Extra Curricular Advice

[deleted244469]

Hello all, so I recently decided after a lot of thinking that I want to get back on the track to becoming a doctor. I am trying to "round out" my extra curriculars (I plan to apply May 2015), and was looking for some help. Here is what I have so far.

(These were all accumulated over my time in college)

• President- University Hockey Club
• Vice President- University Hockey Club
• Secretary- University Hockey Club
• Member of Club Sports Council
• Secretary of my Fraternity
• Volunteer Hockey Coach for 2 years (August-April)

(If you can't see, hockey has been a major hobby in my life and something I am VERY passionate about)

Now I realize I need to accumulate clinical experience (Hospital volunteering, Physician shadowing), but should I still be actively looking for more non-clinical volunteering? I was considering volunteering at a homeless shelter, Habitat, or maybe an animal shelter. I'm just not sure what I need to do to round it out besides clinical experience.

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[Ogmora]

My 1st priority would be clinical. I'd worry about other community service projects after I've shown my interest/passion for healthcare. Definitely physician shadowing, MD or DO (preferably DO if you plan on applying DO). Also, becoming a scribe is pretty easy from what I hear and it would give you great experience on the frontlines of medicine, not to mention a paid clinical job.

Non-clinical volunteer work is more about what you want to do rather than what you feel you have to do. When you get invited to interview, the admissions officers would rather hear how passionate about one or two things you were, rather than hear you rattle off an extensive list of different volunteer activities you felt obligated to do.

I'm sure there was some philanthropy work that you did for the fraternity right? You can always add that as non-clinical volunteer work, but unless it accounts for a lot of hours or is something you enjoyed doing, it won't add as much to your application as something clinical or something you were passionate about would.

I think your passion for hockey looks great, especially because you have leadership and volunteer experiences that revolve around it. If you can add even one other volunteer experience (hockey or non-hockey related) that you spend a lot of your time at, that you enjoy and that you are passionate about, IMO your list of non-clinical EC's would be on point.

Hello all, so I recently decided after a lot of thinking that I want to get back on the track to becoming a doctor. I am trying to "round out" my extra curriculars (I plan to apply May 2015), and was looking for some help. Here is what I have so far.

(These were all accumulated over my time in college)

• President- University Hockey Club
• Vice President- University Hockey Club
• Secretary- University Hockey Club
• Member of Club Sports Council
• Secretary of my Fraternity
• Volunteer Hockey Coach for 2 years (August-April)

(If you can't see, hockey has been a major hobby in my life and something I am VERY passionate about)

Now I realize I need to accumulate clinical experience (Hospital volunteering, Physician shadowing), but should I still be actively looking for more non-clinical volunteering? I was considering volunteering at a homeless shelter, Habitat, or maybe an animal shelter. I'm just not sure what I need to do to round it out besides clinical experience.

 

[Dreamstoo]

Hello all, so I recently decided after a lot of thinking that I want to get back on the track to becoming a doctor. I am trying to "round out" my extra curriculars (I plan to apply May 2015), and was looking for some help. Here is what I have so far.

(These were all accumulated over my time in college)

• President- University Hockey Club
• Vice President- University Hockey Club
• Secretary- University Hockey Club
• Member of Club Sports Council
• Secretary of my Fraternity
• Volunteer Hockey Coach for 2 years (August-April)

(If you can't see, hockey has been a major hobby in my life and something I am VERY passionate about)

Now I realize I need to accumulate clinical experience (Hospital volunteering, Physician shadowing), but should I still be actively looking for more non-clinical volunteering? I was considering volunteering at a homeless shelter, Habitat, or maybe an animal shelter. I'm just not sure what I need to do to round it out besides clinical experience.

Yeah all you are missing honestly is hospital volunteering and physical shadowing. Non-clinical volunteering IMO in small spouts is fine. I have about 20 hours spread throughout random events through college but I had about 370 hours of clinical over a 2 years stretch.

You have amazing leaderships, I am only members of clubs, never had the opportunity to get a leadership which I've heard is very good to have.

 

[deleted244469]

My 1st priority would be clinical. I'd worry about other community service projects after I've shown my interest/passion for healthcare. Definitely physician shadowing, MD or DO (preferably DO if you plan on applying DO). Also, becoming a scribe is pretty easy from what I hear and it would give you great experience on the frontlines of medicine, not to mention a paid clinical job.

Non-clinical volunteer work is more about what you want to do rather than what you feel you have to do. When you get invited to interview, the admissions officers would rather hear how passionate about one or two things you were, rather than hear you rattle off an extensive list of different volunteer activities you felt obligated to do.

I'm sure there was some philanthropy work that you did for the fraternity right? You can always add that as non-clinical volunteer work, but unless it accounts for a lot of hours or is something you enjoyed doing, it won't add as much to your application as something clinical or something you were passionate about would.

I think your passion for hockey looks great, especially because you have leadership and volunteer experiences that revolve around it. If you can add even one other volunteer experience (hockey or non-hockey related) that you spend a lot of your time at, that you enjoy and that you are passionate about, IMO your list of non-clinical EC's would be on point.

Thanks for the advice. I am looking into volunteering to work with mentally/physically disabled hockey players in the area as well (They have a team that travels around). That sounds like something I would enjoy. I am currently working on getting a volunteer position in a hospital, but it doesn't look like a lot of positions are available. I don't know what I will do if I cannot find a clinical position so I am stressing out a little bit. Also, I will have to wait until the summer, as I will be graduating in May and moving back home. It would not make sense to start volunteering at the local university hospital for a month.

 

[Ogmora]

Thanks for the advice. I am looking into volunteering to work with mentally/physically disabled hockey players in the area as well (They have a team that travels around). That sounds like something I would enjoy. I am currently working on getting a volunteer position in a hospital, but it doesn't look like a lot of positions are available. I don't know what I will do if I cannot find a clinical position so I am stressing out a little bit.

The disabled hockey team sounds like an awesome activity and will definitely be a fun and rewarding experience, not to mention look great on an application.

Shadowing is considered clinical experience, albeit, limited at times. Find a few docs in your area who you like and ask if you can shadow them. The more time you spend shadowing, the more it makes up for the lack of clinical experience. Not everyone can get actual clinical work, so shadowing is the next best thing. If you can shadow a number of physicians, in a number of specialties and practice settings, I'm sure it will make up for whatever deficit you have in clinical experience. Plus, the more you shadow, the more likely you'll find a doc who will be able to write a strong personal letter for you.

Just make sure you spend a sufficient amount of time with each doc, i.e. a day or two biweekly for a few months should be enough.

 

[deleted244469]

Ok, that sounds good. When should I start shadowing? Closer to when I want to apply? I don't know how it would look if I got a letter 6-8 months before I want to apply. Is this okay?

 

[gocougs339]

Ok, that sounds good. When should I start shadowing? Closer to when I want to apply? I don't know how it would look if I got a letter 6-8 months before I want to apply. Is this okay?

That's fine. Some people here have gotten in with letters that were 4 years old. I personally got in with all my letters being older than 1 year. In fact when I reapplied I had no new letters from last cycle and still got acceptances. I'd shadow sooner than later.