Fitting a Leadership Position into my Application

[GallbLad]

I currently volunteer at a hospital for clinical/volunteer hours, food bank for non-healthcare related hours, and a non-clinical lab for research hours with a small chance of publishing.

From a checklist standpoint, I'm lacking in clubs and a leadership position. Any tips on getting into a leadership role, considering I have, and will continue to have none at the hospital, food bank, or lab; and I'm pressed on time - unable to commit more than a couple hours a week?

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[hoihaie]

if you lack in clubs then go join a club, be active, and run for an officer position. you answered your own questions

 

[GallbLad]

if you lack in clubs then go join a club, be active, and run for an officer position. you answered your own questions

I lack in clubs, but I feel that a club is not completely necessary as long as I have volunteer and clinical hours, research, and a leadership role. Am I wrong?
And I was hoping to get advice such as maybe going on a one week enrichment trip where I serve a leadership role in such and such. However, lately I've heard that this isn't valued very highly.

 

[allantois]

Clubs are not at all necessary, it just happens that most leadership roles are through clubs.
You can also be in a leadership role through some sort of volunteer mentoring or work.

I personally consider my TAing a leadership role since the official position name even has the word "Leader" in it (even though some people on here will argue about it)

 

[Fargofargo]

TA positions or tutoring are leadership roles as well.

 

[GallbLad]

TA positions or tutoring are leadership roles as well.

TAing might be very time consuming, but I'll look into it. How about if I tutor younger kids? a fairly easy task that would be leadership and volunteering.

 

[Fargofargo]

TAing might be very time consuming, but I'll look into it. How about if I tutor younger kids - that would be leadership and volunteering?

I thought TAing was really helpful since it was for anatomy and it really helped me to remember the material better.

Ya tutoring young kids is fine, especially if you serve as a mentor role to them. I consider any role that you teach something to others to be leadership.

 

[allantois]

TAing might be very time consuming, but I'll look into it. How about if I tutor younger kids? a fairly easy task that would be leadership and volunteering.

My TAing takes 5-6 hours of my time. I think that tutoring your peers may be more beneficial, but young kids is good too.

 

[Aerus]

Participation in clubs is not necessary. Some clubs are overly and unnecessarily time consuming (as in they take up a lot of time and do not actually accomplish much).

Be careful when you're defining leadership roles. TAing is technically listed as "teaching" on the AMCAS. Leadership is also defined as leading among your peers. Tutoring little kids, while a fantastic experience (I'm biased), might not count as leadership on med school apps.

 

[Catalystik]

Any tips on getting into a leadership role,

Consider starting your own special interest group or club, then make it grow and guide members toward goals that help the community. Or, look for a need in your local area or on campus and act to meet it. Maybe organize friends for a park cleanup, or to collect items (food, toiletries) for a local homeless shelter or the food bank with which you're affiliated, or to change a campus policy.

 

[LizzyM]

Consider taking on a leadership position in your food bank or establishing an on campus extension of the food bank that collects donations on campus (maybe just at the end of each term as students toss unopened packages they don't want to take home or as part of a service week or a competition among dorms, frats or other identifiable groups). Your leadership would be in leading and directing other students in this worthwhile endeavor.

 

[Time Table]

Would non-clinical, clinical, and tutoring suffice over a lot of leadership positions? I ask because I have plenty of volunteering, both clinical and non-clinical, and tutoring, but not enough leadership.