Extracurricular Activities?

[IndirectHernia]

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Hi SDN! Long time lurker, finally registered to ask a question. First want to say that if it weren't for this website I wouldn't have been so successful at the applications process!! 🙂

Anyway, I am nearing the end of MS1 and summer is approaching. I am geared up to do research, but it seems like nearly 100% of my classmates are doing that AND getting involved in something else. Some are becoming coordinators of our homeless clinic, some are becoming presidents of their interest groups, some are joining student government, saving the whales, etc.

My question is am I effed in terms of competitiveness if they have all these activities and ECs whereas I won't? Do residency directors care about this sort of thing?

Don't get me wrong, I think what my classmates a're doing is great if they enjoy it, but I simply like to work out, enjoy my free time, and relax when I can. Already my school's curriculum takes up enough of my time, I'd rather not dedicate the rest (or even a little of it) to doing anything else. Lastly, none of the stuff offered really interests me. I don't have any interests in starting anything either and the one time I did, it was slightly tangentially related to another group and I was told to "just go be part of their group." I do often go to the homeless clinic just to dole out (largely BS) care because I enjoy it, but I don't want to become a coordinator or anything. I Just like working with the patients directly.

I got into medical school under the premise of "do what you love" and for me that was research, patient care, and (as lame as this sounds) studying topics I enjoy. I just want to make sure that I am not objectively closing any doors by not taking up "positions of leadership" blah blah blah. Lastly, I don't give two hoots about getting AOA.

Long story short: I did nothing this past year except study and my own thing on my own free time. This summer I will only be doing research and enjoying the rest of my free time. In second year I plan to the exact same, and spend a little free time prepping for the boards. Does the fact that I am not some coordinator for the homeless clinic make me look like a lazy bum and not worthwhile in a residency directors eyes? Will this put me out of the running for more competitive specialties?

 

[turkeyjerky]

when the time comes, if you're still feeling inadequate, just lie about it and say you've spent a lot of time volunteering with immigrant children. It's win-win!

 

[GoLytely]

Residency program directors don't care much about extracurricular activities. It's hard for junior medical students to accept this, given the huge role they play in med school admissions.

 

[MossPoh]

You don't give two hoots about AOA but that is a fairly strong indicator of competitiveness compared to ECs. It isn't like research is worth jack...

I participate in stuff, but it is all things that I want to do with the primary goal of becoming a better doc in the end. If I were doing it just for CV building I might off myself.

 

[IndirectHernia]

You don't give two hoots about AOA but that is a fairly strong indicator of competitiveness compared to ECs. It isn't like research is worth jack...

I participate in stuff, but it is all things that I want to do with the primary goal of becoming a better doc in the end. If I were doing it just for CV building I might off myself.

I agree, AOA is a strong indicator of competitiveness, but I mean it takes quite a bit to become elected to AOA and one of those (at least it seems at my school) is demonstrated leadership. To me that means stuff like class president, leader of the homeless clinic, etc. I don't think somebody without ECs would be elected to AOA. Step 1 score and performance on rotations aren't everything when it comes to AOA.

Oh well, hopefully GoLytely's response is more in-line with real life. He is listed as a resident after all.

Any other ideas out there?

 

[njbmd]

Residency program directors don't care much about extracurricular activities. It's hard for junior medical students to accept this, given the huge role they play in med school admissions.

+1 Extracurriculars are pretty meaningless when it comes to residency applications. LORs, grades and board scores are the money.

when the time comes, if you're still feeling inadequate, just lie about it and say you've spent a lot of time volunteering with immigrant children. It's win-win!

Please ignore this as it is totally wrong.

You don't give two hoots about AOA but that is a fairly strong indicator of competitiveness compared to ECs. It isn't like research is worth jack...

I participate in stuff, but it is all things that I want to do with the primary goal of becoming a better doc in the end. If I were doing it just for CV building I might off myself.

AOA was the single biggest thing that put my application over the top. It got me interviews at the top programs in the country and every program director commented and congratulated me on this achievement. If you are eligible to make AOA, then strive to get it. If not, then ace Step I and keep your grades up but extracurricular activities don't mean very much.

 

[peaceandrelease]

I too have heard that extracurriculars do not carry much importance when matching. It is, however, one way of differentiating two candidates that are very similar academically.

 

[deuist]

Extracurriculars gave me something to talk about when I was interviewing, but otherwise is useless. Your 4 hours a month in a homeless clinic as an MS2 doesn't prepare you for residency or the boards, and program directors know it.

 

[unsung]

I too have heard that extracurriculars do not carry much importance when matching. It is, however, one way of differentiating two candidates that are very similar academically.

The thing is though, does it matter whether they are the "standard" medical ECs or whether they're merely ECs based on serious interests (e.g. running marathons, ballroom dancing, fencing, whatever)?

I would almost think the latter makes the applicant more interesting and well-rounded, all other things being equal. So I say... do what you enjoy. This isn't like med school admissions. I feel as though I spend enough of my time steeped in the culture of biomedicine... I'm going to enjoy my free time, thank you very much 😉

 

[Mr hawkings]

The thing is though, does it matter whether they are the "standard" medical ECs or whether they're merely ECs based on serious interests (e.g. running marathons, ballroom dancing, fencing, whatever)?

I would almost think the latter makes the applicant more interesting and well-rounded, all other things being equal. So I say... do what you enjoy. This isn't like med school admissions. I feel as though I spend enough of my time steeped in the culture of biomedicine... I'm going to enjoy my free time, thank you very much 😉

The way i see it, thats what med school app cycle was for. At this point, we ar all reasonably well-rounded.
If they were choosing people like the med school apps, i would see how it could make a significant difference.

I really find it hard to believe that 2 applicant would be so equal in a program director's eyes that it would come down to ECs when determining what order they rank them on ERAS. When it comes down to it, what you are interviewing for if they reallyt want you there is your position on their rank list being high enough (assuming you rank them high too) that you actually match there.
I think that doing an elective rotation there so that they see that you are competent and a good fit would be much more useful than any EC.

 

[Docster]

The way i see it, thats what med school app cycle was for. At this point, we ar all reasonably well-rounded.
If they were choosing people like the med school apps, i would see how it could make a significant difference.

I really find it hard to believe that 2 applicant would be so equal in a program director's eyes that it would come down to ECs when determining what order they rank them on ERAS. When it comes down to it, what you are interviewing for if they reallyt want you there is your position on their rank list being high enough (assuming you rank them high too) that you actually match there.
I think that doing an elective rotation there so that they see that you are competent and a good fit would be much more useful than any EC.

It also depends on the specialty and program you're applying to.

I've heard from an internal medicine program director (albeit at a community-based program) that she looks for "leadership" experience, which she said could manifest as class officer positions, volunteer work, etc.

Surgical residencies, on the other hand, almost universally value collegiate sport participation, even if not at the varsity level. The chairman at my home department specifically told me to mention it in my personal statement. According to him, "a lot of these guys wished they could have done it" and it "shows you're a young guy with a high energy level."

Of course, you need the boards and grades to get in the interview door. After that, it's mostly about your personality, who you know that goes to bat for you, sub-I performance (if you did one at the program), and if you are a "good fit" and someone they'd love to boast about to their colleagues at other departments. More than random ECs, things you do during your spare time says something about your character and personality, especially if you've distinguished yourself in that activity (whether it be sports, musical instrument, art, life experience, carpentry, etc.)