extracurricular activities during medical school

[luv2sd]

Is it possible to do some extracurricular activities while attending medical school? I've been taking concert band all my life even in college and I would like to continue taking it after I get into medical school... does it depend on school or do all medical schools won't allow you any time to take any classes from other undergraduate or graduate colleges?

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[Law2Doc]

Is it possible to do some extracurricular activities while attending medical school? I've been taking concert band all my life even in college and I would like to continue taking it after I get into medical school... does it depend on school or do all medical schools won't allow you any time to take any classes from other undergraduate or graduate colleges?

If it fits in your schedule, you can probably take it, but that is a huge if. Don't expect to have as much free time in med school as college. You will have time to play music in med school, but probably won't want a standing obligation. Most people in med school don't take courses outside the school, and when they do, it's almost always something related to the practice of medicine, like medical ethics, or spanish. I would try med school a bit first before adding major committments like other coursework.

 

[rpkall]

A lot of people do extracurriculars at my school, but as above, they're always related to the practice of medicine (somehow). That doesn't mean it's all clinical medicine, or hard science--lots of people coordinate social programs for the community, gather med student volunteers to work at clinics or do blood pressure screenings, or get together people to put on concerts and band performances for various holidays throughout the year. There are lots of opportunities to get involved--they actually fall into your lap if you make it clear to faculty/upperclassmen that you're interested.

As for Band--we don't have an actual one of those, beyond the folks they organize for holiday concerts here and there. And then those are small groups or trios that just enjoy playing, and get together and decide to play a piece or two together.

You won't have all that much time. The workload is intense--especially in 2nd year--and if you're not careful, extracurriculars can really suck time away from studying...

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

I agree that you don't want to sign up for anything that takes precedent over school, so a set schedule of practices and performances might not be the best idea. I wouldn't recommend doing anything with it until a block or two in anyway. See how things fit you. I have very little free time now as a second year; there are some people who work part time and hold leadership positions in every student interest group known to man, and they're either really smart or content with scraping by. But you will have free time, how much depends on how well you adapt your time-management skills to the heightened demands of medical school.

 

[FenderHM]

dont listen to these other peoples, I think its important to maintain your identity and continue to practice things you enjoy EVEN as a med student! you make time for things you feel are worthwhile

 

[78222]

It all comes down to budgeting your time and making compromises. If you expect to make straight As, forget about having a life. If just getting by is ok with you, you'll probably have significantly more freetime (also depends on how fast you absorb factoids).

 

[Ypo.]

Depends on 3 factors;

1) Your test schedule (this is the biggest influence on your free time)
2) how many lectures you have to watch a day
3) how much extracurricular BS your school makes you do (clinical skills, empathy building exercises, and the myriad of other crazy experiments they just can't wait to try out on you because they just got a grant for it).

 

[8744]

Is it possible to do some extracurricular activities while attending medical school? I've been taking concert band all my life even in college and I would like to continue taking it after I get into medical school... does it depend on school or do all medical schools won't allow you any time to take any classes from other undergraduate or graduate colleges?

Um, you're in medical school. You can stop with the extracurricular activities already.

 

[Law2Doc]

dont listen to these other peoples, I think its important to maintain your identity and continue to practice things you enjoy EVEN as a med student! you make time for things you feel are worthwhile

Nobody said not to practice things like instruments in your spare time. We just said don't lock yourself into a formal class. You make time for things but best to fit it into your own schedule as time permits, not have it become part of the schedule.

 

[Law2Doc]

Um, you're in medical school. You can stop with the extracurricular activities already.

I don't know man -- think of the residency you would have gotten if you had band listed on your app.

 

[liverotcod]

I didn't do much outside of coursework first year, but then since that went OK I have been participating more this year. My school has a pretty strong culture of extracurricular activities. One of the things I do is play in the med school rock band, which is pretty fun. I don't know about a concert band, though, since with the med school band we can schedule gigs and rehearsals around our shared priorities, whereas with a concert band you'll be stuck with whatever they come up with.

 

[Law2Doc]

I didn't do much outside of coursework first year, but then since that went OK I have been participating more this year. My school has a pretty strong culture of extracurricular activities. One of the things I do is play in the med school rock band, which is pretty fun. I don't know about a concert band, though, since with the med school band we can schedule gigs and rehearsals around our shared priorities, whereas with a concert band you'll be stuck with whatever they come up with.

The OP was describing a formal "class" offered by another branch of the school. That implies to me a degree of inflexibility in scheduling. So it isn't the same thing as you are describing, which I agree you can do in much of med school.

 

[liverotcod]

The OP was describing a formal "class" offered by another branch of the school. That implies to me a degree of inflexibility in scheduling. So it isn't the same thing as you are describing, which I agree you can do in much of med school.

Didn't I say essentially the same thing? Anyway, I agree. Although it's strange to call such a class an extracurricular activity IMHO.

 

[Law2Doc]

Didn't I say essentially the same thing? Anyway, I agree. Although it's strange to call such a class an extracurricular activity IMHO.

Agree. But I guess its extracurricular in that it's outside the curriculum of the med school.

 

[RxnMan]

Is it possible to do some extracurricular activities while attending medical school? I've been taking concert band all my life even in college and I would like to continue taking it after I get into medical school... does it depend on school or do all medical schools won't allow you any time to take any classes from other undergraduate or graduate colleges?

I can't think of a med school that wouldn't let you take classes at another college, but when would you find the time? Most med students will be in lectures most of the day, which is when classes at other colleges will be scheduled. I guess you're asking if you can take day classes at another college and if the med school will allow you to reschedule, and, well, that's not the way it works.

There's one lecture during one hour in med school - that's it. If you missed it, it's gone. Most places have a note service or recordings, but once the lecture is given, there's no afternoon repeat. Everyone has nearly the same schedule and you all take the same curriculum. You can skip class, and many do, but you will miss out on the lecture.

About extracurriculars, why don't you join a volunteer orchestra, if such a thing exists? If you've been playing so long, why do you have to be in a class to play? Aren't there any bands that meet at night, or a group of your classmates that are musically inclined?

 

[Ypo.]

Um, you're in medical school. You can stop with the extracurricular activities already.

Oh, come on now. I bet you managed to find time to blog and argue with premeds while you were in med school.

 

[luv2sd]

I don't know man -- think of the residency you would have gotten if you had band listed on your app.

If I do some extracurricular activities and still maintain fairly high grades
or even ok grades in medical school, will I be considered as a "better"
applicant when I apply for residency?

I even thought about majoring in music performance in college so it's hard for me to give up playing in big classical bands now lol

 

[luv2sd]

I can't think of a med school that wouldn't let you take classes at another college, but when would you find the time? Most med students will be in lectures most of the day, which is when classes at other colleges will be scheduled. I guess you're asking if you can take day classes at another college and if the med school will allow you to reschedule, and, well, that's not the way it works.

There's one lecture during one hour in med school - that's it. If you missed it, it's gone. Most places have a note service or recordings, but once the lecture is given, there's no afternoon repeat. Everyone has nearly the same schedule and you all take the same curriculum. You can skip class, and many do, but you will miss out on the lecture.

About extracurriculars, why don't you join a volunteer orchestra, if such a thing exists? If you've been playing so long, why do you have to be in a class to play? Aren't there any bands that meet at night, or a group of your classmates that are musically inclined?

because it's impossible to find a volunteer classical band hehe
I was talking about taking a classical band with more than 50 people

 

[Law2Doc]

If I do some extracurricular activities and still maintain fairly high grades
or even ok grades in medical school, will I be considered as a "better"
applicant when I apply for residency?

I even thought about majoring in music performance in college so it's hard for me to give up playing in big classical bands now lol

No - I was joking. ECs that show leadership or an interest in a specialty can perhaps help a tiny bit in residency. Band really wont. Only do the ECs if you get enjoyment out of it, not if you think its a good use of your time.
High grades in med school are not the issue in getting a residency as much as high Step 1 scores and good recommendation and later year evaluations.

 

[luv2sd]

No - I was joking. ECs that show leadership or an interest in a specialty can perhaps help a tiny bit in residency. Band really wont. Only do the ECs if you get enjoyment out of it, not if you think its a good use of your time.
High grades in med school are not the issue in getting a residency as much as high Step 1 scores and good recommendation and later year evaluations.

thank you for the helpful advice