How are my ECs?

[reaction mechanisms]

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For reference: GPA is 3.9+ and I have not taken the MCAT.

70 hours: hospital (still active in volunteering here so plan to have 100+ hours)

2 semesters: biology lab TA

30 hours: volunteering to feed the homeless

1700 hours give or take: 1 year working full time as a medical receptionist for an OB/GYN Clinic

^ The above all occurred while enrolled in school full time.

Before I began college:

I assisted in the operation of a non-profit cat rescue for feral mom cats/kittens. I was active in this for 9 months but I’m not sure how to document the hours because I pretty much always had cats/kittens in my care and was consistently working to reach out to the community, find forever homes for our cats, and collaborate with the local animal shelters to relieve their overcrowding.


Where do I need to improve? And how should I word/document my volunteerism with the non-profit cat rescue?

I know my non-clinical volunteer hours (while enrolled in college) are low, but as a non traditional applicant who chose to pursue medicine as a second career and go to college later in life, will my pre-college volunteer hours make up for this?

I have a 2 year old so it’s difficult to find time to take on so much.




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[AnotherLawyer]

Having kids and a job myself, I feel your pain. With that said, you must get some shadowing experience. I would also recommend keeping active at the hospital until next May/June when you apply. The more hours the better.

Beyond that, your GPA is great so if you can do well on the MCAT you should be in excellent shape. Good luck!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I assisted in the operation of a non-profit cat rescue for feral mom cats/kittens. I was active in this for 9 months but I’m not sure how to document the hours because I pretty much always had cats/kittens in my care and was consistently working to reach out to the community, find forever homes for our cats, and collaborate with the local animal shelters to relieve their overcrowding.

And how should I word/document my volunteerism with the non-profit cat rescue?

You're going into medicine to treat human beings. Unfortunately, I would advise against putting this as one of your 15 activities on the AMCAS. It's great you are doing this, but Adcoms will raise questions regarding why not look into veterinary medicine? If it comes up during an interview then you can mention that you loved the experience of working with the community.

With the understanding that you have a child and limited time, you can increase your hours feeding the homeless or find another nonclinical volunteering position helping low-income or underserved populations.

Get some primary care physician shadowing in FM, IM, Peds.

 

[tryptamine]

You're going into medicine to treat human beings. Unfortunately, I would advise against putting this as one of your 15 activities on the AMCAS. It's great you are doing this, but Adcoms will raise questions regarding why not look into veterinary medicine?

I see what you're getting at here, but I think I'd disagree. Granted, I've not had any experience with medical school admissions as of yet, but dedicating time and showing compassion in this way doesn't seem to detract from the mission and trajectory of becoming a physician. It might be a different story if they had been working as a vet tech or doing research in veterinary medicine, but given the broad diversity of interests that people have and put on that activities page, I think this is just as worthwhile as most anything else someone might list in the "unrelated to medicine" category. Putting down an interest in cooking won't elicit questions of "why not look into becoming a chef?" Interests are interests, OP-- communicate your passion and what you get out of the experience, and you ought to be fine.

 

[reaction mechanisms]

I see what you're getting at here, but I think I'd disagree. Granted, I've not had any experience with medical school admissions as of yet, but dedicating time and showing compassion in this way doesn't seem to detract from the mission and trajectory of becoming a physician. It might be a different story if they had been working as a vet tech or doing research in veterinary medicine, but given the broad diversity of interests that people have and put on that activities page, I think this is just as worthwhile as most anything else someone might list in the "unrelated to medicine" category. Putting down an interest in cooking won't elicit questions of "why not look into becoming a chef?" Interests are interests, OP-- communicate your passion and what you get out of the experience, and you ought to be fine.

Thank you. I’ve never been interested in becoming a veterinarian, so I would feel confident and comfortable in answering those questions if brought up during an interview. I think it shows my involvement in the community and my passion for caring for living creatures.


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[SpoiledMilk]

I am interested in hearing an Adcom's perspective. If they are on board with listing it, then I will retract my advice and am not above admitting my mistake. @LizzyM Although @Catalystik @Goro might give you auto-acceptances

 

[Catalystik]

Before I began college: I assisted in the operation of a non-profit cat rescue for feral mom cats/kittens. I was active in this for 9 months but I’m not sure how to document the hours because I pretty much always had cats/kittens in my care and was consistently working to reach out to the community, find forever homes for our cats, and collaborate with the local animal shelters to relieve their overcrowding.

So long as the cat rescue involvement did not take place wholly during the high school years, you're fine to list it. Make a best faith effort to list a believable number of hours. If, in addition to administrative work, shelter visits, etc, you fostered cats in your home, consider including just the cuddling/active-interaction time (definitely not 24 hours per day). Ideally, you'd use one of the other organizers as a Contact and be sure they agree with the timeframe and hours you include on the application.

 

[Catalystik]

You're going into medicine to treat human beings. Unfortunately, I would advise against putting this as one of your 15 activities on the AMCAS. It's great you are doing this, but Adcoms will raise questions regarding why not look into veterinary medicine?

Like @tryptamine, I disagree.

I am interested in hearing an Adcom's perspective. If they are on board with listing it, then I will retract my advice and am not above admitting my mistake.

Go for it.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I stand corrected.

 

[reaction mechanisms]

So long as the cat rescue involvement did not take place wholly during the high school years, you're fine to list it. Make a best faith effort to list a believable number of hours. If, in addition to administrative work, shelter visits, etc, you fostered cats in your home, consider including just the cuddling/active-interaction time (definitely not 24 hours per day). Ideally, you'd use one of the other organizers as a Contact and be sure they agree with the timeframe and hours you include on the application.

Nowhere near high school years. I’m old, haha.

Thank you for your input @Catalystik


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