Extracurricular advice for pre-med?

[talyn86]

Hi, everyone. I'm currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. So far, my classes are going well, but I'm still trying to figure out my plan for extracurricular activities.
Here are all the activities I plan to have by the end of my college career:
1. UPMC Volunteer (3 years)
2. Music Therapy Hospice Volunteer (4 years)
3. Shadowing (at least 3 specialties)
4. American Medical Student Association Mentor (member for 4 years)
5. Tutoring or possibly TA
6. Annual Mission Trips (4 since 2014, and I intend to do more)
7. Church Worship Band (8 years)
8. Research/Publication/Presentation (at least 2 years)
9. Study Abroad
10. Summer job as a file clerk at a health equipment firm (4 years)

This semester, I am only doing #2, #4 (member only), #7, and possibly #3. Should I look for another non-clinical service activity to get involved with? I had been doing weekly work days with Habitat for Humanity, but I'm looking to replace it with something I'm more passionate about. I want to show continuity, but I'm not sure how many activities I can handle at a time. Does it look bad to only participate in certain activities for 1 or 2 years at a time? Other than that, how does this 4-year plan look overall?

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[TakotsuboOkazaki]

I think that you should choose activities that you genuinely enjoy AND you can make LONG TERM (1-3 Years) commitments to.

Which activity would look better?

1.) Getting into a research lab in January and staying there for 6 months. Over the course of that time your name ends up on a publication in PNAS for your contribution imaging cells and formatting.

2.) You start working as an EMT or a Tutor in your freshman year and continue for four years. By the end you may make some sort of leadership position.

On paper, saying you have a publication in one of the best journals in the world for your work on X, Y, Z-groundbreaking-whatever looks pretty impressive, but when it comes down to it you really just spent 5 months taking pictures.

On the other hand, imagine how easily you will be able to talk about your experiences from the second scenario.

There is nothing wrong with research, or any activity for that matter, but it should be something you enjoy and something you commit to. There are some premeds who make a real difference in their respective labs pulling the slack of lazy graduate/doctoral students.

Don't check boxes, because it will ruin you at the interview.

Also, when you fill out AMCAS/Secondaries they always ask how LONG you have done something. Doesn't matter what you write...if you only did it for a number of months...no one is going to take it that seriously.

ALSO ANYTHING YOU DO FOR 1-2 YEARS IS PLENTY OF TIME.

 

[Goro]

Hi, everyone. I'm currently a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh. So far, my classes are going well, but I'm still trying to figure out my plan for extracurricular activities.
Here are all the activities I plan to have by the end of my college career:
1. UPMC Volunteer (3 years)
2. Music Therapy Hospice Volunteer (4 years)
3. Shadowing (at least 3 specialties)
4. American Medical Student Association Mentor (member for 4 years)
5. Tutoring or possibly TA
6. Annual Mission Trips (4 since 2014, and I intend to do more)
7. Church Worship Band (8 years)
8. Research/Publication/Presentation (at least 2 years)
9. Study Abroad
10. Summer job as a file clerk at a health equipment firm (4 years)

This semester, I am only doing #2, #4 (member only), #7, and possibly #3. Should I look for another non-clinical service activity to get involved with? I had been doing weekly work days with Habitat for Humanity, but I'm looking to replace it with something I'm more passionate about. I want to show continuity, but I'm not sure how many activities I can handle at a time. Does it look bad to only participate in certain activities for 1 or 2 years at a time? Other than that, how does this 4-year plan look overall?

Forget the mission trips if they're medical missions, or do something that will take work away from the locals. We view these as medical tourism. If they're religious missions, then fine.
Rule #1: do what you love and love what you do.