Feedback on ECs?

[lemonade123]

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Are my ECs looking good or do I need to get involved in more? I'm not looking to pad my resume with random ECs that I don't really like that will only look good for my app, but I'll take any suggestions 🙂

-Volunteer at rehab hospital with direct patient contact in inpatient/outpatient settings (6 years, extending from high school) (300 hours)

-Physician shadowing (around 20 hours now and continuing with various specialties)

-IVP of floor goverment (1 year)

-Mentor in honor society (2 years)

-Mentor for child adoptees (1 year and continuing)

-Volunteer in top 10 hospital (lots of observing physicians and nurses) (2 months and counting)

-Research assisting in cancer research lab (9 months)

 

[Morsetlis]

You don't really need anything else, but if you have interesting/unique hobbies, list them too. Do a tiny bit more shadowing to reach about 50 hours.

In your research, try to get a poster, abstract, presentation, or paper out of it (paper is probably reaching).

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Better than mines. 🙁

 

[Catalystik]

Your ECs are developing nicely. Keep up the good work. When the time comes to apply, I too would want to know about your leisuretime activities.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Hey, Catalystik. When listing hobbies/activities, do they have to be competitive or just leisure or stuff done for fun?

 

[n3xa]

Hey, Catalystik. When listing hobbies/activities, do they have to be competitive or just leisure or stuff done for fun?

Define competitive.

I spent some time chatting about driving at a few HPDEs at Road America as well as autocrossing.

 

[Catalystik]

Hey, Catalystik. When listing hobbies/activities, do they have to be competitive or just leisure or stuff done for fun?

Just what you do for fun. It could be as mundane as, "Work out 6 hours a week, play chess two hours weekly, love to cook and can make a mean enchilada" and still make you more interesting to an adcomm.

 

[lemonade123]

So you guys don't think I need to add in anymore activities? If I just continue with these ECs until time comes to apply, I should be okay right?

 

[simondimond]

Catalystic,

Are EC's that are affiliated with major organizations looked at any differently than EC's that are not?

For example volunteering with the Red Cross and volunteering at your Church.

or running a support group for a national organization and tutoring kids at your local library.

 

[Catalystik]

So you guys don't think I need to add in anymore activities? If I just continue with these ECs until time comes to apply, I should be okay right?

IMO, yes.

 

[Catalystik]

Catalystic,

Are EC's that are affiliated with major organizations looked at any differently than EC's that are not?

For example volunteering with the Red Cross and volunteering at your Church.

or running a support group for a national organization and tutoring kids at your local library.

Well, it's nice to have someone vouch for activities who isn't your best friend, your mom, or you, now that one is obliged to provide a contact.

With or without an objective contact, each activity ideally demonstrates another component of your personality. Hobbies tell one thing, and other experiences like those you mention say something else. They all have their place in a good application.

 

[PositronicBrain]

Well, it's nice to have someone vouch for activities who isn't your best friend, your mom, or you, now that one is obliged to provide a contact.

With or without an objective contact, each activity ideally demonstrates another component of your personality. Hobbies tell one thing, and other experiences like those you mention say something else. They all have their place in a good application.

I wish I could find a more recent post to ask this question on but: if I have years of mountaineering experience but never did it with a formal organization, should I just use my climbing partner as a reference?

 

[Catalystik]

I wish I could find a more recent post to ask this question on but: if I have years of mountaineering experience but never did it with a formal organization, should I just use my climbing partner as a reference?

Yes. (Sorry for the delayed response, but i've been doing my own mountain climbing.)