Hobbies/Interests on ERAS?

[Chibucks15]

Hey guys so I'm working through ERAS and came on the hobbies and interests section. I just copied and pasted my bottom line from my paper CV on there but they give you so many characters. Are you guys expanding on anything you write?

Also, as of now I didn't put on skeet shooting and hunting in an effort to play to the crowd. I won't really be applying anywhere outside the upper midwest but I'm always wary when it comes to these kinds of things. Should i say screw it and put it anyway?

I'm happy ERAS is finally open but it feels weird when I literally don't have anything scheduled rotation wise for this fall...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Also, as of now I didn't put on skeet shooting and hunting in an effort to play to the crowd. I won't really be applying anywhere outside the upper midwest but I'm always wary when it comes to these kinds of things. Should i say screw it and put it anyway?

I put hunting on mine.

 

[Chibucks15]

I put hunting on mine.

I feel like in the midwest that'll fly I just don't wanna get on the wrong side of somebody because of political nonsense

 

[Sardonix]

On my CV I listed my hobbies quite simple: "reading, running, underwater basketweaving, beginner kurmfurling blah blah blah..." But with the extra space on ERAS I did flesh things out a bit an wrote like a sentence for each hobby. Was this necessary? No. Did it assuage my neuroticism? Slightly.

As for shooting, I am a pretty liberal person but admittedly also from the midwest. While I myself do not shoot, I respect people who do and would be seriously weirded out if I met a fanatic who judged fellow medical professionals for shooting, hunting, etc. You could maybe find these kinds of people in the heart of NYC or San Fran where they never see anything larger than a rat and think deer are beautiful, cherubic gifts from mother gaia instead of the obnoxious, disease carrying pests they are in reality. Feel free to list it, in my opinion.

 

[Scrubs101]

Pretty left leaning dude also from the midwest, I go shooting with friends a few times a year- tons of fun and I think it'd be a positive unique hobby to put for 95% of people. I don't think you can make everyone happy when trying to portray yourself and so as long as you don't put "most dangerous game hunter" on your CV I think the +/- would even out as some people will find it interesting even if a small minority judge you for it.

 

[Espressso]

I'd see the hesitation if applying to California programs. I'm also from the midwest and think you shouldn't be weary of listing it.

 

[Neopolymath]

I think the hobbies section predominantly provides talking points for the interviews but also can be a view into the type of personality the applicant has. I just dropped a sentence or two for each one explaining them a bit more because they really define me as a person. People who know what I do outside of work understand my personality far better if they have been exposed to my hobbies. It just kinda puts me at work into perspective more in a good way.

I vote to put a sentence down. It won't hurt anything and might help.

 

[ciestar]

I listed them with no explanation and most of my interviews asked me to elaborate.

 

[NVO]

I met a guy that put hunting on his ERAS, wore cowboy boots with his suit, and talked about a recent time he nearly stepped on a rattlesnake but his buddy was able to shoot and kill it as it was right next to his foot.

You don't seem as extra as that, so I say go for it and list it.

 

[Chibucks15]

I met a guy that put hunting on his ERAS, wore cowboy boots with his suit, and talked about a recent time he nearly stepped on a rattlesnake but his buddy was able to shoot and kill it as it was right next to his foot.

You don't seem as extra as that, so I say go for it and list it.

Hahaha I try to be more Iowa than Texas but I’ll be sure to draw that line

 

[Sardonix]

I think the hobbies section predominantly provides talking points for the interviews but also can be a view into the type of personality the applicant has. I just dropped a sentence or two for each one explaining them a bit more because they really define me as a person. People who know what I do outside of work understand my personality far better if they have been exposed to my hobbies. It just kinda puts me at work into perspective more in a good way.

I vote to put a sentence down. It won't hurt anything and might help.

This is the way.

Hahaha I try to be more Iowa than Texas but I’ll be sure to draw that line

As a neighbor, perhaps try to be a bit more aspirational. BOOYAH.

 

[Candidate2017]

I scan the hobbies portion to see if there's anything interesting to discuss with applicants but don't put any particular importance on them. That said, residencies/academics are left leaning regardless of geography. The powers that be at my program are vocally anti-gun.

Maybe listing hunting and shooting will be ok at a community ortho bro program in the midwest. Otherwise, you don't want to be referred to as the gun guy during ranking meetings. You made it this far, play it safe. Not worth it in my opinion to list it as a hobby.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I scan the hobbies portion to see if there's anything interesting to discuss with applicants but don't put any particular importance on them. That said, residencies/academics are left leaning regardless of geography. The powers that be at my program are vocally anti-gun.

Maybe listing hunting and shooting will be ok at a community ortho bro program in the midwest. Otherwise, you don't want to be referred to as the gun guy during ranking meetings. You made it this far, play it safe. Not worth it in my opinion to list it as a hobby.

If a program is so anti-gun that they can't recognize shooting or hunting as valid hobbies (even if they don't do them) and would judge me for that then I 100% never want to be at that program.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

applying to residency and fellowship isn't the same as med school. in med school, you gotta be super conservative just to get in, but when you are in, things change. you want to go somewhere you feel comfortable. If you are a hardcore trump supporter, do you want to go to a residency that is a drastic left? probably not. I would say put down hunting and shooting if they are important to you and find a place that accepts you.

 

[Chibucks15]

If a program is so anti-gun that they can't recognize shooting or hunting as valid hobbies (even if they don't do them) and would judge me for that then I 100% never want to be at that program.

If people think a damn 12 gauge (with a plug when the DNR is around) is dangerous as the media says it is then they’re a little out of touch. I’ll throw it on there glad other people are more reasonable. Appreciate it. Honestly don’t know how I would’ve gotten through med school without hitting some orange circles that’s for sure. Stress relief for days.

EDIT: got a 58 Browning A5 Light twelve Belgium made if anyone wants to nerd out with me. Found it on the used rack somehow and was stunned. Up here by me you don’t come across em much

 

[Candidate2017]

I’m definitely more right leaning than left and I had something plastered all over my app that would probably ruffle the left more than what you wrote. I still got over 20 interviews and I matched to my #1 in a very liberal city.

Hardly anyone even brought it up and when they did it was much more out of interest than disgust.

Be yourself man. If a place doesn’t want you for being you, would you really want to end up there?

Anecdata is all well and good. But it just takes one person to speak up at the ranking meeting and say they don't like an applicant for whatever BS, even if everyone likes you. Residencies/academia are not exactly known as bastions of your constitutional rights or even contractual agreements. Some of my co-residents have guns, hunt etc but no one is going to educate an attending when they say something stupid about guns. Hell, when was the last time a surgical intern spoke up about averaging 90 hrs/week and have it work out well? Bottom line: play it cool, do your thing on your own time, residency sucks.