Extracurricular Activities

[wjin06]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Just curious, what sorts of extracurriculars or thing have you done during college? I'm working, tutoring, and volunteering at a hospital, but nothing spectacular or eye catching I guess. Anyone with interests outside of school?

 

[Dr. Ortho]

I am involved in 4 different clubs on campus, im on the track team, i volunteer at the local hospital in the emergency room, and i tutor anatomy and physiology. It's tough to balance all of those activities and still have time to study, but its worth it. I recently visited SUNY upstate medical school in new york and had a medical student tell me the key is to get involved, but not TOO involved that you stretch yourself thin. Very true statement. You dont want to overdo it either!

 

[riven5]

I think the key is enjoy what you are involved in and make your experiences in those orgs unique. Maybe volunteering doesn't sound exciting but stress different projects you've worked on. I'm in a sorority on campus like a bunch of other women but holding chairships and positions sets me apart from some others. Don't stress about what they want to see too much (obviously you need to a little bit) but try to stick with things you like and when you talk about it in interviews it'll seem more sincere.

FYI if it helps, other ECs include, Penn State Dance Marathon (largest student-run philanthropy in the nation), academic honor societies, other volunteering, IM sports, summer research

Good luck 🙂

 

[stoic]

-basic science research
-peer educator
-chemistry club
-playing in a crappy rock band
-various leadership development organizations
-******ed amount of shadowing/volunteering in my hometown ED

 

[brats800]

during the school year my only ec's were sports: intramurals and varsity swimming and track...

 

[SexyLexie729]

Varsity Track at University of Washington
VP of WSAAC (Washington Student Athlete Advisory Council)
Secretary of WSAAC
Volunteering
Shaddowing
Mentoring incomming freshman for the Office of Minority Affairs
Biology TA (super fun!)
Cycling and Tri
I play the piano...not that well 😉
Undergrad Research

 

[lilmo]

you guys have plenty of extracurriculars. don't sweat it. the best extracurricular by far is some type of medical experience (working as a CNA, volunteering at a clinic, shadowing a doctor). i'd put some type of leadership experience second. when you get to medical school the only extracurriculars you have time for are the occasional happy hours's and the after test parties.

 

[musiclink213]

ooh my turn my turn!
i'm the vice pres. of our student affiliates american chem. society
tutor jhs and hs kids in math
did the whole volunteer thing
i ice skate and am starting speed skating and run in a couple of races
i'm in the premed club by name only, and because one of my good friends is the v.p.
i also spent a summer studying in paris, i don't know if that counts as an EC though

 

[Skeptrix]

my EC's so far have been:

-shadowing an oncologist
-volunteered at the local hospital's organ transplant center (good opportunity, as I get to see many procedures i.e. MRI, angioplasties, etc..)
-been a member for school's pre-med association, looking forward to becoming an officer (Secretary, perhaps VP) this upcoming fall
-Biology Teaching Intern (interesting to teach laboratory science to Freshmen.. they're so innocent )

EC's I would want to do before I matriculate:

-volunteer abroad in another country (latin america or africa)
-do some research, perhaps over the summer
-if time permits, perhaps become a tutor for cell & molec. bio. or a lower-division science course

 

[MWillie]

Pfft, you don't need ECs where I'm going.

 

[stoic]

Pfft, you don't need ECs where I'm going.

lol, you only need a 40+ mcat.

 

[bbaek]

Pfft, you don't need ECs where I'm going.

haha! yea!

 

[americanangel]

Hiya,
I was wondering if not being involved with a lot of on campus activities is a bad things...
On campus:
-tutor for gen chem
-TA for gen chem
-treasure of pre-med club
Most of what I've done has been off campus.
-Shadowed 4 doctors
-Volunteered at the hospital for 2 years
-Research
-Two internships
-Ride dirt bikes and ATVs
-working on my private pilot license & SCUBA certification

Much of what I like to do is on my own! Its not that I'm not a team person because I am, its just I'm not any good at a lot of the organized sports. Since I go to such a small school, we don't have many clubs to get involved in and really with my classes, it gets hard sometimes to juggle everything! That's why I get to have most of my fun on the weekend!

 

[antissa]

This is a sore subject for me since I was actually rejected from most schools this year because of my ECs (or lack thereof) but I'm really really praying that all the stuff I did this year will improve my application for next year
- volunteer at children's hospital 2 summers (nursing unit)
- volunteer at another hospital 1 yr (classroom, emerg)
- tutor underprivileged high school seniors
- volunteer at non-profit organization servicing seniors (teach computer, webmaster, update newsletter, teach piano)
- study group leader (with honorium - that doesn't make this a job does it?)
- fencing (at university and with outside club)
- dragonboat racing
- classical piano
- 3 summers research (1 summer in academic lab, 2 summers at biotech company) but no other relevent work experience
- doctor shadowing (planning to this summer)
When I applied this year, I really only had the first 2 pts (plus piano, fencing). Please please tell me it'll make a difference, or I'm not even sure I want to reapply next year. Getting those rejection letters kinda tears the ol' heart out

 

[45408]

- working as an EMT (lots of 911 calls)
- running a student organization (been involved 3 years)
- neuroscience research (3 semesters)
- volunteering in a youth program (many years)
- volunteering at a hospice (one year)
- camp counselor (once)
- ski racing
- shadowing (five different docs)

 

[doc05]

This is a sore subject for me since I was actually rejected from most schools this year because of my ECs (or lack thereof) but I'm really really praying that all the stuff I did this year will improve my application for next year
- volunteer at children's hospital 2 summers (nursing unit)
- volunteer at another hospital 1 yr (classroom, emerg)
- tutor underprivileged high school seniors
- volunteer at non-profit organization servicing seniors (teach computer, webmaster, update newsletter, teach piano)
- study group leader (with honorium - that doesn't make this a job does it?)
- fencing (at university and with outside club)
- dragonboat racing
- classical piano
- 3 summers research (1 summer in academic lab, 2 summers at biotech company) but no other relevent work experience
- doctor shadowing (planning to this summer)
When I applied this year, I really only had the first 2 pts (plus piano, fencing). Please please tell me it'll make a difference, or I'm not even sure I want to reapply next year. Getting those rejection letters kinda tears the ol' heart out

if your mdapplicants profile is accurate, you should have gotten in this year, and probably at a top school. Of course, limiting yourself to 3 canadian schools was probably the problem, and being very young (19?) may have also hurt you. best of luck.

 

[Tra La La]

Wow.

👍 to everyone here for their enthusiasm and hard work.