General advice?

[idkjustchooseone]

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[Goro]

Bulk up nonclinical volunteering, in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Take MCAT only when you are 100% ready for it.

 

[idkjustchooseone]

Bulk up nonclinical volunteering, in service to others less fortunate than yourself.

Take MCAT only when you are 100% ready for it.

What about clinical experiences? I've heard that it looks bad to just completely stop doing clinical work after receiving a good amount of hours.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

More community service that takes you out of a classroom to make a difference. Nothing wrong with adult literacy, but that could go under "teaching" and not community service to many faculty. You need at least 100 hours to 150 minimum to satisfy most faculty that you have service orientation.

I would add other clinical experiences. I don't know who you shadowed as a scribe, but doing clinical volunteering (or perhaps paid) would also help your cause.

Nothing wrong with doing a gap year. Over 2/3rds of matriculants apparently took at least 1 gap year before starting medical school according to the last survey (supposedly).

 

[idkjustchooseone]

More community service that takes you out of a classroom to make a difference. Nothing wrong with adult literacy, but that could go under "teaching" and not community service to many faculty. You need at least 100 hours to 150 minimum to satisfy most faculty that you have service orientation.

I would add other clinical experiences. I don't know who you shadowed as a scribe, but doing clinical volunteering (or perhaps paid) would also help your cause.

Nothing wrong with doing a gap year. Over 2/3rds of matriculants apparently took at least 1 gap year before starting medical school according to the last survey (supposedly).

Oh wow, so adult literacy tutor won't count as volunteering to some schools? I wasn't aware of that. It is a free program for people to join, and I don't get paid in any way.

Thank you for the advice. It seems like another clinical experience, maybe one day a week as well as another nonclinical volunteering experience would be the most helpful for my application?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

That's at least why I suggest diversifying your community service. You can't take the risk that there are enough faculty on a committee that don't believe being an adult literacy tutor is enough of a stretch opportunity where you got out of your comfort zone. Practically every doctor has to be in a position to communicate and teach to a variety fo individuals with varying levels of English proficiency. I just think you need to add something because just one activity may not help you.

Food pantries/distribution, shelter volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, job training/assistance for those recently released from prison, doing taxes for elderly or disabled are some suggestions.

 

[idkjustchooseone]

That's at least why I suggest diversifying your community service. You can't take the risk that there are enough faculty on a committee that don't believe being an adult literacy tutor is enough of a stretch opportunity where you got out of your comfort zone. Practically every doctor has to be in a position to communicate and teach to a variety fo individuals with varying levels of English proficiency. I just think you need to add something because just one activity may not help you.

Food pantries/distribution, shelter volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, job training/assistance for those recently released from prison, doing taxes for elderly or disabled are some suggestions.

I understand, so it's more so me needing a greater variety activities, rather than the activity I have is not good enough. This makes sense, I'll definitely look into other opportunities!

Just a general question about this topic, do you believe there is a good amount of non-clinical volunteering experiences that is expected? I prefer to stay apart of a specific experience for a long time, rather than a bunch of them for short times each. But is there a specific amount that is usually needed with applicants?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I understand, so it's more so me needing a greater variety activities, rather than the activity I have is not good enough. This makes sense, I'll definitely look into other opportunities!

Just a general question about this topic, do you believe there is a good amount of non-clinical volunteering experiences that is expected? I prefer to stay apart of a specific experience for a long time, rather than a bunch of them for short times each. But is there a specific amount that is usually needed with applicants?

I said

You need at least 100 hours to 150 minimum to satisfy most faculty that you have service orientation.

 

[LizzyM]

You can put whatever tag you want on each activity. If you are an adult literacy volunteer, you can tag that as "volunteer, non-clinical". Most applicants would do it that way. I've never heard a adcom member at my school claim it wasn't volunteering or that it wasn't non-clinical. If the people who you are working with are non-native speakers of English, if they have intellectual or developmental disabilities, if they are homeless or formerly homeless, or otherwise from a population different from your own, put that in the description as it paints a picture of service to people who are in particular need and that are different from you in some specific way.

 

[Goro]

What about clinical experiences? I've heard that it looks bad to just completely stop doing clinical work after receiving a good amount of hours.

You heard wrong.

You have a great number of clinical hours and any more would be gilding the lily.