist
Shadowed Internist
Volunteered at local clinic
Clinical immersion program in Mexico
Organizing some fraternity related fundraisers

I'd shoot for quality over quanity. My experience in a 3rd world country seemed to be the only thing that interested any of my (6) interviewers.

 

[dw2158]

without knowing what ECs you already have, it's hard to give advice about how to strengthen your app.

 

[Mattabet]

Im having problems thinking of EC's to do in order to make my application stronger (I know I'm not the only one...) Do you guys think you could list what you put in as your 15 EC's or what you did to make your application stronger? Any advice would be appreciated really... so thanks!

Don't put in 15 just for the sake of putting 15 things down. As a reader, I don't want to read a list that is one-third fabrication that could have been condensed into one EC. They will be way more impressed with 5 good activities than 4 good ones in a disgusting soup of 11 'waste of my reading times'.

 

[runrunrudolph1]

without knowing what ECs you already have, it's hard to give advice about how to strengthen your app.

sorry, I have volunteered at two local hospitals so far for 160 hours each, im currently volunteering in the ER of the hospital i plan on applying to med school in, im also working on getting my ems license so I can start riding with my campus ambulance (all volunteer based) in the fall... and I plan on joining AED next year... shadowed a couple of trauma surgeons and a CT surgeon. GPA is a 3.9.

let me know what you think

 

[LizzyM]

You need experiences. What experiences would you like to have? They need not be medically related. What do you like to do for fun? Could you get involved in a club or organization that engages in that activity?

It's your life. Don't let others make decisions about what you want to do with your time. Do what you love.

 

[Trias]

You need experiences. What experiences would you like to have? They need not be medically related. What do you like to do for fun? Could you get involved in a club or organization that engages in that activity?

It's your life. Don't let others make decisions about what you want to do with your time. Do what you love.

amen

 

[runrunrudolph1]

You need experiences. What experiences would you like to have? They need not be medically related. What do you like to do for fun? Could you get involved in a club or organization that engages in that activity?

It's your life. Don't let others make decisions about what you want to do with your time. Do what you love.

The experiences I have are all related to hospital work, and don't get me wrong I would much rather be volunteering or working with ems than anything else, and this is something i LOVE. However, I've come to realize that a lot of the application process is being well rounded and unique and while to me hospital work is what I love to do, its not enough to make me stand out regardless of the incredible experiences... Basically, I love medicine and if I have to do activities that I don't love in order to help me become a doctor, isn't that a small price to pay in the long run?

 

[runrunrudolph1]

If you have clinical experience that's the only thing that is required. yes there are certain other kinda experiences but don't do those things just because you think it will look good in an adcom's eyes i.e. research. If you are not interested in research even the least bit you'll hate your life while doing it. Leadership, leadership does not always come as being a leader of an org but can be construed to mean a lot of things, hobbies--well these are things you don't do to get into med school but because you are an interesting person who did these things out of interest.

THANKS!! this actually helps a ton

 

[LizzyM]

If all you are interested in is medicine, you are going to come across as a "dull boy" to quote the nursery rhyme. Find something fun whether it is carpentry, choral singing, improv or stand-up comedy, ballroom dancing, hydroponic gardening (don't grow any weed 🙄 ), back country camping, running. Take up the cello or knitting or glass blowing.

Most decent size cities has classes and groups for learning fun skills (and meeting other young adults). I'd stay away from pole dancing classes and wine tasting but just about anything else might be a way of learning a new skill and developing a fun hobby.

 

[runx]

The experiences I have are all related to hospital work, and don't get me wrong I would much rather be volunteering or working with ems than anything else, and this is something i LOVE. However, I've come to realize that a lot of the application process is being well rounded and unique and while to me hospital work is what I love to do, its not enough to make me stand out regardless of the incredible experiences... Basically, I love medicine and if I have to do activities that I don't love in order to help me become a doctor, isn't that a small price to pay in the long run?

Man... I think you are in great shape for application. Don't force yourself to do anything that you want to do. IMHO, people tend to get a little overanalytical over "what the adcomms want to see" (eg omg I need to be more balanced therefore I MUST do more non-medical things because just loving your career isn't enough). If you have a non-academic passion as demonstrated by your EC's, then that should do just fine in alleviating any concern that they are accepting a robot to their school. If that passion closely aligns with where you are heading in life then all the power to you.

 

[UVAbme2009]

If all you are interested in is medicine, you are going to come across as a "dull boy" to quote the nursery rhyme. Find something fun whether it is carpentry, choral singing, improv or stand-up comedy, ballroom dancing, hydroponic gardening (don't grow any weed 🙄 ), back country camping, running. Take up the cello or knitting or glass blowing.

Most decent size cities has classes and groups for learning fun skills (and meeting other young adults). I'd stay away from pole dancing classes and wine tasting but just about anything else might be a way of learning a new skill and developing a fun hobby.

This. 👍

Do you really not have any other interests? Nothing you want to do in your community?

 

[runrunrudolph1]

If all you are interested in is medicine, you are going to come across as a "dull boy" to quote the nursery rhyme. Find something fun whether it is carpentry, choral singing, improv or stand-up comedy, ballroom dancing, hydroponic gardening (don't grow any weed 🙄 ), back country camping, running. Take up the cello or knitting or glass blowing.

Most decent size cities has classes and groups for learning fun skills (and meeting other young adults). I'd stay away from pole dancing classes and wine tasting but just about anything else might be a way of learning a new skill and developing a fun hobby.

Thanks for the advice!! I do love running and painting, how would I expand on this to be able to put it on my application? I was thinking of donating a few paintings to the children's hospital or something similar... or is this going overboard? Should I just keep these activities for fun, without trying to incorporate them into my app

 

[lovedocta07]

i really dont understand how a majority of people have "medical mission trips" to third world countries. Doesn't this cost a lot of money? apparently a lot of schools are impressed by this, but i was wondering what else someone can do of equal quality without spending thousands of dollars to travel.

 

[runrunrudolph1]

i really dont understand how a majority of people have "medical mission trips" to third world countries. Doesn't this cost a lot of money? apparently a lot of schools are impressed by this, but i was wondering what else someone can do of equal quality without spending thousands of dollars to travel.

yeah true, there are a few that will pay for everything in return for a 2 month volunteer there but I would think that schools will be equally impressed with hospital volunteering (which you have a lot of I see) so you should be good? idk I could be wrong about this

 

[runrunrudolph1]

Again, you don't need to do painting just to put it on a resume or app. You do it cuz you enjoy it. If your paintings are good enough that they are auction worthy then it is worth putting it as an artistic endeavor. In other words, as long as you dont' consider saying you are a good painter and then paint like a 2 year old non-prodigy. As per running, have you never done a 5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon? That kinda thing you can put on an app but again don't do it cuz you want to impress an adcom. Do it for yourself.

Yeah I've done a few 10k's and I'm training for a marathon, and I am doing paining because I love it, so I guess that works. I guess Im overthinking this whole process.

 

[LizzyM]

Hey, my surgeon paints and just finished a marathon!

You're getting the idea now!

 

[watergirl1202]

If all you are interested in is medicine, you are going to come across as a "dull boy" to quote the nursery rhyme. Find something fun whether it is carpentry, choral singing, improv or stand-up comedy, ballroom dancing, hydroponic gardening (don't grow any weed 🙄 ), back country camping, running. Take up the cello or knitting or glass blowing.

Most decent size cities has classes and groups for learning fun skills (and meeting other young adults). I'd stay away from pole dancing classes and wine tasting but just about anything else might be a way of learning a new skill and developing a fun hobby.

Say, if I took surfing classes, should I even put that down? (swimming and surfing are my passion)
I also ran a 10K Nike Human Race, should I put that down?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[ShNaMasta]

I tried driving a 10k once...I was too winded though and had to quit.

 

[LizzyM]

Say, if I took surfing classes, should I even put that down? (swimming and surfing are my passion)
I also ran a 10K Nike Human Race, should I put that down?

Thanks for any advice.

The Experience section has a category called "Hobbies and Advocations". Whether you took formal classes in a thing, or not, you can list anything as a hobby.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

If you feel it important.

The Experience section has a category called "Hobbies and Advocations". Whether you took formal classes in a thing, or not, you can list anything as a hobby.

You are both up too early for a Sunday. You do good work; take a break 🙂

 

[LizzyM]

You are both up too early for a Sunday. You do good work; take a break 🙂

It's early??

 

[TooMuchResearch]

I couldn't sleep. I'm so worried about approaching my parents about this SMP I have to do and the cost is already making me feel guilty that I woke up thinking about it with knots in my stomach. I'm sooooooo stressed I kid you not.

I'd vouch for you if we weren't on the anonymous interweb 🙂
Are they paying for your SMP? If not, don't be stressed. If, yes, take out a loan...?

 

[TooMuchResearch]

It's early??

Not for Adcoms I guess

 

[runrunrudolph1]

Well I need their info for FAFSA even if i want a loan and my father is unapproachable beyond belief.

he wouldn't understand even though you would be paying for it (loan)?? jeez that sucks... im sorry