Feedback on these ECs?

[Albino Dino]

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Hey guys, I was hoping you could give me some feedback on these ECs. These are what I am expecting to finish with when I graduate if I continue at my current pace.

Research in ornithology and herpetology : 1200 hours, 2 publications

Residence Assistant: 3 years

Patient Escort at large hospital - 200 hours

4 years on school rugby team

Summer job in various banking positions - I received a scholarship from a financial institution, part of which allows me jobs like customer service representative, accountant's assistant, among other things.

Volunteer medical trips to Guatemala where I translate and help educate on hygiene. Currently been down there 5 times.

Thoughts?

 

[sliceofbread136]

You have some good solid stuff!

Can you get some shadowing (preferably some in primary care)? How about some teaching/tutoring experience? I think both of these could give you a nice boost.

You could also throw in some easy filler activities if you wanted, just having 6 things might look a little sparse.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Well I just learned what herpetology is!

Those look good. Maybe a more sustained teaching activity would round it all out.

 

[Albino Dino]

You have some good solid stuff!

Can you get some shadowing (preferably some in primary care)? How about some teaching/tutoring experience? I think both of these could give you a nice boost.

You could also throw in some easy filler activities if you wanted, just having 6 things might look a little sparse.

I'm in Canada and shadowing is, well, unheard of. Nobody does it here. It's a foreign concept

 

[Glandzburg]

I'm in Canada and shadowing is, well, unheard of. Nobody does it here. It's a foreign concept

You'll have to make it heard of, because it is absolutely necessary.

 

[Neutropix]

All I saw was four years of rugby. And that's a compliment.

 

[Albino Dino]

You'll have to make it heard of, because it is absolutely necessary.

Not in Canada, it's not. You've never tried - when I started university I went to our campus-affiliated hospital and asked about shadowing and they looked at me like I had three heads.

More importantly, the schools don't require it.

 

[Albino Dino]

All I saw was four years of rugby. And that's a compliment.

Thank you 🙂. You play, I'm assuming?

 

[Neutropix]

Thank you 🙂. You play, I'm assuming?

No; I know that adcoms are jersey chasers, though. I respect anyone who plays sports competitively. In my opinion sports breeds a particular kind of person, which other hobbies cannot. Something about the act of competing and winning creates a stronger person, in my opinion. It's also not easy to balance pre-med with full-time sports. This has come up a lot recently but in my opinion between your two pubs and rugby you look good. I think you look better than
120 shadow
1000 scribe
250 hospital
etc.

Playing rugby shows character and yes I'm biased as hell and inarticulate. I'm off to trader joes now to buy food because my little sister fell asleep early and I can't cook.

Good luck

 

[Albino Dino]

No; I know that adcoms are jersey chasers, though. I respect anyone who plays sports competitively. In my opinion sports breeds a particular kind of person, which other hobbies cannot. Something about the act of competing and winning creates a stronger person, in my opinion. It's also not easy to balance pre-med with full-time sports. This has come up a lot recently but in my opinion between your two pubs and rugby you look good. I think you look better than
120 shadow
1000 scribe
250 hospital
etc.

Playing rugby shows character and yes I'm biased as hell and inarticulate. I'm off to trader joes now to buy food because my little sister fell asleep early and I can't cook.

Good luck

Thanks for the feedback buddy. This is by far my favorite EC

 

[sliceofbread136]

Not in Canada, it's not. You've never tried - when I started university I went to our campus-affiliated hospital and asked about shadowing and they looked at me like I had three heads.

More importantly, the schools don't require it.

Are you applying to Canadian or US schools? I know it's very hard to get shadowing in Canada, but if you don't have it will be a negative for US schools (one that you can definitely overcome though)

 

[Albino Dino]

Are you applying to Canadian or US schools? I know it's very hard to get shadowing in Canada, but if you don't have it will be a negative for US schools (one that you can definitely overcome though)

Depending on my stats I will likely apply to a few northern US schools. It's always been my dream to go to Johns Hopkins, I really like the sound of their Genes to Society curriculum and I love Baltimore, diehard Ravens fan.

But having no shadowing is something that can be made up for?

As well, it's worth mentioning that I will likely finish with MORE than two publications, as I have two under review right now, and I'm just finishing first year. So at this rate I will have 8, but that may be unsustainable.

 

[Nymphicus]

Looks good. Make sure to expand on your Guatemala trips in your application. Medical "missions" trips aren't looked at too fondly by some adcoms, but going to the same facility 5 times may be a little different.

Also make sure to denote what level of athletics you competed at.

I wouldn't count on a rate of 2 publications per year. Doesn't normally work out like that. Normally comes in spurts after a database is compiled or analysis is completed.

Shadowing is something that can easily be added, a few weeks here and there.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Depending on my stats I will likely apply to a few northern US schools. It's always been my dream to go to Johns Hopkins, I really like the sound of their Genes to Society curriculum and I love Baltimore, diehard Ravens fan.

But having no shadowing is something that can be made up for?

As well, it's worth mentioning that I will likely finish with MORE than two publications, as I have two under review right now, and I'm just finishing first year. So at this rate I will have 8, but that may be unsustainable.

There really isn't any substitute for shadowing. Just make the rest of your app as amazing as possible! It sounds like you're going to have some good ECs/research, and combined with a amazing MCAT/GPA you'll have a chance at some good US schools.

 

[Albino Dino]

Looks good. Make sure to expand on your Guatemala trips in your application. Medical "missions" trips aren't looked at too fondly by some adcoms, but going to the same facility 5 times may be a little different.

Also make sure to denote what level of athletics you competed at.

I wouldn't count on a rate of 2 publications per year. Doesn't normally work out like that. Normally comes in spurts after a database is compiled or analysis is completed.

Shadowing is something that can easily be added, a few weeks here and there.

Yeah - I think these trips are a little different than the typical one-and-done premed mission trips. Every time I go I translate do the same patients (sadly, often with the same problems) and this has made it a good relationship-building experience for me.

Do you think adcoms will view this differently?

@Goro I would appreciate your input.

 

[Glandzburg]

Not in Canada, it's not. You've never tried - when I started university I went to our campus-affiliated hospital and asked about shadowing and they looked at me like I had three heads.

More importantly, the schools don't require it.

Sorry, I didn't see you mention Canada anywhere.

Edit: Just saw you say that you plan to apply to some US MD schools, so I'll repeat: you're going to have to shadow. It is an unwritten rule in the US. I doubt you'll find many adcoms that will tell you differently, regardless of how many people do it in Canada.

 

[tiedyeddog]

That list looks great, keep up the strong work.

I agree with the shadowing bit. You don't need a ton of hours, 50 max is more than enough.