importance of getting involved in medical school

[FutureDoctor317]

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My medical school has like a million clubs and organizations. It seems like every club has some sort of leadership positions available to students. How important is it in terms of residency applications to be involved in such organizations?

 

[Rollo]

Only important if you manage to develop relationships with some mentors in the field you will ultimately go into, and get involved in some research in that field.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Amen to that. Otherwise, you're wasting your time.

 

[deuist]

I'll agree to what's above. None of those extracurriculars are going to get you into residency. All that matters are grades, board scores, rec letters (maybe you could meet some faculty through one of these clubs), and research. The rest is self-aggrandizement.

 

[Basookashlon]

Im so glad that I dont have to join all those bull**** clubs. Thanks guys for keeping it real.

 

[Jay Leno]

My medical school has like a million clubs and organizations. It seems like every club has some sort of leadership positions available to students. How important is it in terms of residency applications to be involved in such organizations?

From what I've heard, almost no importance at all compared to your board scores, grades, and letters of recommendation.

 

[njbmd]

My medical school has like a million clubs and organizations. It seems like every club has some sort of leadership positions available to students. How important is it in terms of residency applications to be involved in such organizations?

Essentially no value in residency applications outside of joining the "interest" group for the specialty that you want to enter. Most "interest" groups have presentations and information sessions that can give you exposure to things that will help you to make the most of your ERAS applications and competitiveness.

For example, our surgical society does mock residency interviews, helps with getting strong LORs and generally mentors students during all of the clinical rotations with so that members can have strong grades. They also give board study sessions and share resources for shelf exams. Many of the attending physicians would counsel applicants and provide feedback on application materials and elective rotations during fourth year. In short, our surgical society is a very strong and resourceful group that looks out for their members at every stage of medical school.

Just joining groups for "resume padding" is less useful than the board scores and academics. Residency application is very different from trying to get into medical school in the first place.

 

[AlexMorph]

Essentially no value in residency applications outside of joining the "interest" group for the specialty that you want to enter. Most "interest" groups have presentations and information sessions that can give you exposure to things that will help you to make the most of your ERAS applications and competitiveness.

For example, our surgical society does mock residency interviews, helps with getting strong LORs and generally mentors students during all of the clinical rotations with so that members can have strong grades. They also give board study sessions and share resources for shelf exams. Many of the attending physicians would counsel applicants and provide feedback on application materials and elective rotations during fourth year. In short, our surgical society is a very strong and resourceful group that looks out for their members at every stage of medical school.

Just joining groups for "resume padding" is less useful than the board scores and academics. Residency application is very different from trying to get into medical school in the first place.

That sounds like quite a useful group. My school's group on the other hand offers none of that. Alas...

 

[nima123]

My medical school has like a million clubs and organizations. It seems like every club has some sort of leadership positions available to students. How important is it in terms of residency applications to be involved in such organizations?

It can be quite helpful if you know what specialty you're getting into and do something related to that e.g. fundraise for cancer if you wanna get into rad onc.

 

[njbmd]

That sounds like quite a useful group. My school's group on the other hand offers none of that. Alas...

Why don't you make some suggestions?? They might want someone to step up and help them with some things. Could end up in your LORs for residency which would be another advantage of these types of groups.

 

[VenusinFurs]

Good for free lunch.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Good for free lunch.

The best part of being the president of an interest group is that I get to pick the food.

 

[houseobsessed]

They are jealous they don't get to wear the white coat. Who cares about their nice suits and ties xD.

 

[MossPoh]

It depends on what you consider important. I think it is important for my wallet and stomach. I roam around to various interest group meetings depending on what I feel like for lunch. Chick-fil-A? Yes, please. Dominos again? No, thanks. Firehouse subs? Sure...

I've seriously gone to geriatrics, women in medicine, christian medical student, jewish medical student and rural family health amongst others, strictly because of the food. I do also manage to learn something in all of those meetings, which is probably important too....buuuuut, mainly for the food.

 

[mvenus929]

It depends on what you consider important. I think it is important for my wallet and stomach. I roam around to various interest group meetings depending on what I feel like for lunch. Chick-fil-A? Yes, please. Dominos again? No, thanks. Firehouse subs? Sure...

Me and my friend pick a lunch lecture to go to based on the availability of food. Needless to say, the bioethics discussion group, which provides no food, is at the bottom of the list every time. Tomorrow, the choice is family medicine or neurology. Since neurology is doing pizza, I'm leaning towards the family medicine one.

 

[itellitlikeitis]

I'll agree to what's above. None of those extracurriculars are going to get you into residency. All that matters are grades, board scores, rec letters (maybe you could meet some faculty through one of these clubs), and research. The rest is self-aggrandizement.

When you apply for residency though are there slots on the application to put in, say, leadership positions and activities like for medical school applications? Do they ask for these outside activities in their essay prompts?

If I had grades, board scores, rec letter, and research but absolutely nothing else outside will I still be good?

 

[gynogrl]

Even though extracurriculars will not make or break your residency application, it will give you something to talk about on interviews, allow you to network, give you something to bring up in your personal statement, and will be impressive to your letter writers.

I'm not saying you have to join every ultimate frisbee team or sushi-making club on campus, but volunteering at a free clinic occasionally (and even being some sort of "coordinator") may ultimately help you. Or if you're going into primary care and volunteer at a health fair or to teach kids in school. I volunteered for probably a cumulative 8 hours/semester, and people were always impressed with how "selfless" I was, and I know my letter writers took notice of the fact that I wasn't just going to school and home every day.

Not required, just food for thought!

 

[Rollo]

Even though extracurriculars will not make or break your residency application, it will give you something to talk about on interviews, allow you to network, give you something to bring up in your personal statement, and will be impressive to your letter writers.

I'm not saying you have to join every ultimate frisbee team or sushi-making club on campus, but volunteering at a free clinic occasionally (and even being some sort of "coordinator") may ultimately help you. Or if you're going into primary care and volunteer at a health fair or to teach kids in school. I volunteered for probably a cumulative 8 hours/semester, and people were always impressed with how "selfless" I was, and I know my letter writers took notice of the fact that I wasn't just going to school and home every day.

Not required, just food for thought!

Certainly.

However, it should be noted that students should only volunteer or teach if they WANT to.

Days of "having to volunteer" from pre-med era are definitely over once you're in medical school.

 

[Kfire326]

My medical school has like a million clubs and organizations. It seems like every club has some sort of leadership positions available to students. How important is it in terms of residency applications to be involved in such organizations?

Even though extracurriculars will not make or break your residency application, it will give you something to talk about on interviews, allow you to network, give you something to bring up in your personal statement, and will be impressive to your letter writers.

Certainly.

However, it should be noted that students should only volunteer or teach if they WANT to.

Agreed and agreed. It's more important to be involved in something you actually like that's related to what you might want to do. I did some shadowing in plastic surgery in my second year because I wanted to test the waters.. decided it wasn't for me.

Regarding gynogrl's comment I bolded - this couldn't be more true. I am applying for OB/GYN. I did electives during my MS1 and MS2 year in OB/GYN, again, just testing it out. Turns out, it was through these electives that I got to know most of the department at my school. They also became basis of my personal statement and I had one letter writer tell me how impressed with me she was for making time to do those electives. If I hadn't applied for OB/GYN it wouldn't be as big a deal, but nobody can fault you for exploring a field early, even if you don't end up applying for it.

I'm also big on doing stuff only if you want to. I hate bench research, I'm not into clubs, and I'm not into doing something like free clinic volunteering, etc even though most of my class seems to be. But I found a couple things I wanted to do regardless of how many others did, and stuck with them. Again, something to talk about, something to put in your ERAS and on your CV, etc etc. Not to mention the satisfaction (and maybe some money?) you get from actually DOING it. Also you will sound more genuine and enthusiastic when you talk about it with whoever.

 

[krispiffy3]

Our school has required volunteering. 32 hours a year. SUCKY! And they are very limited in what they accept as "volunteering".

 

[Rollo]

Our school has required volunteering. 32 hours a year. SUCKY! And they are very limited in what they accept as "volunteering".

Mandatory volunteering hours?

Talk about irony.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Mandatory volunteering hours?

Talk about irony.

No joke. I'd sort of hoped we were done with that BS once the med school admissions process was over.

 

[ArcGurren]

Not everything boils down to whether it'll "help" for your residency. That's a VERY gunner attitude. Try and get involved if you're interested in something. I joined a complementary/alternative medicine elective at my school because it allowed me to learn about things like tai chi, yoga, acupuncture, ayurveda, etc.

 

[krispiffy3]

Mandatory volunteering hours?

Talk about irony.

Yup. And they choose our volunteer activities. Talk about defeating the purpose of volunteering!