Importance of extra cirricular activities

[Angeltel27]

I am currently finishing my BS and have another year to go. As long as things stay on track, I plan on taking the MCAT in 2014. I will be 30. I am a stay at home mom (he just turned 1!) and am wondering how much weight extra ciricular activities hold for Med school applications for NonTrads. I joined Science Club at my school and it's full of a bunch of kids doing kid activities. I'm assuming all other school related groups will be the same.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PTAtoMD]

While I am not a med student or advisor to say for sure...I do know that admissions will want you to have some time spent with "sick people" or "around medicine". It could be a part time tech job in a hospital or clinic, it could be volunteering at a hospital, or it could be shadowing hours with a Doc. While clubs are good and all, it doesn't seem productive or appropriate for a non-traditional student who is a Mom. I'm also a Mom approaching 30 and the kids in my classes drive me crazy sometimes!

 

[theseeker4]

I am currently finishing my BS and have another year to go. As long as things stay on track, I plan on taking the MCAT in 2014. I will be 30. I am a stay at home mom (he just turned 1!) and am wondering how much weight extra ciricular activities hold for Med school applications for NonTrads. I joined Science Club at my school and it's full of a bunch of kids doing kid activities. I'm assuming all other school related groups will be the same.

Clubs and the like are usually pretty useless. Volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, shadowing, etc. you should try to find time for. At the least, some clinical exposure will be expected. Forget about pre med clubs or other student clubs, unless you actually enjoy them.

 

[ChE04]

Clubs and the like are usually pretty useless. Volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, shadowing, etc. you should try to find time for. At the least, some clinical exposure will be expected. Forget about pre med clubs or other student clubs, unless you actually enjoy them.

Agree, unless perhaps you are going to try to go for a leadership role. You need "active" extracurricular activities, as opposed to "passive" ones. Medical experience is probably a necessity, but it's ok to do nonmedical activities also. For example, I taught a GED science class at a transitional living center in addition to volunteering at a hospital.

 

[darkjedi]

The most important EC, and particularly so for non-trads, is exposure to the field of medicine, whether it's through volunteer work or through shadowing. Try to prioritize those sorts of activities.

 

[rguil15]

Agreed, student clubs are a total waste of time. Just figure out some way to be around sick people and maybe doctors if you can. Hospice, nursing home, hospital, charity clinics, anything like that.

 

[Angeltel27]

Ah good! That makes me feel so much better.

I actually was a CNA my senior year of high school, also had an EMT licence. I have worked in a nursing home, rehab center and also working with the disabled in their homes. I have also worked in a chemistry and microbiology lab. I am currently doing shadowing with a internal med MD so I guess I'm on the right track.

Thanks so much guys!

 

[Law2Doc]

Ah good! That makes me feel so much better.

I actually was a CNA my senior year of high school, also had an EMT licence. I have worked in a nursing home, rehab center and also working with the disabled in their homes. I have also worked in a chemistry and microbiology lab. I am currently doing shadowing with a internal med MD so I guess I'm on the right track.

Thanks so much guys!

Sounds like the right track, but I would caution that nothing you did in "high school" counts anymore if you are 30. You need relatively recent clinical exposure.