Having amnesia and filling out ERAS work experiences?

[nancysinatra]

Does anyone know how absolutely thorough and accurate we must be in the ERAS Experiences section, especially in terms of past work experiences?

I took a few years off between college and med school and during that time had about 8 different short-lived, errr, "careers," with lots of freelance type work. I can't even count all my past employers, let alone give exact dates and numbers of hours worked. Our dean told us to be extremely thorough, however, and not leave ANYTHING out. Ok, what do I do? Is the same thing true for volunteer and extracurriculars? Ugh.

Does ERAS investigate people's CVs? I have nothing to hide, I just can't remember every name and date from my past.

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[PeepshowJohnny]

They're only going to investigate your CV if it's fishy or you make outlandish claims. They're not going to call up "Art's Bakery" and ask "Did John Smith work here from September 05 to January 06 as he claimed?". There's simply no time for it.

The main issue you're going to experience is that you want to document what you did in your time off so it doesn't look fishy (I.E. you attended another medical school or dental school or were in jail or something and didn't tell them about it). So just fill in the gaps to the best of your ability so that it doesn't look suspicious. They're not going to freak out and confront you with:

"Ah hah! You claimed to do landscaping until March of 06! But you really worked until June!"

 

[nancysinatra]

They're only going to investigate your CV if it's fishy or you make outlandish claims. They're not going to call up "Art's Bakery" and ask "Did John Smith work here from September 05 to January 06 as he claimed?". There's simply no time for it.

The main issue you're going to experience is that you want to document what you did in your time off so it doesn't look fishy (I.E. you attended another medical school or dental school or were in jail or something and didn't tell them about it). So just fill in the gaps to the best of your ability so that it doesn't look suspicious. They're not going to freak out and confront you with:

"Ah hah! You claimed to do landscaping until March of 06! But you really worked until June!"

Ha ha. One of my actual jobs involved landscaping one summer and fall, and I can't for the life of me remember if it ended in September or November. But it was more like '95 or '96.

My great fear is that they will requisition all of my past tax information from the IRS and then try to call each past employer, only to find out I worked there for one month less than I reported, or something like that. I don't know why they would do this, except that I am listing a LOT of jobs.

 

[ranmyaku]

On a side note. How do you account for time spent traveling when the only three options listed are Work, volunteer, research? At least I think those were the only options, I don't have access to myeras at the moment.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

My great fear is that they will requisition all of my past tax information from the IRS and then try to call each past employer, only to find out I worked there for one month less than I reported, or something like that. I don't know why they would do this, except that I am listing a LOT of jobs.

I promise we will not do this.

If you can't remember all the dates, you could put 95-98, various odd jobs, each lasting less than 6 months, including: landscaping, nuclear engineer, professional cook, master brewer, etc.

On a side note. How do you account for time spent traveling when the only three options listed are Work, volunteer, research? At least I think those were the only options, I don't have access to myeras at the moment.

Travel is not a work experience, unless you managed to get paid for it. You will need to list it elsewhere, if you think it is an important part of your application.

 

[nancysinatra]

I promise we will not do this.

If you can't remember all the dates, you could put 95-98, various odd jobs, each lasting less than 6 months, including: landscaping, nuclear engineer, professional cook, master brewer, etc.

The chilling truth is that aside from the master brewing, I DID three of those things you mentioned, more or less. If you count my European bartending stint as a form of brewing, I did them all. I only lasted 6 months in the world of nuclear power, but hey.

I'm also worried my ERAS form won't bode well for me, because most of my past supervisors have died, gone to jail, or, in one case, retired to a convent. If people are reading my application and they pick up on this, they might not want to come anywhere near me.

It is comforting to know no one is REALLY going to read these things in that much detail!

 

[persia]

I thought that you only included supervisors from research positions? that's what eras has written by the 'supervisor' spot. Anyone else including names for all their positions? (I have also had alot of jobs.) So far I am just putting them for my research things.

I also have worried about getting volunteer dates right and am I off by a month or a few. I am trying to be scrupulously honest and am wondering if I am missing something inadvertantly. I have a big gap frm travelling but have no idea where to put it; it doesn't seem so important to include it in my ps or anything like that.

 

[Uegis]

I'm a bit confused. Are we only suppose to put stuff we did during medical school on the application? Or does that include stuff in undergrad and years taken off before medical school? If we put undergrad stuff, I'm pulling out my copy of my AMCAS!

 

[txguy]

I'm a bit confused. Are we only suppose to put stuff we did during medical school on the application? Or does that include stuff in undergrad and years taken off before medical school? If we put undergrad stuff, I'm pulling out my copy of my AMCAS!

I'm also wondering the same thing. Here's what ERAS says: "List only experience that you believe is relevant to your application."

So why list landscaping and random odd jobs? Isn't that overkill?

 

[kc09]

I'm wondering the same thing as well. I thought we are only supposed to submit relevant experiences....such has those pertaining to medicine, teaching, etc. Are people putting things like waitressing, landscaping, etc? I've had a ton of jobs in the past but didn't put any of them down because I don't feel that they are relevant.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If it's not relevant, then I think I'd leave it out. It simply ends up being filler, and detracts from the relevant things which are listed.

If you "worked as a landscaper", I'd say that wasn't very relevant.

if you "Started and ran your own landscaping company", then that sounds relevant. However, if your "landscaping company" actually consisted of you mowing your neighbor's lawns for $25, then again, not relevant.