Great tips for entering your "Work/Activities" for AMCAS

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For the love of all that is holy, lump the shadowing experience into one & bullet point the practioners.

Don't list a monthly conference. That slot is meant for going to a national or international meeting.

As with everything, folks, always hold back a little something that you can talk about in an open file interview.
 
Good night. Why do we have do put start and end dates?!? Nearly all of my activities are actually categories. Anybody else in this situation? What are you putting for "Presentation Date" if you have multiple presentations? Or for your hobbies if you have several listed? I would just leave it blank but its a required field.
 
serikk85 said:
Good night. Why do we have do put start and end dates?!? Nearly all of my activities are actually categories. Anybody else in this situation? What are you putting for "Presentation Date" if you have multiple presentations? Or for your hobbies if you have several listed? I would just leave it blank but its a required field.
Click to expand...

You are lumping too much. Pick what is most important to you. Start date for hobbies, the first time you tried it and end date is "present".
 
LizzyM said:
You are lumping too much. Pick what is most important to you. Start date for hobbies, the first time you tried it and end date is "present".
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So, we have no control over the order the activities show up? Should we try to put the important activities on top?
 
jgberken said:
So, we have no control over the order the activities show up? Should we try to put the important activities on top?
Click to expand...

I think that's what she's hinting at without explicitly saying yes/no ... but that's what I'm doing 😀
 
IIRC, things are listed in reverse chronological order from start date meaning that your post-college employment (if you have any) or something begun this Spring/Summer will go on top and your long term hobbies, music, sports that have start dates of 16+ years ago will be at the bottom. This is standard and adcoms know intuitively where to find stuff that they expect to see on your application (what does he do for fun? look at the end of the list; what has he done since graduation? look at the top.)
 
I have a question.
I have this volunteering experience that I did four hours a week and I never skipped a shift.
So can I just put down 4 hours a week, or should I contact my volunteer coordinator to get the exact hours and divide them up by the number of weeks?
Is it a red flag if I simply put down 4 hours a week?
Thanks so much!
 
Hi Lizzy,

I was wondering if when describing my shadowing, if I should list the names of the physicians I shadowed, or if I should just list what hospital I shadowed at?
 
craniotomy30 said:
Hi Lizzy,

I was wondering if when describing my shadowing, if I should list the names of the physicians I shadowed, or if I should just list what hospital I shadowed at?
Click to expand...

If you have room to do so I would. If not, then don't.
 
schnauzr said:
I have a question.
I have this volunteering experience that I did four hours a week and I never skipped a shift.
So can I just put down 4 hours a week, or should I contact my volunteer coordinator to get the exact hours and divide them up by the number of weeks?
Is it a red flag if I simply put down 4 hours a week?
Thanks so much!
Click to expand...


4 hrs per week is fine.
 
do you guys use the first or third person in the descriptions of your activities?
 
This question may have been previously answered so bear with me...if I am a chemistry TA, and I have been since Fall semester 2007, and I am not TA'ing over the summer session but will resume as a TA during the upcoming Fall semester, should I list end date as "Until Present" and explain that I will resume TA'ing in the Fall....or put the end date as the end of the Spring semester? Thanks.

Also, I was wondering if I should include this in my application. I just started volunteering at Habitat for Humanity about 2 weeks ago, once my classes were finished and I actually had time to start volunteering again (I work full-time). Is it worth listing an activity I just started not even a month ago? I go once a week for 8 hours...
 
gates_2 said:
do you guys use the first or third person in the descriptions of your activities?
Click to expand...

First person. You can leave off the pronouns.

  • Tutored inner city second graders in math and spelling
  • Recruited and trained new tutors
  • Developed a tutors' guide that will be used next year
 
lol I don't understand how anyone can run out of space in the boxes
 
MiketheAnimal said:
This question may have been previously answered so bear with me...if I am a chemistry TA, and I have been since Fall semester 2007, and I am not TA'ing over the summer session but will resume as a TA during the upcoming Fall semester, should I list end date as "Until Present" and explain that I will resume TA'ing in the Fall....or put the end date as the end of the Spring semester? Thanks.
Click to expand...

go with the Spring 2008 end date; in the text, mention that you will resume again in the Fall.
Also, I was wondering if I should include this in my application. I just started volunteering at Habitat for Humanity about 2 weeks ago, once my classes were finished and I actually had time to start volunteering again (I work full-time). Is it worth listing an activity I just started not even a month ago? I go once a week for 8 hours...
Click to expand...
Go with May 2008 to Present, 8 hrs/wk. No one is going to read this until at least August and by then it will sound like a long time. 😉
 
LizzyM said:
If it was a one time thing, you might skip it. If you did it two or more times, you might list the dates of the first and last times, leave hours per week blank and in the description say something like:
made four weekend-long service trips to Mexican border towns. Provided translation services, assisted with physical exams, distributed hygiene packets (soap, toothpaste, etc).

or

volunteer with Special Olympics for one week each summer.
--2004 assisted one athlete in the swimming competion
--supervised athletes waiting for their events
--served as a chaparone in the Olympic Village
Click to expand...
thanks!
 
Hello,

My senior year in high school, I was chosen to present at the Harvard Medical Junior Symposium and won a spot to present at another conference at Washington D.C. Should I include that in my activities/work list?

Thanks,
Monica
 
moniquash said:
Hello,

My senior year in high school, I was chosen to present at the Harvard Medical Junior Symposium and won a spot to present at another conference at Washington D.C. Should I include that in my activities/work list?

Thanks,
Monica
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that only truly exceptional high school accomplishments are supposed to be listed on AMCAS, like publications in peer-reviewed journals or maybe winning Siemens Westinghouse, or high school activities that continued through college. Maybe if you continued research in college, you can list that conference under the description you already have?
 
LizzyM said:
go with the Spring 2008 end date; in the text, mention that you will resume again in the Fall.

Go with May 2008 to Present, 8 hrs/wk. No one is going to read this until at least August and by then it will sound like a long time. 😉
Click to expand...

Lizzy-
From your statement can one infer that the activities section is not used to determine eligibility for an interview?
 
veaselhaufen said:
Lizzy-
From your statement can one infer that the activities section is not used to determine eligibility for an interview?
Click to expand...

Not at all. The applications are read in August and invitations to interview go out from August through early February or as late as March or April.
 
LizzyM said:
Or is it not worth mentioning/should I just add them under the description for either the research or award itself if at all?
Click to expand...

No and no.


No, that is volunteer, non-clinical or hobby but not a "publication".

It looks like you are trying hard to fill the "publication" slot. Don't worry about it -- only about 3% of all applicants have a real "publication" on their application.[/quote]


Thanks : )
 
Hi Lizzy,

I attended my research institution's "Research Day" wherein all researchers including a number of MDs and medstudents presented their work. My research institution is only focused on cardiology and all the presented work was thus medically related.

Can I list this under conference?

Thanks.
 
Gavanshir said:
Hi Lizzy,

I attended my research institution's "Research Day" wherein all researchers including a number of MDs and medstudents presented their work. My research institution is only focused on cardiology and all the presented work was thus medically related.

Can I list this under conference?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a conference attended.
 
Three questions:

(1) So for "Experience Description," can I write in bullet point, incomplete sentences? For instance...
-Did this...
-Did this...
-Did this...
Or does it have to be in paragraph, complete sentences: I did this... I did this...

(2) For activities that I plan on continuing (for instance, I plan on volunteering at the hospital till next spring semester, continue with the music ensemble activities till I graduate, be on exec board of certain organizations, etc), but wouldn't start back until fall, would it still be okay for me to say "until present" rather than putting an end date as next spring?

As a follow-up, what about activities that haven't started yet? I will be a TA for biochemistry in the fall - it will be my first time being a TA, but it's 100% decided that I will become one. How can I note this in the application?

(3) If I am the president of a student-run organization, who do I put as the contact??
 
I just read this whole thread (yes all 13 pages) and it really has some spectacular advice by LizzyM (and others).

I have a lingering question though. I have several abstracts that were accepted at different cardiology conferences. I have the experience listed as a research position. Since there is no category for "abstracts" and only for "publications" do I categorize them as publications (lumped together of course) and just have the title as "Abstracts"? What do I put for publication date? The date of the last conference in which an abstract was accepted?

Also, I might have one or two HIV related abstracts accepted by the time I submit my application...would it be ok to lump those in with the cardiology abstracts as well?

Thanks for all the direct and indirect help.
 
I have a quick question about how to classify something. I volunteered as a research associate in a clinical setting. My question is, can I list this as both volunteering and research? The reason I ask is this would be the only type of clinical volunteering I have done (my other clinical experience comes in the form of work hours as a paramedic, ~8000hrs over 4 years so hopefully this will suffice) and I have also done lab research for the last year that can fill that slot. I'm just a little nervous about submitting an application without any clinical volunteering on it.

Thanks, I appreciate it.
 
LizzyM said:
Not at all. The applications are read in August and invitations to interview go out from August through early February or as late as March or April.
Click to expand...

Adcoms don't use the activity list to invite people for interviews? Or do you mean that some schools might depending on when they send out interviews. I thought that was one of the most important parts of the app... to be invited for an interview.
 
r most people filling out the contacts info for extracurics? what is this for? do they actually call up the contacts?
 
bozz said:
Adcoms don't use the activity list to invite people for interviews? Or do you mean that some schools might depending on when they send out interviews. I thought that was one of the most important parts of the app... to be invited for an interview.
Click to expand...


Let me be clear. Adcoms do look at the experience list and do use what is written there as one factor in deciding to invite for interview or not.
 
LizzyM said:
It happens rarely but it does happen.
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How do they find the contact number for them? If I remember correctly, you don't enter the phone number of volunteer coordinator. Just the name..?

I am asking because I was under the impression that we only have to provide their names. We are also required to list their phone number?
 
ericL said:
I have a quick question about how to classify something. I volunteered as a research associate in a clinical setting. My question is, can I list this as both volunteering and research? The reason I ask is this would be the only type of clinical volunteering I have done (my other clinical experience comes in the form of work hours as a paramedic, ~8000hrs over 4 years so hopefully this will suffice) and I have also done lab research for the last year that can fill that slot. I'm just a little nervous about submitting an application without any clinical volunteering on it.

Thanks, I appreciate it.
Click to expand...


If you have 8,000 hours as a paramedic you have nothing to worry about in terms of clinical exposure.

volunteer in a clinical setting where research is conducted should be "volunteer, non-clinical" or "volunteer, clinical" depending on whether you dealt with the paperwork or the people. You make the call.

the lab research can be "research"

You've got things covered just fine.
 
wizenedone said:
How do they find the contact number for them? If I remember correctly, you don't enter the phone number of volunteer coordinator. Just the name..?
Click to expand...

Good Lord, don't you people ever google yourselves?

I can recall one phone call and the number could have been located easily through an online, university directory.

Writers of LOR will almost always include a phone number.
 
shraf said:
I just read this whole thread (yes all 13 pages) and it really has some spectacular advice by LizzyM (and others).

I have a lingering question though. I have several abstracts that were accepted at different cardiology conferences. I have the experience listed as a research position. Since there is no category for "abstracts" and only for "publications" do I categorize them as publications (lumped together of course) and just have the title as "Abstracts"? What do I put for publication date? The date of the last conference in which an abstract was accepted?
-
Click to expand...

Abstracts are (almost) always published but often some months after the meeting. You could list them as publications and use "in press" if they issue with the abstracts hasn't come out yet. You should explain in the text field that they are abstracts.
Also, I might have one or two HIV related abstracts accepted by the time I submit my application...would it be ok to lump those in with the cardiology abstracts as well?

Thanks for all the direct and indirect help.
Click to expand...

If it hasn't happened yet do NOT list it. It will look as silly as a Kleenex padded training bra on an eleven year old.
 
im planning to list hospital volunteering (one school semester for 3hrs/week) as an experience.. it doesn't amount to many hours but i've had lots of experience in high school at another hospital... would you recommend that i lump the two experiences together? thanks!
 
Lizzy if ECs are looked at prior to interview and during in most cases... When is the PS looked at in the whole process? I feel like that's the one thing besides mcat studying that I have poured overtime into, and hoping it's a major factor in the whole draft pick. : )
 
lala2626 said:
im planning to list hospital volunteering (one school semester for 3hrs/week) as an experience.. it doesn't amount to many hours but i've had lots of experience in high school at another hospital... would you recommend that i lump the two experiences together? thanks!
Click to expand...


only stuff that happened after HS goes in the experience section. However, in the description of the activity you might say that your interest in volunteering began in HS when you volunteered at X Hospital from 200_ to 200_ in the X department.
 
DRBHOOM said:
Lizzy if ECs are looked at prior to interview and during in most cases... When is the PS looked at in the whole process? I feel like that's the one thing besides mcat studying that I have poured overtime into, and hoping it's a major factor in the whole draft pick. : )
Click to expand...

I'm sure this varies by school depending on the number of applications received and the number of interview slots available. The smaller the proportion of applicants interviewed, the higher the probability that someone will read it and use it to distinguish among applications.
 
question for Lizzy,

For my shadowing experience, can I put that under Volunteering- medical/clinical? (didn't see any other category for medically related stuff)
 
gates_2 said:
question for Lizzy,

For my shadowing experience, can I put that under Volunteering- medical/clinical? (didn't see any other category for medically related stuff)
Click to expand...

Volunteering implies that you did some good (or attempted to do so). I think the wise ones are using "other" this year.
 
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