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People PLEASE take note of the above colored and bolded and upper sized portion of the quoted. this is what I'm trying to say and others on here too.
Great tips for entering your "Work/Activities" for AMCAS
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People PLEASE take note of the above colored and bolded and upper sized portion of the quoted. this is what I'm trying to say and others on here too.
I have a question. I went to a foreign country and did some work which I described in one of my activities. I am going back later this summer and put a note about that in the description. Is that ok? Also I wrote up all my descriptions for my work/activities with dashes and a short description. Usually using less than 500 characters. I don't come anywhere near the character limit. Will that be looked down upon?
My resume lists my leisure-time activities.
I think there is room for either approach, depending on how much you want the Experiences section to reflect your personality and whether you have enough space.
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In general, it is preferred that you not list future events, but rather update schools after you've completed the activity. However, if you've already done exactly the same activity once, a line at the end of the narrative about your plan wouldn't be a complete no-no (though it might be disregarded). Still, you take a risk:
We see posts on occasion where someone did what you propose and then broke their leg or had a family crisis that prevented their completing the plan. How do you think it looks if you have to write schools that it never happened?
I don't know but I still feel like reading is one of those things a good majority of doctors do that its not anything that stands out for an activities section.
Same as going to the mall. Its unique hobbies I would list like dance lessons, music lessons, sports, etc.
Not stuff like gaming, reading, or going to the mall.
see what I'm saying?
Hey guys, quick question on entering activities
I'm in two choirs at my school, "University Chorus" and "concert choir." I have put them in different w/a slots to emphasize their importance on my life, but I don't want them to get confused that they are indeed two entirely DIFFERENT choirs. also, I dont want them to think I am just trying to create filler by not combining these choirs. I already have 11 other activities listed, so this would be 13 if i leave them uncombined, or 12 if I combine them. Any thoughts?
I'm in two choirs at my school, "University Chorus" and "concert choir." I have put them in different w/a slots to emphasize their importance on my life, but I don't want them to get confused that they are indeed two entirely DIFFERENT choirs. also, I dont want them to think I am just trying to create filler by not combining these choirs. I already have 11 other activities listed, so this would be 13 if i leave them uncombined, or 12 if I combine them. Any thoughts?
If we already have something under the Honors section, should we also list that we graduated with general honors/departmental honors under this section?
you can, if that's not anywhere else on your app, or if you want to reinforce it
If you've already graduated, then that's fine. You might list the requirements for receiving that designation.
Not to suggest that this is just "check the box" but the major questions I'm asking myself when I look at the experience section:
service to others?
clinical experience? (close enough to smell patients)
research experience? (systematic collection of data to obtain generalizable new knowledge)
summer or "period of time out of school" activities?
what does the applicant do for fun?
employed during the school year?
If you can cover what you've done in six entries they you're covered and while the list may seem short if the time periods were long, it won't look bad.
I am a little annoyed with works/activities right now (though happy I am getting around to it 😀).
Problem 1: The Experience Type pretty much covers the experience name for me, and I feel idiotic putting the same thing twice. For example, when it says Honors/Awards/Recognitions, the experience name is exactly the same for me as well. Is that okay or should I try to make the two different?
Also, instead of taking up ridiculous amounts of space, I am trying to group awards and scholarships together, but then it asks for award date. Unfortunately, the award date is not optional, though all awards were not given at the same time. What should I do?
Finally, research/lab and publications are different categories. However, everything I did for lab or research was published in the school journal, so should I create two different categories for research and publications, or just write it down in one category?
Thanks to whoever takes the time to answer 🙂
Problem 1: The Experience Type pretty much covers the experience name for me, and I feel idiotic putting the same thing twice. For example, when it says Honors/Awards/Recognitions, the experience name is exactly the same for me as well. Is that okay or should I try to make the two different?
Also, instead of taking up ridiculous amounts of space, I am trying to group awards and scholarships together, but then it asks for award date. Unfortunately, the award date is not optional, though all awards were not given at the same time. What should I do?
Finally, research/lab and publications are different categories. However, everything I did for lab or research was published in the school journal, so should I create two different categories for research and publications, or just write it down in one category?
Thanks to whoever takes the time to answer 🙂
What are you guys writing for research descriptions? Brief, generalized terms in a few lines about what the basic idea of what you did was? Or specific details of your project and results, that come close to the 1325 character limit? Anyone mind posting an example of how they described their individual research experience?
fyi there isn't any publications or anything- this is the first research i did at college just to gain some experience...
fyi there isn't any publications or anything- this is the first research i did at college just to gain some experience...
LizzyM mentioned that you could get away with listing a future activity that started in June by listing June-present (assuming you submit in June). I want to list it, but won't really have a thorough description of what I am doing at this point. Could I write in the description something like "will send update letter"? or is it best to write a basic description ...
why is it best not to use I?
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The description section used to be much smaller (fewer charcters) and most people wrote very concisely, like an old fashioned "help wanted" ad. With more space many people started writing mini-essays and the rank and file adcom members, ignorant of the change in characters allowed, thought that the descriptions were too long and wordy and longed for the "good old days"
you can say "I have been engaged in testing...." or you can say, "I test..."
It isn't that you should or shouldn't use I but you could leave it out as people do on resumes.
Questions about recent activities:
I started a paid tutoring position in April (its an independent contract job and I currently have one client, 2hours a week), should I list it? I'm also starting hospice volunteering and another paid position to teach an mcat class right now, should I list these??
Also, I had a 2 month job during the school year that I spent about 10 hours on a week (2008), is that worth listing?
Thanks!
I started a paid tutoring position in April (its an independent contract job and I currently have one client, 2hours a week), should I list it? I'm also starting hospice volunteering and another paid position to teach an mcat class right now, should I list these??
Also, I had a 2 month job during the school year that I spent about 10 hours on a week (2008), is that worth listing?
Thanks!
I think you should list it as Research. First off, I think that sounds more impressive since clinical research is more rare as an EC. Also, you are actually doing research, just in a clinical setting. Research is research, no matter if you get paid or not. Just my opinion, best of luck!
I have two questions:
1) I know it is generally best not to list any high school activities. However, I did do some shadowing in high school? Should that be included?
2) I am starting to do some research with a physician in my city. It hasn't really gotten underway yet...we have met a couple of times to discuss logistics but beyond that we haven't started. Based on what Ive read on this thread so far I shouldnt list it since it is pretty much a "future" activity. Just want to get your thoughts on that.
1) I know it is generally best not to list any high school activities. However, I did do some shadowing in high school? Should that be included?
2) I am starting to do some research with a physician in my city. It hasn't really gotten underway yet...we have met a couple of times to discuss logistics but beyond that we haven't started. Based on what Ive read on this thread so far I shouldnt list it since it is pretty much a "future" activity. Just want to get your thoughts on that.
OK I had to start my stuff pretty much over since i ran out of space for AMCAS and now i REALLY LIKE REALLY NEED HELP in Grouping what I have done.
So this is mm like short CV I was going to post it here but it's about 4-5 pages long and I am only an undergraduate lol but here it goes. I would like to put a brief description though lol but let me know if you need one just in case
So this is mm like short CV I was going to post it here but it's about 4-5 pages long and I am only an undergraduate lol but here it goes. I would like to put a brief description though lol but let me know if you need one just in case
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Sorry I forgot
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Another thing if you can PM'd the help that will be great or if u want skype me let me know and thanks
I feel like you can get it all in if you group things together and describe in the description area what they are in short. Rather then using the description area for the descriptions use it to list the different sort of awards or scholars.
Like list your student organizations together if you are running out of space for room and list some of your research positions together.
That's all I can say. AND WOWZA at how much you've done. If your numbers are equally as well, I imagine you'll be walking away with a lot of acceptances this year.
And list the 3 or 4 scholarships above together for sure. don't list them separately even if you choose to leave some of the research positions separately.
Also for research another way to do it is that if you don't have space, if you did a publication, a conference, and worked in a lab all for the same lab. Just group all of that together.
If they have not started, do not list them.
List the tutoring under Teaching or under Employment.
Go ahead and list the 2008 job. You can name it short-term employment. if you start the MCAT teaching before you submit, you could put it in the same space.
Provided you have another substantive clinical experience, you need not list the hospice volunteering if you start before submission. Instead, you could mention it in an update letter.
1) You may list a HS activity provided it continued into the college years. If you've done more recent shadowing, list all of it in a single space.
If that's your only shadowing, mention it in the Personal Statement.
2) Do not list a future activity. Save it for an update letter.
AH3 is correct. A research experience is always listed under Research, whether paid, volunteer, or for class credit. It is an important EC, and you don't want it to be missed by someone skimming over your application too quickly.
And while you might be volunteering your time, you are not performing a community service. The main benficiary to the activity is yourself.
Yeah that is why I am working hard on my MCAT score because I know I can go to a GREAT Medical School and my cum and sci GPA is above a 3.5 so I have everything they are looking for
But ok u said descriptions correct if i group them together should i put the dates together as well lol like a CV format and a tiny description as well. And how about international experience and and leadership experience put them together correct
So the Experience type and Experience Description, amount of hours and whose in charge what I must put there that's another feat im going to do this right lol can I PM'ed you though
My main question: is a Canada/US meeting considered an international conference for CV, amcas?
i have a second author (out of 3) on an accepted abstract at an annual meeting in Vancouver. Traditionally, the meetings are in the US. It was presented by the first author, and that is easy to cite. But, do i classify this as a "presentation/poster" at a national or international meeting? If I put national, it closer to reality, but the adcoms start questioning my brain cells. Technically, it is an international conference. is there any reason to put this in a publication category, rather than presentation/poster? And also, if say a couple dudes or dudettes from other countries have an abstract, is it officially international?
i have a second author (out of 3) on an accepted abstract at an annual meeting in Vancouver. Traditionally, the meetings are in the US. It was presented by the first author, and that is easy to cite. But, do i classify this as a "presentation/poster" at a national or international meeting? If I put national, it closer to reality, but the adcoms start questioning my brain cells. Technically, it is an international conference. is there any reason to put this in a publication category, rather than presentation/poster? And also, if say a couple dudes or dudettes from other countries have an abstract, is it officially international?
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Since you will state the name and location of the conference, it will be clear that it's international without you stating that.
If the abstract with your name on it is published or accepted for publication in a national journal, you can list it as a Publication and include the citation.
If the abstract appeared in a booklet published by the conference, it is not a Publication.
As the research was not presented by you, you may list it as a Presentation if you make clear who presented it. If you qualify to list it as a Publication, you would not also list Presentation, you'd just make a note of that in the Publication narrative.
Alternatively, you can mention in the Research narrative that the abstract from the data of the project you've described, for which you were second author, was presented by XXXX, the first author of the abstract at XXXX conference, in XXXX City, on XXXXXdate.
Once again, Catalystik, I appreciate your help.
you don't need to put contact info. If you don't have any, you can leave it blank.
Also, if you want you can mention in the description that contact info isn't there because the person has since passed away. but I don't think that's necessary. just leave contact info blank.
Yes experiences include things you did in undergrad regardless of what your major was or what you did at that time.
And if you worked to support yourself then I'd put those jobs on there. its things like that that make you stand out.
Yes for scholarships you can group them by listing name, date, and award amount and how long it is for. i.e. whether its for a year or every semester for 2 or 4 years, or just a single amount given at once, etc.
let me look at your others and give another response cuz I have to go through your other activities again.
As I stated group the four scholarships together.
Also group together your 2 honor societies and chemistry club and student organizations as one and do the same thing i said to do for scholarships for that. and in description for the clubs, you can list them, dates you were in them, and short description of what you did. Like very brief since you are limited for room.
For leadership in organizations, list them all together as leadership not found elsewhere tab.
Then again in the description section for the leadership roles say what your positions were and list which organization that corresponds to and again dates and hours. If you have room for a tiny description use it, but if not don't.
In all your things except scholarships, you could say one line about what you collectively learned. they do like that.
Try to group the poster presentations as well.
For the two tutoring mentoring, either list it as volunteer non medical or teaching/tutoring. I'd probably use the latter. And group them together and do the same thing I said above in the description section.
group clinical volunteering and shadowing too.
Then I think you'll still have enough room to list the different scholars programs separately as I think those might need mroe attn in terms of detailing what they are.
But then even some of those might need to be grouped if you want to add in stuff like the cross country because you have too much stuff.
The other alternative is that you can leave some stuff out if you look at what the secondaries for schools you are applying to are and add it as info not elsewhere on your app. But I think you can get it all in now if you continue grouping similar activities. And can always expand upon it in secondaries. You can look at the stickies up top of preallo for the old secondary prompts or go to the class thread pages and look for the first post in each thread to see what schools will have room for you to do this.
And good luck on the MCAT. I'm sure you do kickass and get in your choice medical school. 😀
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I would speculate that medical school adcoms aren't nearly as freaked out about mentioning dead people as the lay public. 🙄
Perhaps I should have explained more. This was a music teacher who I studied classical music under for over a decade, and who was relatively well known in certain circles. In the chance that someone does recognize her name, I think it would seem more insensitive to not respectfully acknowledge her death.
I might go in this direction with it, simply describing that I studied under "the late So&So" instead of listing them as a contact. Actually the more I think about it the more I think this feels like the best way to present it. Thanks!
what department/type of research was it?
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How about Employment/Biology Research (or as applicable). This emphasizes that the activity covers two categories.
I published two peer-reviewed articles, one in 2008 and one in 2009. I was going to list them together under "Publications" but as far as I can tell I have to list one month and year. Is there a way around this or should I just list them separately?
I have the same question about posters - I presented posters at a bunch of conferences between 2007-2009, so I'd like to just lump them together but I don't know what to put in the month/year fields.
Thanks! I'm sorry if this has been asked before.
I have the same question about posters - I presented posters at a bunch of conferences between 2007-2009, so I'd like to just lump them together but I don't know what to put in the month/year fields.
Thanks! I'm sorry if this has been asked before.
Hoping someone can help (is LizzyM out there?):
-If I have been in a certain volunteer position for ~4 years, but was not involved at all during a couple of semesters during this time (e.g., volunteered for 2 semesters, skipped 1 semester, volunteer for 2 more, skip 1, etc.). How do you enter this for dates/hours per week?
-My volunteer hours are all over the place (3 hours one week, 4 hours the next, 2 hours after that, etc.). How do you list number of hours per week in this case? (note I do not have record of my total hours, so can't really take an average that way).
-I've been a part of a program for 5 years, and will be listing this, but was wondering is it's okay to list a few particularly big projects that I've done within this program separately, or do they all need to be kept within the same description?
-If I have been in a certain volunteer position for ~4 years, but was not involved at all during a couple of semesters during this time (e.g., volunteered for 2 semesters, skipped 1 semester, volunteer for 2 more, skip 1, etc.). How do you enter this for dates/hours per week?
-My volunteer hours are all over the place (3 hours one week, 4 hours the next, 2 hours after that, etc.). How do you list number of hours per week in this case? (note I do not have record of my total hours, so can't really take an average that way).
-I've been a part of a program for 5 years, and will be listing this, but was wondering is it's okay to list a few particularly big projects that I've done within this program separately, or do they all need to be kept within the same description?
just wondering if most people fill up all 15 spots.
I have about 12 spots filled with good stuff.
I was going to add tutoring my friend in orgo but it was very casual, we were in the same class but I was good at it and she wasnt so she would come over once a week and I would go over lecture material with her.
no payment or anything. although she did buy me a 26er of rum after the exam : )
do u guys think that this is worth adding? I dont want to seem like im trying desperately trying to fill up the spots.
I have about 12 spots filled with good stuff.
I was going to add tutoring my friend in orgo but it was very casual, we were in the same class but I was good at it and she wasnt so she would come over once a week and I would go over lecture material with her.
no payment or anything. although she did buy me a 26er of rum after the exam : )
do u guys think that this is worth adding? I dont want to seem like im trying desperately trying to fill up the spots.
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