ECs during freshmen year??

[neur0goddess]

I know being a pre-med requires a ton of work outside of classes like clinical exposure, research, studying for the mcat, etc.
I'd really like to have the traditional college experience for at least a little bit before I crack down, so I'm just wondering..when do pre-meds typically start the aforementioned pre-med work? Do you start doing research and shadowing as soon as school starts freshmen year? Same with the mcat? Or do people just start volunteering and joining clubs as a freshmen and then do research, shadowing and mcat prep soph and junior year?

thank you!

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[Doudline]

Ideally: from day 1.
Realistically: you can take a semester -or two- to settle in, nobody will hold it against you (unless you aim for the top; competition is fierce).

 

[neur0goddess]

Ideally: from day 1.
Realistically: you can take a semester -or two- to settle in, nobody will hold it against you (unless you aim for the top; competition is fierce).

So if I am aiming for the top, I should start everything ASAP?

 

[Doudline]

So if I am aiming for the top, I should start everything ASAP?

In theory, yes. However, so many people take gap years nowadays that timing is not that big of a priority anymore.

Just take it easy for now, and when you feel you've settled in, go ham on your ECs.

 

[allantois]

I started some relevant volunteering from first week, but I will add more volunteering when presented a chance. Nobody is going to take a first semester student do research so you have to wait for that one until at least sophomore year. And you also can't start preparing for MCAT until after you completed all prerequisite coursework.

Just give yourself a good start by doing well in classes and possibly doing some minor volunteering.

 

[Aerus]

I started my EC's the summer before college (shadowing) and gradually built up from there. Each year, I take on more commitments. This year (junior year) will be my busiest in terms of EC commitments. EC's that I found useful starting my first year was research and volunteering.

 

[Osteoth]

Honestly man, chill out for a bit, get your footing with your coursework, and then start ECs.

I didn't start the "pre-med" track until my 3rd year of college, albiet I took a 5th, and I am fine right now in this application cycle.

Grades are the most important thing right now, make sure you can handel them (> 3.9) before piling too much on your plate.

 

[Earl Simmons]

I began volunteering at a clinic the 2nd semester and began researching then too. Had a couple of extracurriculars going throughout freshman year.

 

[litotes]

I had minimal ECs freshman year although

Nobody is going to take a first semester student do research

Not true, I started research within a month of college, although I came in with research experience and also research is something I really like doing regardless of its associations with premed