Extracirriculars?

[md4me88]

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I was just wondering what kinds of things should I be doing now, especially as a rising sophmore in college to increase my med school chances? Everyone on these threads have much experience and are applying to med school so I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would share some advice.

Thank you in advance

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I was just wondering what kinds of things should I be doing now, especially as a rising sophmore in college to increase my med school chances? Everyone on these threads have much experience and are applying to med school so I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would share some advice.

Thank you in advance

Things you enjoy and are passionate about...If you dont like it, dont do it..I think the only thing that is really required is clinical experience and even then you dont need too much..

Good luck!

 

[wizenedone]

Yes, OP, get some clinical exposure (i.e. volunteer at a hospital, shadow a physician etc) and also do some interesting non-medical related activities that you are passionate about.

 

[sylus]

Spelling Bees. 👍 😉

 

[EpiPEN]

Get some research experience and if possible, get a paper out with you as first or second author.

 

[1956Goldtop]

Learn a second language.

 

[Doctor Doogie]

Volunteer at a hospital or in fact anywhere where you feel comfortable like an old persons home, fire dept or tutoring elementary kids etc.

Get some research experience. Although not compulsory, but will look good on the application.

Shadow a doc so you get to really experience what it is like to be a doctor in the real world.

Good luck!
DD

 

[md4me88]

Thanks a lot guys! With summer approaching is there anything anybody recommends to help distinguish myself? Because I'm doing a summer medical program but thats about it.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

I was just wondering what kinds of things should I be doing now, especially as a rising sophmore in college to increase my med school chances? Everyone on these threads have much experience and are applying to med school so I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would share some advice.

Thank you in advance

Hi! I'm also a sophomore in college. I'll be starting my sophomore year in June.

You can do volunteer work and research as well as shadow doctors and observe different departments in the hospital. You should also do something non-medical like sports or performing arts. 🙂 I'll tell you what I'm doing to give you an idea.

I'm a dancer and I take ballet, jazz, and hip hop throughout the year. It's summer now so I'm taking a few more classes. I also play volleyball. Dancing and volleyball are basically the two non-medical extracurriculars I'm giving most of my time to. (I also act, sing and model but I don't do those as often. lol 😛)

For medical, I'll be observing doctors at two hospitals this summer. I wrote a letter to each hospital director to be able to do so. I'll be starting next week (on April 22). I'll spend 5 weeks at the first hospital (1st week in the Orthopedics dept., 2nd week in General Surgery, 3rd week in OB-GYN, 4th week in Medicine and 5th week in Pediatrics). Then I'll spend a week and maybe an additional 3 days at the other hospital (which is a teaching hospital) at their dept. of Surgery. This'll be my first time to shadow doctors and observe them in the hospital.

I wanted to volunteer this summer, too, but realized I wouldn't have time for that so I'll be volunteering next summer or simply whenever I get the chance to throughout the academic year. When the AY starts, I'm also hoping to get into research work with one of my Chemistry professors. I talked to him about that when I was a freshman.

That's basically it for me. 😀 Good luck and remember to do things you enjoy doing!

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigalow.

 

[iA-MD2013]

Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigalow.

I never knew that's how you spell gigalow! I thought it was gigolo.

 

[pride4jc727]

Here's my checklist:

a. Grades
b. MCATs (that will come sooner than you think)
c. Clinical Experience
d. Research Experience
e. Non-medical extracurricular activities and community service

As long as you hit all five of those areas, you're golden.

 

[CubaLibre]

and keep rising

 

[plauto]

for a moment I thought this thread was about meteorology

 

[orrghead16]

Here's my checklist:

a. Grades
b. MCATs (that will come sooner than you think)
c. Clinical Experience
d. Research Experience
e. Non-medical extracurricular activities and community service

As long as you hit all five of those areas, you're golden.

Although, I might add, in no specific order. If more pre-meds listed e. with more enthusiasm, they would see the light. There are few ways to really differentiate as a pre-med. And I think e. is the most underutilized way. Wish it wasn't the case.

 

[JA Prufrock]

Although, I might add, in no specific order. If more pre-meds listed e. with more enthusiasm, they would see the light. There are few ways to really differentiate as a pre-med. And I think e. is the most underutilized way. Wish it wasn't the case.

it's nice to think people aren't one-dimensional, but if I'm being wheeled into surgery, I couldn't care less that my doctor plays a killer jazz saxophone. Likewise, if I'm performing surgery, I'd really just care that my colleague knows his or her stuff.

But we all know the art of being a premed is the art of jumping through hoops, so you're right. just my short-sighted, loosely-held beliefs.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

it's nice to think people aren't one-dimensional, but if I'm being wheeled into surgery, I couldn't care less that my doctor plays a killer jazz saxophone. Likewise, if I'm performing surgery, I'd really just care that my colleague knows his or her stuff.

But we all know the art of being a premed is the art of jumping through hoops, so you're right. just my short-sighted, loosely-held beliefs.

I dont think showing enthusiasm is jumping through hoops neccessarily. I know if I was an ADCOM and said person was super enthusiastic and deeply committed to dancing I would expect them to attack the medical profession with the same type of enthusiasm and passion..

 

[JA Prufrock]

I dont think showing enthusiasm is jumping through hoops neccessarily. I know if I was an ADCOM and said person was super enthusiastic and deeply committed to dancing I would expect them to attack the medical profession with the same type of enthusiasm and passion..

similarly, if they were enthusiastic about their classes, or enthusiastic about some clinical experience, you could arrive at the same conclusion. perhaps more definitively, I might add.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

similarly, if they were enthusiastic about their classes, or enthusiastic about some clinical experience, you could arrive at the same conclusion.

whos enthusiastic about cleaning bed pans, though?

But your right, I guess you could.

 

[JA Prufrock]

whos enthusiastic about cleaning bed pans, though?

But your right, I guess you could.

not all clinical exposure amounts to cleaning bed pans, that's just the volunteering hoop we're required to jump through. besides, cleaning bed pans is probably more indicative of what your life as a doctor will be like, as opposed to, say, playing division 1 basketball.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

not all clinical exposure amounts to cleaning bed pans, that's just the volunteering hoop we're required to jump through. besides, cleaning bed pans is probably more indicative of what your life as a doctor will be like, as opposed to, say, playing division 1 basketball.

Couldnt tell ya, never cleaned bed pans and never played D1 ball.

 

[JA Prufrock]

Couldnt tell ya, never cleaned bed pans and never played D1 ball.

you've arrived at the point in your life where hopefully you can make simple inferences.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

you've arrived at the point in your life where hopefully you can make simple inferences.

thanks for pointing that out

 

[JA Prufrock]

thanks for pointing that out

I'm always happy to hear my sometimes impudent observations are appreciated.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Thanks a lot guys! With summer approaching is there anything anybody recommends to help distinguish myself? Because I'm doing a summer medical program but thats about it.

What will distinguish you will be doing something you love.

When you're applying to medical school doing some sort of "premed checklist" WILL NOT HELP YOU. AT ALL. You will look like every other applicant with good grades and some research, clinical experience, and volunteering. Boring.

What WILL help you will be doing something you love. Figure out what makes you different than all of your classmates, and that will be your pitch when you apply to medical school. That will be what makes you stand out. It could be research, community service, underserved communities, etc.

Find what you're passionate about and want to remain passionate about and pursue it. It will make you stand out, show the adcoms what sort of things you will likely be involved in in med school, and the kind of doctor you will likely be. Also, you'll be able to talk excitedly about your ECs in your interviews which will make them remember you.

If you hate research and do it for 3 months just cuz you feel like you "have to" then thats going to reflect in your interview and essays. And its not going to help you. The only thing you really HAVE TO do is your clinical experience. And if you hate that - you either have the wrong position or you shouldn't be applyign to med school.

 

[md4me88]

Guys, first let me just say thanks a lot for all of the great replies

This summer I'll probably volunteering at a hospital and I have a few EC's going for me next year but I've been looking for an internship for a while (ie months) with no luck...any ideas?


I will also be doing a summer program as I stated earlier 🙂