GPA and leadership questions

[ratman7]

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1) Does a high GPA and MCAT outweigh your major selection...
... to an adcom?
...to a future employer (non medical job), if your major is irrelevant to the job you're applying to?
-i.e: sociology degree person who has taken basic business classes in college with 3.9 GPA applies to a entry level business job post-graduation and his competition is filled with economics and finance degrees with 3.4 GPA. Who gets the job if the sociology person has good extracurricular, volunteering, and leadership; but no internship?


2) What constitutes a good leadership activity, not only for medical schools, but also translates to a leadership extracurricular for other careers?
i.e. Would serving as team captain for club non-competitive sports count? Or supervisor of your part-time job count?

 

[Hospitalized]

Major selection isn't of that much importance, but your grades in prereqs are important.

Better grades always look better. Someone who can dedicate themselves in the classroom has shown they are reliable, thus employer's are more likely to consider them for future employment.

This is a very relative question. Everyone's situation is different. Trad vs nontrad, etc.

As for a good leadership activity, I'm no adcom but I'd imagine something like a chief/training scribe, clinical volunteer leader, something of that nature. Serving as a team captain for a non-competitive sport would be up to you. It's important when you're forming an application to present yourself as who you are. If you believe it is important to you and it holds significance that will benefit you moving forward in the field, then include it.

 

[Goro]

No one cares what your major is, nor your minor. We only care that you do well.


1) Does a high GPA and MCAT outweigh your major selection...
... to an adcom?

Residency directors and hospitals would care even less.

...to a future employer (non medical job), if your major is irrelevant to the job you're applying to?


This is a classic example of a fool's errand. You can't narrow down things to two or three variables. The entire package is what counts. But a 3.9 will >>>>a 3.4 for first crack at interviews. the avg GPA for MD school matriculants is 3.6.
-i.e: sociology degree person who has taken basic business classes in college with 3.9 GPA applies to a entry level business job post-graduation and his competition is filled with economics and finance degrees with 3.4 GPA. Who gets the job if the sociology person has good extracurricular, volunteering, and leadership; but no internship?

Something where you had a lot of responsibility and/or organizing. team captain for the NY Yankees, yes. For the chess club, no.
2) What constitutes a good leadership activity, not only for medical schools, but also translates to a leadership extracurricular for other careers?
i.e. Would serving as team captain for club non-competitive sports count? Or supervisor of your part-time job count?[/QUOTE]