Extracurriculars - How many hours?

[popeyepete]

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How many hours a week do most people spend doing non-school things. I mean including work, volunteering, clubs, organizations, etc.??? (not including socializing and TV, but instead things that you list on apps) If you add up all the hours you spend on these things?

 

[bella_dottoressa]

This quarter mine is ~20 hrs. That includes work and volunteering. I don't know how that compares to everyone else. 🙂

 

[popeyepete]

yeah i do about 18-20 including clubs, tutoring, volunteering, etc...i didn't think i did that much until i added it all up.

 

[TTSD]

This quarter = 0 hours. I'm in class from 9-5 each day.. sometimes later or sometimes I wake up earlier to do extra work they assign. Then I go home and catch my first meal of the day. Then I have to study and memorize my texts verbatim. No bloody time anymore. But at least my bosses are understanding, they think I'm an idiot and should take classes I can relax and get A's in.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Are we talking per week? I'm doing about 20 hours virology research plus 4 hours hospital volunteering.

 

[popeyepete]

yes..each week in addition to classes. I was just wondering how much time people devote to extracurrics, volunteering, and work outside of their normal course load during the semester

 

[Chankovsky]

do leadership positions in clubs help? I thought it's mainly clinical experience.

 

[musiclink213]

wow, i feel really bad. i don't do that much. in fact, this semester, i don't do anything, except a couple of clubs. i can't volunteer cause my school is in the middle of nowhere, and i don't have a car to get anywhere. in the summer, i volunteered 20 hours a week in the hospital.

 

[exmike]

I dont think you guys need to feel "bad" if you do less than someone else. Plenty of people get into med school doing very little research or volunteering. I do think that you should focuse on the QUALITY of your volunteer experiences. Pushing gurneys around in the ER isnt going to boost your app that much even if you do it 100 hours a week. Quality, not quantity.

Originally posted by musiclink213
wow, i feel really bad. i don't do that much. in fact, this semester, i don't do anything, except a couple of clubs. i can't volunteer cause my school is in the middle of nowhere, and i don't have a car to get anywhere. in the summer, i volunteered 20 hours a week in the hospital.

 

[jlee9531]

well back in school i spent around 50+ hours/week doing nonschool things

 

[bella_dottoressa]

seriously??

 

[link26]

assuming you spend 20 hours a week doing homework and 20 hours in class, that's 95+ hours a week spent not sleeping!

insane.

I only did 15 hours a week in college. time wasted online doesn't count.

 

[toastess]

this sem i'm spending about 8... 6 for club stuff and 2 getting club stuff in order because i'm the secretary of the club. i just don't have time for anything else this semester... is that really bad?

 

[popeyepete]

Originally posted by toastess
this sem i'm spending about 8... 6 for club stuff and 2 getting club stuff in order because i'm the secretary of the club. i just don't have time for anything else this semester... is that really bad?

I don't think that is bad. I mean yeah this semester I have cut down a bit b/c of applying and all. I am not doing a few things i had been doing, but will resume them next semester when things aren't so hectic. I assume same for you...i think most med school applicants are in the same boat though. Most of my friends aren't doing a lot of their volunteer and extracurrics this semester b/c they have had like ten interivews.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by toastess
this sem i'm spending about 8... 6 for club stuff and 2 getting club stuff in order because i'm the secretary of the club. i just don't have time for anything else this semester... is that really bad?

no its not bad at all....

i worked for 40 hours a week because i needed to support my mother and younger brother down south as i went to school a few hundred miles away. we have a tough family situation and i needed to be responsible and make sure they have a roof to live under. hopefully you dont have to spend time doing that so thats why my numbers seem a bit high.

volunteering at different things i spent around...15-25 hours a week. the number is the way it is because 1. i really enjoyed doing the things i did and 2. i never liked to study too much hence the reason for my subpar grades. 😉