How late can we start an EC?

[bbdylan87]

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At what point does starting an EC look like an applicant is simply trying to polish their application for medical school? I ask because I started a few EC late, but that was a genuine fault in my part in that I did not realize the great diversity of volunteering opportunities out there (even if I find a volunteering opportunity that I like after I apply for MS, I would still apply for it), not because I was box checking for MS. Obviously it looks best to start freshmen year, but let's not wish for something that cannot be changed (I'm not a freshmen, sophomore, or junior). I'm in the situation I'm in now, and assuming that hours are not a problem (>150hrs), how late can an applicant begin an EC (assuming that that a form of clinical work/volunteering have already begun) before ADCOMS classify it as box-checking

 

[AllBleedingStops]

Well you are kind of stuck aren't you? Start now and do a bunch. Stick with it through the application cycle. I had a short term activity that was a big addition to my app and it only started a couple months before I submitted my primary.

 

[bbdylan87]

Well you are kind of stuck aren't you? Start now and do a bunch. Stick with it through the application cycle. I had a short term activity that was a big addition to my app and it only started a couple months before I submitted my primary.

Not really stuck at all, like I said I have multiple EC that were done throughout my academic career (with the more important ones done early on). I also mentioned that I would have started these EC regardless of whether or not I have applied to medical school (or even while I am in MS). I am just looking for an answer as to when certain EC may be seen as box-checking

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Not really stuck at all, like I said I have multiple EC that were done throughout my academic career (with the more important ones done early on). I also mentioned that I would have started these EC regardless of whether or not I have applied to medical school (or even while I am in MS). I am just looking for an answer as to when certain EC may be seen as box-checking

If it means something to you, I don’t think it really matters if you just started it. They might look at it a little suspiciously, but if you can write and speak about it in depth and passionately, I doubt it’ll look like box checking.

But what do I know lol.

 

[Catalystik]

I said I have multiple EC that were done throughout my academic career (with the more important ones done early on). I also mentioned that I would have started these EC regardless of whether or not I have applied to medical school (or even while I am in MS). I am just looking for an answer as to when certain EC may be seen as box-checking

It would help to know the category to which you're referring, months of the given activity completed at application time, and whether you have anything else in that same category already.

 

[bbdylan87]

It would help to know the category to which you're referring, months of the given activity completed at application time, and whether you have anything else in that same category already.

Let's say non-clinical volunteering, research, and clinical work (but clinical volunteering has already been done)

 

[Catalystik]

Let's say 1) non-clinical volunteering, 2) research, and 3) clinical work (but clinical volunteering has already been done)

1) If you haven't been heavily employed during the college years, aren't ex-military, Peace Corps or similar, and haven't done any nonmedical community service at all, and start 6 months before applying, it will look like box checking. Other adcomms are probably less lenient.

2) 1 term or 1 summer covers the bases. No need for additional longevity for schools that aren't research-oriented.

3) Not an issue, if you had some in a previous college timeframe with a decent number of hours, to start up again in a new venue.

 

[Phile98]

@Catalystik for shadowing, is it ok if I get all of my hours the year before applying? For everything else, I have started since freshman year.

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik for shadowing, is it ok if I get all of my hours the year before applying? For everything else, I have started since freshman year.

You can get your shadowing hours in a month before you apply over a few weekends, and you'll be fine. A longitudinal experience is not necessary for shadowing. Of course, I'd hope you might have done some sooner than that so you have time to thoughtfully consider whether medicine is right for you.

Edit: if you plan to include DO med schools, be sure to start sooner (like a few months sooner) so you can qualify for a DO LOR.

 

[bbdylan87]

1) If you haven't been heavily employed during the college years, aren't ex-military, Peace Corps or similar, and haven't done any nonmedical community service at all, and start 6 months before applying, it will look like box checking. Other adcomms are probably less lenient.

2) 1 term or 1 summer covers the bases. No need for additional longevity for schools that aren't research-oriented.

3) Not an issue, if you had some in a previous college timeframe with a decent number of hours, to start up again in a new venue.

Thanks for the help. If non-clinical volunteering was done 1.5years before application submission, would that be seen as genuine rather than "box-checking" even at the less lenient schools?

 

[Catalystik]

If non-clinical volunteering was done 1.5years before application submission, would that be seen as genuine rather than "box-checking" even at the less lenient schools?

Yes.

 

[Medtobe345]

@Catalystik @Matthew9Thirtyfive
I have similar questions as OP. I am about to become a senior this year and will apply next summer. I plan to improve my clinical and non-clinical volunteering during this year. Hopefully, I can reach about 200 hr in each category by the time I apply. I am also taking a gap year, so I plan to continue my volunteering until I matriculate. I have about 60 hours of non clincial volunteering, shadowing, leasership with on campus ECs, and 2 jobs that I have been working during the school year. Just wanted to get opinions about how adcoms would view my application if the bulk of my volunteering occurred during the year before the application. Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik @Matthew9Thirtyfive
I have similar questions as OP. I am about to become a senior this year and will apply next summer. I plan to improve my clinical and non-clinical volunteering during this year. Hopefully, I can reach about 200 hr in each category by the time I apply. I am also taking a gap year, so I plan to continue my volunteering until I matriculate. I have about 60 hours of non clincial volunteering, shadowing, leasership with on campus ECs, and 2 jobs that I have been working during the school year. Just wanted to get opinions about how adcoms would view my application if the bulk of my volunteering occurred during the year before the application.

1)When did you start the nonclinical volunteering?
2) How many shadowing hours so far and what type of docs?
3) Do you have any active clinical experience yet, though a job or volunteer position? If not, when will you start?

 

[Medtobe345]

1)When did you start the nonclinical volunteering?
2) How many shadowing hours so far and what type of docs?
3) Do you have any active clinical experience yet, though a job or volunteer position? If not, when will you start?

1. Started non-clinical volunteering second semester freshman year for 20 hours and 40 hrs during second semester sophomore year
2. 80 hr split between an Ob Gyn and Family Medicine
3. One of my jobs is being a reasearch assistant for the emergency department, so I respond to trauma pages and enroll patients in clincial studies. I will start clinical volunteering in the fall since I am working full time now.

 

[Catalystik]

1. Started non-clinical volunteering second semester freshman year for 20 hours and 40 hrs during second semester sophomore year
2. 80 hr split between an Ob Gyn and Family Medicine
3. One of my jobs is being a reasearch assistant for the emergency department, so I respond to trauma pages and enroll patients in clincial studies. I will start clinical volunteering in the fall since I am working full time now.

1) & 2) sound good. You have enough physician shadowing, so you can give more time elsewhere. (About 50 hours is the average listed, and you have primary care observation covered well.)

3) So you have active clinical experience through a job since the beginning of the last academic year (Aug 2017)? And you'll add about 9 months of clinical volunteering before you apply. I would view this as adequate patient exposure so that you know what you're getting into by pursuing medicine as a career. Will you categorize the current clinical research experience as Employment Clinical, so adcomms don't miss this important patient experience, or did you plan to tag it as Research? Do you have other research involvement?

 

[Medtobe345]

1) & 2) sound good. You have enough physician shadowing, so you can give more time elsewhere. (About 50 hours is the average listed, and you have primary care observation covered well.)

3) So you have active clinical experience through a job since the beginning of the last academic year (Aug 2017)? And you'll add about 9 months of clinical volunteering before you apply. I would view this as adequate patient exposure so that you know what you're getting into by pursuing medicine as a career. Will you categorize the current clinical research experience as Employment Clinical, so adcomms don't miss this important patient experience, or did you plan to tag it as Research? Do you have other research involvement?

I started my job spring semester of Junior year, so when I apply next year, I will be at that job for about 1.5 years. I will tag it as Employment Clinical since we don't directly interpret the data for the studies. I have been in research since freshman year with a HIV lab and have a poster from that, so I will tag that as my research experience. My other job that I have had since beginning of sophomore year has been working as a hospital lab assistant where I process specimens like blood, urine, etc. I will probably just list it as regular employment since I do not directly interact with patients. Does that sound like an appropriate way to categorize my activities?

 

[Catalystik]

1) I started my job spring semester of Junior year, so when I apply next year, I will be at that job for about 1.5 years. I will tag it as Employment Clinical since we don't directly interpret the data for the studies.
2) I have been in research since freshman year with a HIV lab and have a poster from that, so I will tag that as my research experience.
3) My other job that I have had since beginning of sophomore year has been working as a hospital lab assistant where I process specimens like blood, urine, etc. I will probably just list it as regular employment since I do not directly interact with patients.

Does that sound like an appropriate way to categorize my activities?

Perfect!