How am I doing so far EC/Volunteering wise?

[Jambino]

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Hi all!! I just wanted some suggestions/comments if possible to see how I'm doing so far. My dream would be to enter UT Southwestern, but realizing how hard it is to get accepted into that school, any med school would be great 🙂. Apart from the obvious perfect GPA score and high MCAT, I'm looking for help on volunteering/ECs. Also, I have three years left for undergrad (I'm a sophomore, but I'm taking an extra year to utilize summers for EC/Volunteering)

Major: Psychology

Clinical:
- Hospice volunteering (~300 hours). Should be 1000+ by the time I graduate
- Shadowing IM doc 50 hours
- Shadowing FP doc 20 hours

Nonclinical:
- Volunteering at an AIDS organization, helping answer phones, talking to clients and setting up events. Around 100 hours currently.

Paid Work:
- Clerk from 2007-2009
- Administrative Assistant / Intake Coordinator for a large Health Agency. Basically I screen patients, talk to physicians about any problems/events, keep things up to date, interact with patients and nurses, work with the Director, and verify insurance. 2009-to present (same agency as clerk).

Originally I thought that I should diversify my clinical volunteering, but a lot of people have told me that sticking to one or two organizations is usually something Adcoms love, especially with the amt of hours I have put in. Any suggestions on that or anything else???

Also, fortunately for me research & internship are required for the Psychology BA degree. I am hoping to include this later on

Please let me know, thanks!!!!!!!! 🙂

 

[Catalystik]

What you've outlined looks fine. I'd also strategize to gain some leadership experience. And if a teaching/tutoring/TA gig comes along, maybe do that too. Try to get a year of research if possible, but I think that UTSW would rather see two years.

 

[Jambino]

Thanks Catalystic! I have definitely seen and heard that research is very important to UTSW. I'm hoping I will be graced to do one someday 🙂.

Anyone have any suggestions about the diversity on volunteering??

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

what about non-health related ec's? you need to have outside interests.

 

[Jambino]

what about non-health related ec's? you need to have outside interests.

Hey msb1190, thanks for the reply! That's a good suggestion, I haven't thought about that. I'm an undefeated amateur boxer, I also own a few online businesses, but those are health related too lol

Maybe I should get into something else.. don't really have any ideas though. Any suggestions?

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

boxing is a great one. other IM sports, an instrument, chess, habitat for humanity, whatever you like to do.

 

[JenniferRU]

Sorry to hijack, but how would it look if you put down drag racing as a hobby?

 

[Narmerguy]

I'm utterly shocked no one came on here saying, very wittily might I add, "you will never get into medical school, save babies in Africa" or something along those lines. Perhaps I came too soon. Oh well, I'm proud of SDN for once.

 

[noshie]

I'm utterly shocked no one came on here saying, very wittily might I add, "you will never get into medical school, save babies in Africa" or something along those lines. Perhaps I came too soon. Oh well, I'm proud of SDN for once.

You know I was just asking myself if I was in the right forum... Haha.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

(I'm a sophomore, but I'm taking an extra year to utilize summers for EC/Volunteering)

😕

A B.A. is a four year degree WITH summers off. If you're taking summers off then it should take you four years to complete said degree. What's the extra year for? Get in and get out. Save yourself the money on frivolous tuition.

 

[Jambino]

😕

A B.A. is a four year degree WITH summers off. If you're taking summers off then it should take you four years to complete said degree. What's the extra year for? Get in and get out. Save yourself the money on frivolous tuition.

I was originally an undeclared major, basically trying out different things to see if Medicine was truly for me or not. Also, I needed to add in the pre-med reqs, which add much more classes that are not already included in the BA program. So, I still have to complete the entire BA curriculum for Psychology + premed reqs