How are my ECs?

[skyblue2000]

The following is just a brief overview of my ECs...I was hoping you guys could provide feedback 🙂

1) Subway sandwiches--family business 2004-present. In charge when required
2) Clinical research assistant- dec 2009-present -video-tape babies being immunized and collect data. Not involved in coding or anything else like that.
3) Receptionist for Pediatrician's office- May 2010 (starting soon)-August 2010. The pediatrician whose office I conduct the research in offered me the job.
4) Schizophrenia society volunteer and member of walk of hope committee--2002-Present
5) Hospital volunteering--oct 2008-jan 2009, Feb 2010-Present
6) Shadowing family physician- Dec 2009-Present
7) Tutorial facilitator--Sept 2009-Present-- Help TA tutorial for 1st year psych course
8) Sexual Assault Survivor's Support Line Volunteer--September 2009-December 2009
9) Conference Organizer for Student Leadership--October 2008-November 2009
10) Exam scribe/Real estate secretary (joining together as sort of confidentiality and accuracy related jobs)--Scribe: Sept 2008-April 2009, Real estate April 2009-August 2009
11) Director for on campus club April 2008- May 2009
12) Conferences attended--all related to leadership
13) Awards received--from various jobs and clubs
14) Coordinator for club, in which I later became director (Number 11) --August 2007-April 2008
15) Academic awards/recognitions--entrance scholarship and dean's list.

**I'm worried that because I am presently doing a bunch of stuff, I don't know if that would appear as I am dedicated to becoming a physician and I am really trying to get to know the field, or if it will seem like i'm trying to fit everything in right at the end? Though, most of the activities are about a year long commitment, or more.

As well, I am Canadian and my cGPA is 3.72 and sGPA is 3.66. I haven't written the MCAT yet, but I will be applying this summer (JUNE!)...and right now I am doing really sucky in practice tests. Overall, how would my application look? Considering I do eventually get an "ok" MCAT score--though i'm not sure what "ok" really is as a Canadian.

Thanks for feedback in advance 🙂

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[bravofleet4]

you want to build a consistent picture of yourself and not necessarily a smorgasbord of experiences. I'm not saying that's what you are but you should aim for experiences that truly appeal to your interests, so that people can get a good idea of what kind of person you are.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Mmmm Subway...
Seriously though everything looks fine, it looks like you've got all your bases covered. Although, stating how many hours you spent at each activity is a little bit more useful than the time just because there can be such variation in it. (You could have easily volunteered 200 hours a year or just 40 hours a year).

Also: "write" a test. I'll never get used to that

if you're trying to get into a US allo school as a Canadian an MCAT of 35+ would be ideal.

 

[skyblue2000]

you want to build a consistent picture of yourself and not necessarily a smorgasbord of experiences. I'm not saying that's what you are but you should aim for experiences that truly appeal to your interests, so that people can get a good idea of what kind of person you are.

You could easily combine most of my activities into clinical experience and leadership, and those are my two greatest interests.

Mmmm Subway...
Seriously though everything looks fine, it looks like you've got all your bases covered. Although, stating how many hours you spent at each activity is a little bit more useful than the time just because there can be such variation in it. (You could have easily volunteered 200 hours a year or just 40 hours a year).

Also: "write" a test. I'll never get used to that

if you're trying to get into a US allo school as a Canadian an MCAT of 35+ would be ideal.

Sigh! I don't think a 35+ is within reach for me ATM...that's why I said an "ok" score (if a 35 is ok, then I'm definitely screwed!) 🙁

In terms of the time, I just wanted to keep my original post as short as possible, but the research is about 12 hrs a week, and the hospital and shadowing are each 3-4 hrs a week. Those 3 are my biggest responsibilities right now.

 

[bravofleet4]

it's also about quality rather than quantity. when you describe your activities you want to emphasize how your responsibilities in each activity have grown over time. for example, the clinical research assistant job and being offered a job there later. For your leadership positions, you'll need to talk about personal contributions in the background of whatever your club as a whole accomplished.

if you want more comments then i would suggest you organize your activities the way you think they should be under. it'll help prepare you for how you want to later enter them into your primary application. Is the reason you even listed 15 things is b/c there are that many spots for EC's on the primary app haha?

it's like this. if you did research and you say did it in 3 different undergrad labs it still wouldn't compare to just doing research in 1 lab and having a publication to show for it.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

You could easily combine most of my activities into clinical experience and leadership, and those are my two greatest interests.



Sigh! I don't think a 35+ is within reach for me ATM...that's why I said an "ok" score (if a 35 is ok, then I'm definitely screwed!) 🙁

In terms of the time, I just wanted to keep my original post as short as possible, but the research is about 12 hrs a week, and the hospital and shadowing are each 3-4 hrs a week. Those 3 are my biggest responsibilities right now.

Well a 32-33 is 90 percentile so that too should be fine. I have might have overshot it with the 35 because for some reason I assumed you wanted to go to school in cali XD

 

[skyblue2000]

it's also about quality rather than quantity. when you describe your activities you want to emphasize how your responsibilities in each activity have grown over time. for example, the clinical research assistant job and being offered a job there later. For your leadership positions, you'll need to talk about personal contributions in the background of whatever your club as a whole accomplished.

if you want more comments then i would suggest you organize your activities the way you think they should be under. it'll help prepare you for how you want to later enter them into your primary application. Is the reason you even listed 15 things is b/c there are that many spots for EC's on the primary app haha?

haha Ya- I already drafted my work/activities list, so I just summed up them briefly here to see the response.

Well a 32-33 is 90 percentile so that too should be fine. I have might have overshot it with the 35 because for some reason I assumed you wanted to go to school in cali XD

Excellent 🙂 Im not looking into California schools at all! Their competitive enough as a US citizen, and I am pretty average and Canadian, so I don't think I'm even going to apply there.

 

[skyblue2000]

One more thing Bravo, you mentioned that I should highlight promotions within the activity (research to receptionist job, and also for the on campus club of being coordinator and then director the year after). I have these actiotirs seperately (so the above are 4 different activities) because I don't have enough room in the description to discuss them in groups....

Is there anything wrong with seperating them, because it's not like the description is empty and thus making it look like I'm just trying to fill slots.

 

[bravofleet4]

yes i think there is something wrong with separating them b/c it makes it appear like you just moved between a whole bunch of little jobs, staying for only a short time, and moved onto the next thing versus committing yourself to a few select causes for several years and advancing up the ladder. Big difference right?

 

[Catalystik]

The following is just a brief overview of my ECs...I was hoping you guys could provide feedback 🙂

I want to see your interest in Bollywood movies back on the list.:cry:

 

[skyblue2000]

I want to see your interest in Bollywood movies back on the list.:cry:

LOL

You know what, after seeing the list here, I was really missing my bollywood activity! I think i've worked out how to actually make it into something more than "I like to watch movies" ....I was going to incorporate it into reading books about indian women moving to North America, their journey, and relate it to me. BUT, I was thinking that this will kind of make an activity in what should be in my PS - which i'm assuming in a no-no.

 

[Catalystik]

I really liked LizzyM's idea of putting it under artistic endeavors.

And yeah, the PS should focus on Why Medicine.