How detrimental is a lack of leadership?

[turtleduck]

Currently a junior. My college experience honestly has not been the greatest. I seriously struggled to get involved on campus and in clubs due to hesitancy as well as COVID, and my school is about to go fully remote for the first 2 weeks again in January (which will likely be extended for longer) due to Omicron. I have been a part of zero on-campus clubs or organizations. Since I'm already a junior, I am unsure if I have enough time to pursue leadership opportunities before I graduate. Most of my volunteering is done off-campus, and while I enjoy the organizations I volunteer for and can speak/write about them well, I feel like there will be a lack of initiative and leadership in my activities. How bad is this?

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[Catalystik]

Currently a junior. My college experience honestly has not been the greatest. I seriously struggled to get involved on campus and in clubs due to hesitancy as well as COVID, and my school is about to go fully remote for the first 2 weeks again in January (which will likely be extended for longer) due to Omicron. I have been a part of zero on-campus clubs or organizations. Since I'm already a junior, I am unsure if I have enough time to pursue leadership opportunities before I graduate. Most of my volunteering is done off-campus, and while I enjoy the organizations I volunteer for and can speak/write about them well, I feel like there will be a lack of initiative and leadership in my activities. How bad is this?

Schools that include in their Mission Statement that they aim to train future leaders in medicine, will want to see strong leadership experience. Even that lacking may be overcome, though, if you are particularly strong in some other field of endeavor important to them.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Currently a junior. My college experience honestly has not been the greatest. I seriously struggled to get involved on campus and in clubs due to hesitancy as well as COVID, and my school is about to go fully remote for the first 2 weeks again in January (which will likely be extended for longer) due to Omicron. I have been a part of zero on-campus clubs or organizations. Since I'm already a junior, I am unsure if I have enough time to pursue leadership opportunities before I graduate. Most of my volunteering is done off-campus, and while I enjoy the organizations I volunteer for and can speak/write about them well, I feel like there will be a lack of initiative and leadership in my activities. How bad is this?

Med school admissions is a competitive process, and if there are other applicants similar to you who have leadership -- have shown that they can work with people and influence them -- they will have an advantage.

Realize that leadership is not just titles. It is the ability to effect change, to influence, and to motivate. Supposedly Eisenhower defined it as "the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it" Have you done so without a leadership title? Then you have led. And you will want to highlight that activity perhaps in an activity description or MME.

Any reason you can't assume a leadership role off-campus in the organizations that you've been a part of?

 

[BeMoConsulting]

Hi there! We all know that applicants’ leadership skills are incredibly valued by admission committees. That being said, leadership comes in many forms, and even if you haven’t run for office or been the captain of a sports team, you could still demonstrate leadership through other things like organizing a fundraiser at your school or discussing your involvement in the school council, team projects, traveling abroad, and so on. What you need to do is reflect on experiences where you showed initiative and led by example. Leadership skills must be included in your application because they indicate many other qualities important for being a physician, such as the ability to take on responsibilities for others, team-building skills, communication, and so on. If you are worried that you do not have any experiences that show your leadership, be sure to deeply reflect on your extracurriculars for medical school and activities within academia. Do you help your classmates with homework? Are you a leader during class seminars or labs? Do you always show initiative in your volunteer work? All these are examples of leadership qualities, so make sure to think carefully about your own experiences. Best of luck to you!