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Thank you so much Catalystik. I think you deserve an SDN award because you are so helpful. 🙂
Great tips for entering your "Work/Activities" for AMCAS
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Thank you so much Catalystik. I think you deserve an SDN award because you are so helpful. 🙂
I agree. I've been on this particular thread since SailCrazy, a now UMich Med graduate as of this year first started this thread half a decade ago when he was applying to med school.
first it was me and LizzyM who continued on the legacy of this thread to help people with their application work activities section each year.
Now this past year catalystik has taken over the thread virtually from myself and LizzyM and has done a ABSOLUTE FANTAAAAAAAAAAAASTIC JOB with this thread.
I don't know if he/she is an admissions member somewhere, or a med student, or just another premed. If I had to guess I'd say maybe a student admissions member or something. Though maybe they will tell us one day.
But what i know is from my own working with people and knowing several MD admissions officers in different places, the advice they give on here is quite sound and one of few people I'd highly recommend others to listen to which is saying a lot.
Good job catalystik and thanks for doing this for everyone on here and taking the burden off of LizzyM and others in running this thread.
I think we are both members of a good tag team.
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haha, yep it took me that long (i had 13 activities). this is my first time applying though and i choose to do the descriptive route instead of the bullet points. almost all of my descriptions were close to the character limit.
i believe i read that you've done this before? if that's the case, i'm sure you've already got your descriptions from the previous time and only have to tweak them a little. lucky you!
Sorry, probably been asked before. I searched the thread for "shadow". But, in AMCAS, for a shadowing experience(s), what type do you select? Volunteer - Medical/Clinical?
Use the "Other" category.
How do I classify a conference/event that was about Leadership?
Enter it as Leadership or Conference?
Enter it as Leadership or Conference?
I would use the "Conferences Attended" category. Save Leadership for a leadership role you took on.
Wow close to the max on the character count? I had descriptive method for most of my activities but I wouldn't say it was close to that. I just think that's overkill and probably with a lot more unneeded info in there even for the descriptive method but then I haven't read your app so I could be wrong.
I think research is the one thing that requires the most description to explain the experiment, your roles, and its significance. But otherwise, I'm at a loss with how much you can say in 1325 characters that is absolutely necessary that can't be said in like 900 characters or so or less. But that's just me. Like I said, haven't read your app so don't know.
yep, a few of my activities were for research, which is very easy to use the characters. i also had some leadership positions that were very important to me and i needed to show that. i also had to condense many of my activities so sometimes i was covering things that took place over the span of 2-3 years. other than that, i'd say the rest were 600-1000 (i had one that was 350). i wouldn't say it was overkill b/c i reflected on the activities that were most important to me. i really tried to utilize the descriptions to let adcoms know more about me. i figured it's better to give them more than less. they can choose what they want and don't want to read about me. thanks for your concern and all the help you've given on this thread. 😎
I think I'd rather do the 2-3 sentence thing.
After 1300 characters I would find myself boring. Maybe my activities are less complex than most.
After 1300 characters I would find myself boring. Maybe my activities are less complex than most.
Hey all.
I've done two poster presentations on different abstracts, although the same general topic. Should I keep the presentations separate, or lump them together under one heading of "Research Presentations" ?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
I've done two poster presentations on different abstracts, although the same general topic. Should I keep the presentations separate, or lump them together under one heading of "Research Presentations" ?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
I would try to place them under the same activity and then just expand on them in the description box.
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I did a clinical research project when I was in a foreign country for a month doing volunteer work. The research resulted in a poster presentation and an oral presentation at a national conference. I talked about the volunteer work in my PS (but didn't include dates) and didn't go into the details of the research.
Question 1 - Should I include the volunteer work as part of my Work/Activities just to show the dates, or leave it off since it is a part of my PS?
With regards to the research project, I'm having trouble as to how I should group it. Currently I have the aforementioned conference presentations and the research experience itself both listed under the "Presentations/Posters" category.
Question 2 - Should break this experience up or not?
Lastly, I'm having difficulties with the amount of hours and the dates I should put down for this entry. I spent ~60 hours actually carrying out the research study when I was abroad. Prior to this, I spent ~100 hours over the course of 5 months doing investigative work on my research topic (i.e., literature searches, developing the research study and obtaining IRB approval, finding research mentors, etc.). Additionally, after I returned, I spent ~80 hours of analyzing the data, writing up the results and preparing the presentation materials over the course of 8 months.
Question 3 - Should I only use the dates for which I actually carried out the research study (1 month in this case)? Or should I start from the time of starting the research up until I finished writing up the results (5 months of investigative work + 1 month of actual research + 8 months of analysis/write-up = 14 months)?
Thanks in advance for any help! 🙂
Question 1 - Should I include the volunteer work as part of my Work/Activities just to show the dates, or leave it off since it is a part of my PS?
With regards to the research project, I'm having trouble as to how I should group it. Currently I have the aforementioned conference presentations and the research experience itself both listed under the "Presentations/Posters" category.
Question 2 - Should break this experience up or not?
Lastly, I'm having difficulties with the amount of hours and the dates I should put down for this entry. I spent ~60 hours actually carrying out the research study when I was abroad. Prior to this, I spent ~100 hours over the course of 5 months doing investigative work on my research topic (i.e., literature searches, developing the research study and obtaining IRB approval, finding research mentors, etc.). Additionally, after I returned, I spent ~80 hours of analyzing the data, writing up the results and preparing the presentation materials over the course of 8 months.
Question 3 - Should I only use the dates for which I actually carried out the research study (1 month in this case)? Or should I start from the time of starting the research up until I finished writing up the results (5 months of investigative work + 1 month of actual research + 8 months of analysis/write-up = 14 months)?
Thanks in advance for any help! 🙂
No don't break up the research mentioned in the 2nd to last paragraph. Just explain as you did there the workload. At least that is my input. If catalystik thinks differently you can see what they may think.
I'd start from the beginning. Actually writing and looking up stuff is still part of the research process so I'd use those dates too. So yes 14 months.
If you have room do include the volunteer work, and for the clinical research if you have the room to split up activities then split up the conference as conferences attended and just list what the conference was and what you presented there, research/lab category for the actual work, and poster presentation for posters presented. Also if you have a publication you can list that separately.
If you are running tight on room then put it all under one of the 3 categories for research that you feel best fits it. Do list the volunteer clinical work in the foreign country separately if you can.
1) Since the abroad volunteerism was of only one month's duration, either leave it in the PS, or include it with any other short-term volunteering you've done in a single space.
2) I would break it up into Research and Presentations/Posters, unless you are short on space, in which case I'd add at the end of the Research section that you presented, name of Conference, City, Date.
3) I'd give the dates for the 14 months, but divide the actual hours spent over that entire time so that multiplying out the hours per week would give the total time. In the narrative, if you wish, you can comment that hours per week varied from 2-20 hours per week (or whatever, maybe zero some weeks). I'd also mention the process you went through, particularly gaining IRB approval, as it's a hoop that's difficult to jump through and I think you'll get points for the experience.
Hey all,
First post on this thread so please excuse me if this question may have been answered elsewhere.
Anyways, I spent time as a volunteer in an ER. While there, I primarily shadowed various attending physicians and residents but I also helped with other non-shadowing duties such as helping bringing people into the ER, getting supplies, etc. I am listing it as volunteer work-medical/clinical, but what would be the best title for the entry?
Also, I read a post where it was suggested to put the names of all the physicians shadowed. However, I shadowed at least 10 different attendings, residents, and PAs so would that still be necessary or would putting the primary doctor as the contact be sufficient?
Thanks!
First post on this thread so please excuse me if this question may have been answered elsewhere.
Anyways, I spent time as a volunteer in an ER. While there, I primarily shadowed various attending physicians and residents but I also helped with other non-shadowing duties such as helping bringing people into the ER, getting supplies, etc. I am listing it as volunteer work-medical/clinical, but what would be the best title for the entry?
Also, I read a post where it was suggested to put the names of all the physicians shadowed. However, I shadowed at least 10 different attendings, residents, and PAs so would that still be necessary or would putting the primary doctor as the contact be sufficient?
Thanks!
Sorry if these have been already been answered, but there are so many posts on here! I'm a reapplicant and am working to better describe my activities this time.
1) I did research in a psych lab were I would run subjects for a study, so the hours per week would depend on how many subjects signed up and if there were cubicles open in the lab for us to use, etc. Its hard for me to come up with a set number of hours per week because it varied so much and some of the work was also data analysis/organization I could do from home. But typically, when I did come in, it was for X hours a week, so I can just put that and explain that it varied/depended on other factors. Also, if I took some time off in between, would I just say which quarters I worked?
2) When entering shadowing is it typical to put the name of the physician, dates you shadowed, approximate total hours, type of specialty. Did I miss anything else that needs to be included?
3) Should I list Phi Beta Kappa, Latin Honors, and Dean's List separately if I have room, or should I just bunch them together in one single "honors/awards" section.
1) I did research in a psych lab were I would run subjects for a study, so the hours per week would depend on how many subjects signed up and if there were cubicles open in the lab for us to use, etc. Its hard for me to come up with a set number of hours per week because it varied so much and some of the work was also data analysis/organization I could do from home. But typically, when I did come in, it was for X hours a week, so I can just put that and explain that it varied/depended on other factors. Also, if I took some time off in between, would I just say which quarters I worked?
2) When entering shadowing is it typical to put the name of the physician, dates you shadowed, approximate total hours, type of specialty. Did I miss anything else that needs to be included?
3) Should I list Phi Beta Kappa, Latin Honors, and Dean's List separately if I have room, or should I just bunch them together in one single "honors/awards" section.
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Thank you to every contributor to this great thread.
I wanted to ask what I should say about my experience in an honor society. When I joined it basically there was only an active president who was left within the month so me and a few new officers spent the first few months just trying to bring the honor society back from the dead, get some sort of events planned, and encourage some student participation. I wanted to ask how I should describe this.
Also, I was the literacy service director for this honor society and though I did get a dialogue with several literacy service programs because of the lack of interest in the honor society I was unable to ever get any program going. I guess what's bothering me is that this seems like a failure however I did work my butt off setting these things up, going to meetings with the people who ran them, and trying to organize some sort of participation with the other officers and members. Is there any way I can communicate this without casting a blame on other people or should I just leave out what my duties as an officer in the honor society was?
I wanted to ask what I should say about my experience in an honor society. When I joined it basically there was only an active president who was left within the month so me and a few new officers spent the first few months just trying to bring the honor society back from the dead, get some sort of events planned, and encourage some student participation. I wanted to ask how I should describe this.
Also, I was the literacy service director for this honor society and though I did get a dialogue with several literacy service programs because of the lack of interest in the honor society I was unable to ever get any program going. I guess what's bothering me is that this seems like a failure however I did work my butt off setting these things up, going to meetings with the people who ran them, and trying to organize some sort of participation with the other officers and members. Is there any way I can communicate this without casting a blame on other people or should I just leave out what my duties as an officer in the honor society was?
How about "Shadowing/ER Volunteer"? I'd list shadowing first, since you say it was mainly what you did. Then estimate the relative percentage of time that you did each and put that in the narrative. Of course this could come back to bite you if you had little personal interaction with patients and no other clinical experience to list.
Alternatively, you could carve out the shadowing hours and list them separately under "Other" with more room for description.
As to naming the docs, I'd use as the primary contact the ER doc who would know you best. List the other specialties and refer to them as other attending staff of the hospital, without being specific about names. You can refer to the PAs, or not, as you wish, but there's no harm to shadowing other health-related professions. Just don't list those times as physician shadowing.
1) Ideally, you'd average out the hours you spent per week over the entire time span you specify, and then in the narrative discuss the variation in involvement over the year. Of course, that may come out to 2 hours per week considering you took some quarters off, but that's OK. Just don't exaggerate.
Alternatively, you could list the activity without filling in the hours per week, and then just put the total hours of involvement at the end of the narrative. Again, describing the variation in involvement.
2) Consider including contact information if you spent a lot of time with a physician. But you don't have to do that.
3) Group them. Maybe include the criteria for Phi Beta Kappa at your school, since it varies by institution. Don't claim Latin honors unless you've already graduated.
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1) & 2) Just say what you did. Let your caring show through your words. I wouldn't bring up what you consider as a relative failure, or cast blame. Just be positive. Be sure to use the "I" word when describing your initiatives when appropriate and give appropriate positive credit when it was a group effort. Show that you had teamwork skills.
I would try to list them together, especially if you had a similiar leadership role for each. I think it would be especially effective if you gave a grand total of funds raised through all the efforts.
If you have a ton of space, you could consider dividing the listing into two categories, namely fund raisers vs awareness activities. List both under Leadership (assuming it was so).
Thanks for all your help, Catalystik!! I have another question if you would be so kind. 😀
While in school I became a TA for one quarter and then won an award for being the top undergraduate TA of that academic year within the Cognitive Science Department. Should I list the teaching and the award as separate entries or should I just list them all together?
Thanks again!!
While in school I became a TA for one quarter and then won an award for being the top undergraduate TA of that academic year within the Cognitive Science Department. Should I list the teaching and the award as separate entries or should I just list them all together?
Thanks again!!
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Should we throw in the hours/week for extra curriculars that would be a 1 hour meeting per week? And if we volunteered at a place for a few hours every week but then took a month off here and a month off there...do we do a '1 hour/week' since it might've averaged out to that- or just leave it blank?
I would list the activity under Teaching and discuss the award within the narrative so you don't have to explain twice. It will give your achievement more impact.
1) Yes.
2) If it's at least an hour per week when averaged, you can enter that. Or if you prefer, due to long times away from the activity, leave the hours per week blank and discuss the pattern of involvement in the narrative, and just give a grand total of hours at the end.
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hi everyone
i jus need a general response on this (sorry if its been asked but i had a hard time finding my specific question)
ive shadowed 3 doctors (cardiologist, internal medicine and anesthesiologist) over the course of 2 years.
i know i should group them into one activity..but should i state the hours per doctor?
should i have a separate paragraph per doctor?
what points should i convey in the descriptions? (e.g. what i learned? what i did?)
thanks!!
i jus need a general response on this (sorry if its been asked but i had a hard time finding my specific question)
ive shadowed 3 doctors (cardiologist, internal medicine and anesthesiologist) over the course of 2 years.
i know i should group them into one activity..but should i state the hours per doctor?
should i have a separate paragraph per doctor?
what points should i convey in the descriptions? (e.g. what i learned? what i did?)
thanks!!
Use the Category "Othert." Name the activity "Physician Shadowing." List each doc by date range, (or say fall 09), specialty, total hours for each to the best of your recall, name and maybe contact information. A description isn't necessary, but if something really cool happened, mention it briefly. Give a grand total at the end of the narrative.
If you want to be more verbose, that's up to you, but don't bore the adcomm readers with fluff. I encourage brevity.
Hello. I've been playing piano since I was 4, and I still continue to play and compose original pieces. I also have recently begun collaborating with other musicians. Should I list the start date as 1990 since that is when I was 4??? Is that stupid?
Also, if I worked several jobs throughout college but there was time in between them, should I lump them together into one experience? What about for the AACOMAS? If I do lump them together, should I put my current job (I graduated 2 years ago) separately? How should I title the ones that are lumped together if I do that?
Also, if I worked several jobs throughout college but there was time in between them, should I lump them together into one experience? What about for the AACOMAS? If I do lump them together, should I put my current job (I graduated 2 years ago) separately? How should I title the ones that are lumped together if I do that?
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Yes, you could put the piano start date as 1990, if that is when you started regular weekly lessons. If you were a dabbler for a number of years before you got serious, then use a later start date so your hours per week won't be diluted, but comment in the narrative that you started learning at a younger age (and when).
For short-term employment, you may list them all together, omitting the hours per week in the header, and listing the actual date span for each with individual hours per week in the narrative. Call it "Short-Term Employment" or "Seasonal Employment." I'd list the current job separately.
Alternatively, if you have the space, and a job lasted more than three months, you can list it on its own. Sorry, I have no familiarity with the actual AACOMAS application, but I'd bet there's a thread in Pre-Med Osteo just like this one that you could read though for an answer.
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Hi everyone,
I'm post-bacc 13 years later and am updating my advanced science classes via a community college that has just recently started begun awarding bachelor's degrees. I was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa- it's specifically for 2-year colleges with a gpa of 3.5 or higher over 12 credit hours (paltry, I know). Should I put this in the work/activities, or is it fluff?
I'm post-bacc 13 years later and am updating my advanced science classes via a community college that has just recently started begun awarding bachelor's degrees. I was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa- it's specifically for 2-year colleges with a gpa of 3.5 or higher over 12 credit hours (paltry, I know). Should I put this in the work/activities, or is it fluff?
Is SCUBA diving a good hobby to list? My adviser didn't seem to think so, but I feel like it is unique enough to list. However, I only do it maybe once a year. I am an advanced cert. diver though and seeking my rescue diver cert.
The GPA on your transcript will speak for itself. I would not list it.
I think its interesting and potentially good for interview conversations. I would list it.
Thanks! Now that I've removed that, I have room for one more, which I was going to make about my hobbies. Should I do a catch-all titled, "Hobbies", or should I focus on one in particular? None are spectacular, but combined they show who I am.
Group them together, listing the longest-term one/or most interesting first.
Yes it is and judging from your other post about piano stuff, I am getting the feeling you are going to be a very interesting candidate to schools.
You seem like you are well rounded.
The latter is fine.
Ok so I took a class that was a clinical research practicum which involved class time as well as clinical research in a city emergency room for 8 hours a week. In addition to this we were able to shadow the ER docs during traumas and over the course of the semester I probably spent 10-15 hours observing trauma stuff. My question is how can I list this activity? Should I include it as both clinical research and shadowing? Thanks guys
I would use two spaces to cover these important areas, Research (naming it something like Clinical Research on XXXX) and Other, for the Shadowing component, where you can list any other shadowing you've done as well.
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Hey, thanks! I really appreciate you saying that. I'm actually a re-applicant. I only wish that I had put more thought into the activities section last year. I didn't even consider putting my diving, which is crazy because it's my favorite thing to do, given the chance.
Ok, well I decided to just get some overall advice on entering the activities. This is a really long thread, so if someone just wants to even just answer one of my questions, that would help.
Here's my activities. Wondering about which to combine, etc.
*I have two different scholarships, both merit-based. Combine them?
*A study abroad activity not listed on my transcript as such
*3 different jobs during college, 20-30 hours per week, one was a management position (1 retail, the other 2 food service). Combine?
*I was in a choir during college and I am also in one now. I also sing semi-professionally, been taking lessons for 10 years, sang competitively in high school. Put this with choir? What to call it? Or put this with piano? I also sing gigs occasionally.
*Internship, that I also completed an honors thesis in. I also graduated from an honors college. Do the internship and honors thesis separately?
*Teaching position after college (my current job)
*Shadowing
*Volunteered in two different departments of same hospital. Combine these?
*Just started this month as a hospice volunteer.
*Several musical endeavors - (see above), can play a little flute. Lots of piano. Compose.
*Hobbies - cooking, foreign films, hiking, and SCUBA diving.
So, which of these can I combine and which can I omit? If I use them in my personal statement should I leave them off? How much detail should I really go into? I've heard from some people to go into lots of detail and from others to keep it brief. I've just never seen an example of someone's activity entry.
For example, right now I just have an entry for piano and singing together as a hobby. I have received compensation though before. I have a separate entry for the choir, since it is an organization, and I talk about the high school choir things in that. I also toured Europe high school with a musical ambassador group that sang. Would that be an example of something from high school to put? I mean, just put it in the description of the college choir?
Experience type: Artistic endeavors
Experience name: Piano/voice
Start date: August 1990
Until Present
Average hours per week: 15
Description: While I began my musical endeavors at a very young age, I continued to hone my skills while in college. In addition to playing the piano on a regular basis, I continued the vocal lessons I started in my early teens. Each week I would focus on various aspects of vocal technique and at regular intervals I would perform the song I had prepared at a recital in front of my family and friends. Additionally, my musical skills enabled me to compose several advanced pieces for the piano that I continue to play today. Most recently I have been invited to play as a guest keyboardist and vocalist for a few friends' bands for local gigs. I have also been featured on a recording. This has been an exciting opportunity for me to share my musical abilities with others and to collaborate with other musicians.
Does anyone have experience with AACOMAS? There isn't a separate thread for their activities and work sections. There doesn't seem to be a limit and I'm almost afraid that I might make too many entries over there.
Here's my activities. Wondering about which to combine, etc.
*I have two different scholarships, both merit-based. Combine them?
*A study abroad activity not listed on my transcript as such
*3 different jobs during college, 20-30 hours per week, one was a management position (1 retail, the other 2 food service). Combine?
*I was in a choir during college and I am also in one now. I also sing semi-professionally, been taking lessons for 10 years, sang competitively in high school. Put this with choir? What to call it? Or put this with piano? I also sing gigs occasionally.
*Internship, that I also completed an honors thesis in. I also graduated from an honors college. Do the internship and honors thesis separately?
*Teaching position after college (my current job)
*Shadowing
*Volunteered in two different departments of same hospital. Combine these?
*Just started this month as a hospice volunteer.
*Several musical endeavors - (see above), can play a little flute. Lots of piano. Compose.
*Hobbies - cooking, foreign films, hiking, and SCUBA diving.
So, which of these can I combine and which can I omit? If I use them in my personal statement should I leave them off? How much detail should I really go into? I've heard from some people to go into lots of detail and from others to keep it brief. I've just never seen an example of someone's activity entry.
For example, right now I just have an entry for piano and singing together as a hobby. I have received compensation though before. I have a separate entry for the choir, since it is an organization, and I talk about the high school choir things in that. I also toured Europe high school with a musical ambassador group that sang. Would that be an example of something from high school to put? I mean, just put it in the description of the college choir?
Experience type: Artistic endeavors
Experience name: Piano/voice
Start date: August 1990
Until Present
Average hours per week: 15
Description: While I began my musical endeavors at a very young age, I continued to hone my skills while in college. In addition to playing the piano on a regular basis, I continued the vocal lessons I started in my early teens. Each week I would focus on various aspects of vocal technique and at regular intervals I would perform the song I had prepared at a recital in front of my family and friends. Additionally, my musical skills enabled me to compose several advanced pieces for the piano that I continue to play today. Most recently I have been invited to play as a guest keyboardist and vocalist for a few friends' bands for local gigs. I have also been featured on a recording. This has been an exciting opportunity for me to share my musical abilities with others and to collaborate with other musicians.
Does anyone have experience with AACOMAS? There isn't a separate thread for their activities and work sections. There doesn't seem to be a limit and I'm almost afraid that I might make too many entries over there.
I suggest grouping all such honors, awards, scholarships in the same space if you want to list them.
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