Hours in AMCAS

[moto_za]

Do most med schools check the number of hours you have volunteered/worked per week? I could imagine many ppl (my sel included) would be tempted to round up there hours a little? any thoughts? thanks

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[seadizzle]

lying is a great way to start your medical career

 

[StritchMD2011]

I'd try to be as accurate as possible, but no - it is highly unlikely that anyone will actually check up on the exact number of hours that you did something. It's especially true because many volunteer places don't keep strict records of time volunteered (at least the places I spent time...).

Just be honest. Adding 10 hours of shadowing or something is really not going to benefit your application. Lying can only hurt your application though if the truth comes out.

 

[Dayne]

Let's say if you volunteered at a hospital on and off for three years, but your total number of hours only adds up to 200 hours. Is it okay just to list the total number of hours instead of the number hours per week? In essence, you are not volunteering every week.

 

[Vvandenn]

Let's say if you volunteered at a hospital on and off for three years, but your total number of hours only adds up to 200 hours. Is it okay just to list the total number of hours instead of the number hours per week? In essence, you are not volunteering every week.

Yeah, I'd also like to know.

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

Let's say if you volunteered at a hospital on and off for three years, but your total number of hours only adds up to 200 hours. Is it okay just to list the total number of hours instead of the number hours per week? In essence, you are not volunteering every week.

This is probably the type of thing you could explain in the comment section. I would put the hours/week that you put in when you were volunteering, and then explain that you did this off and on.

 

[lunaire]

Let's say if you volunteered at a hospital on and off for three years, but your total number of hours only adds up to 200 hours. Is it okay just to list the total number of hours instead of the number hours per week? In essence, you are not volunteering every week.

I don't really remember the exact instruction in the AMCAS app, but for on/off activities, I just divided the total by the number of weeks, the added a distribution of the hours in the description section.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

Unlikely your info will be checked, but not impossible. If you are found out to have falsified anything on your application, even something seemingly as trivial as this, you're done. Bottom line, not worth it.

 

[karmega5]

One of my interviewers had me add up all my hours per week for him during the interview, and compared it with what I had in AMCAS. Then he asked me to explain my weekly schedule and how it all fit, and commented that it seemed reasonable. He also said anything over a certain number of hours, and he would begin to suspect someone of lying, but that mine seemed "about right." Just explain in the comments section and be ready to back it up. No reason to lie- they know you're busy and can't give 80 hours a week to feeding the homeless- they just want to see that you can manage time and care about people.

 

[searun]

If your question is : " Can I get away with being a lying lowlife to gain an advantage over people who tell the truth?" The answer to that question is "probably yes." The odds of getting caught are pretty low. It is extremely unlikely that your hours are going to be checked or verified by anyone. But there is a downside. When you go to sleep at night, just before that last flicker of consciousness recedes and dreams begin, you will realize that you are a fraud and a lying lowlife. But if that does not bother you, then let the lies begin. But I would not want you for my doctor or anyone that I care about. But hey, take some botox when you get wrinkles so your face looks good, if a little frozen, like your sense of ethics.

 

[lsumedgirl]

How much "rounding up" are you talking about? If it's a matter of taking 12.5 hours a week, and listing 13, I'd say it's no huge deal. You're just going up to the next whole number. But if you're talking about taking 12.5 hours and rounding up to 20, I'd have to say NO!

It all boils down to the question, are you listing a couple of extra minutes, or a couple of extra hours?

 

[63768]

sure you can lie. no one will check because they receive so many apps a year, it'd be impossible to even follow one application up. however, adcoms can smell bs, and if you can fool them, you'll be grilled and tested by the interviewer. those people can smell bs from a mile away so if you're going to lie (which i'm not condoning), i'd make sure you know your stuff.

 

[Surf Rx]

Lying makes baby Jesus cry.