Is this enough "Leadership"

[PainKiller69]

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[236116]

Unless you're RUNNING the program, it ain't leadership.

 

[WhizoMD]

I participate in a community outreach program. It involves working with mentally/physically disabled adults. We do various activites, such as arts and crafts or bingo. It usually involves pairing up with one or two of the patients and assisting them with the day's activity.

Is this (enough) leadership?

if you could change the bold part to Lead....then it'd be enough 😛

 

[redlight]

Unless you're RUNNING the program, it ain't leadership.

not true at all. if you are a mentor/tutor, for example, you are in a leadership role. you have responsibilities/responsible for others, people look up to you or look to you for direction of some sort, etc. you have leadership experience, regardless of whether you are running the program.


OP that sounds good. i dunno about it being 'enough' though unless it is a significant activity for you (hours per week for a loong time)

 

[236116]

not true at all. if you are a mentor/tutor, for example, you are in a leadership role. you have responsibilities/responsible for others, people look up to you or look to you for direction of some sort, etc. you have leadership experience, regardless of whether you are running the program.

I believe adcoms would disagree with you.

Including ones on SDN.

😀

 

[NutCracker2021]

I participate in a community outreach program. It involves working with mentally/physically disabled adults. We do various activites, such as arts and crafts or bingo. It usually involves pairing up with one or two of the patients and assisting them with the day's activity.

Is this (enough) leadership?

its a stretch but i wouldnt say that its enough leadership..do you have any other ECs that are bordering the "leadership" quota?

 

[mattng]

Anything you do can be a leadership experience as you as you clarify what you do that involves leadership. For example, you say that you work with patients. Explain what you do with them that allows you to be their leader. Also, if you work with your co-workers, you can go into that as well. But reading what you wrote, it does not sound like leadership. It's all in the way you phrase your words.

 

[PainKiller69]

[]

 

[LizzyM]

if you are a mentor/tutor, for example, you are in a leadership role. you have responsibilities/responsible for others, people look up to you or look to you for direction of some sort, etc. you have leadership experience, regardless of whether you are running the program.

According to your definition, babysitting is "leadership".

Leading mentally or physically disabled people is not really "leadership" it is more supervision or a custodial position (if the people are unable to be independent and rely on someone to protect them).

Leadership is more along the directing people who can act independently. People choose to follow you because you are the leader-- they could set out on their own or select another leader, too. You determine the action that needs to be done, assign tasks, help solve problems, coach those having problems carrying out their task, give feedback after the task is completed.

Being a tutor is not really "leadership" but organizing and keeping a study group on task is "leadership" (where you are a member of the class rather than someone who has completed the class and acts as teacher/tutor).

 

[redlight]

I believe adcoms would disagree with you.

Including ones on SDN.

😀

bah that kills my argument

 

[airplanes]

You didn't describe anything remotely similar to a leadership experience in your description. Either elaborate or admit that you aren't organizing, planning, in charge or holding significant responsibility. How would you expect any of us to label that as leadership or enough leadership?

 

[236116]

According to your definition, babysitting is "leadership".

Leading mentally or physically disabled people is not really "leadership" it is more supervision or a custodial position (if the people are unable to be independent and rely on someone to protect them).

Leadership is more along the directing people who can act independently. People choose to follow you because you are the leader-- they could set out on their own or select another leader, too. You determine the action that needs to be done, assign tasks, help solve problems, coach those having problems carrying out their task, give feedback after the task is completed.

Being a tutor is not really "leadership" but organizing and keeping a study group on task is "leadership" (where you are a member of the class rather than someone who has completed the class and acts as teacher/tutor).

bah that kills my argument

I tried to tell you. 😉

You didn't describe anything remotely similar to a leadership experience in your description. Either elaborate or admit that you aren't organizing, planning, in charge or holding significant responsibility. How would you expect any of us to label that as leadership or enough leadership?

Apparently some would.

Is the 717 in your username your b-day?

 

[redlight]

I tried to tell you. 😉


Apparently some would.

Is the 717 in your username your b-day?

gotcha. next time i'll know not to disagree with clever girls.

 

[redlight]

so what do you think about TAing a class for example? like a chem lab TA or something who is in charge of a section. that's not leadership? does that fit into the mentor/tutor picture?

 

[airplanes]

I tried to tell you. 😉


Apparently some would.

Is the 717 in your username your b-day?

yup, my creativity skills are lacking 🙂

 

[236116]

yup, my creativity skills are lacking 🙂

hey awesome.

that is a great day, i know this because it is my b-day too! 😀

 

[airplanes]

hey awesome.

that is a great day, i know this because it is my b-day too! 😀

awesome!! I love my bday in numberical for...which reminds me...Happy Half Birthday to the both of us!

 

[scarletgirl777]

so what do you think about TAing a class for example? like a chem lab TA or something who is in charge of a section. that's not leadership? does that fit into the mentor/tutor picture?

I think LizzyM would be able to comment better, but TAs usually follow directions established by the head TA right? So if this the definition of leadership:

"they could set out on their own or select another leader, too. You determine the action that needs to be done, assign tasks, help solve problems, coach those having problems carrying out their task, give feedback after the task is completed."

it doesn't seem to fit perfectly. TAing is a great extracurricular, but I didn't mark any of my teaching experiences as "leadership" on the AMCAS.

 

[236116]

'

happy half-birthday!!

awesome!! I love my bday in numberical for...which reminds me...Happy Half Birthday to the both of us!

 

[redlight]

I think LizzyM would be able to comment better, but TAs usually follow directions established by the head TA right? So if this the definition of leadership:

"they could set out on their own or select another leader, too. You determine the action that needs to be done, assign tasks, help solve problems, coach those having problems carrying out their task, give feedback after the task is completed."

it doesn't seem to fit perfectly. TAing is a great extracurricular, but I didn't mark any of my teaching experiences as "leadership" on the AMCAS.

even if there is a Head TA, should that matter?

i mean if you are in a student club or w/e, unless you are president, you will still take orders from the president for example. does that mean that as social chair or treasurer you shouldn't count it as leadership experience? even if you are secretary, if you are active in executive board decisions, have responsibilities and people depend on you doing your job, id consider it a leadership role.. i think lol

so if you are TAing and are not just going through the mostions, but had an active part in the way section was run and w/e duties TAs have, does that sound like leadership?

 

[cbrons]

lol his nickname is "PainKiller69" lol

 

[scarletgirl777]

even if there is a Head TA, should that matter?

i mean if you are in a student club or w/e, unless you are president, you will still take orders from the president for example. does that mean that as social chair or treasurer you shouldn't count it as leadership experience? even if you are secretary, if you are active in executive board decisions, have responsibilities and people depend on you doing your job, id consider it a leadership role.. i think lol

so if you are TAing and are not just going through the mostions, but had an active part in the way section was run and w/e duties TAs have, does that sound like leadership?

Hmm. Well, presidents don't give the specific details all the time. They have a vision, and manage people who execute that vision. So if you are a treasurer, you probably helped come up with plans to fundraise for the student group and sought out local/national businesses for sponsorship. This is an example of leadership, even though you weren't president.

A lot of TAs sort of follow a script set up by the Head TA. So they are given the worksheets to go over with the class and the solutions to those problems and any homework problems. If this is the case, then you are just presenting information. You will help students get through rough patches, but that isnt any different from what a tutor does, and they aren't really "leading" in that role. I know that my lab TAs in particular did next to nothing; they were just babysitters and spent that time working on their homework

As far as your particular potential TA gig, will you get to make any decisions? I guess the answer to that question will help you decide if it's leadership.

 

[LizzyM]

even if there is a Head TA, should that matter?

i mean if you are in a student club or w/e, unless you are president, you will still take orders from the president for example. does that mean that as social chair or treasurer you shouldn't count it as leadership experience? even if you are secretary, if you are active in executive board decisions, have responsibilities and people depend on you doing your job, id consider it a leadership role.. i think lol

so if you are TAing and are not just going through the mostions, but had an active part in the way section was run and w/e duties TAs have, does that sound like leadership?

Being the social chair or treasurer is a leadership position. You are leading the social events planning or having responsibility for club debits & credits.

TA'ing is "teaching/tutoring" rather than leadership, IMO.

 

[redlight]

Hmm. Well, presidents don't give the specific details all the time. They have a vision, and manage people who execute that vision. So if you are a treasurer, you probably helped come up with plans to fundraise for the student group and sought out local/national businesses for sponsorship. This is an example of leadership, even though you weren't president.

A lot of TAs sort of follow a script set up by the Head TA. So they are given the worksheets to go over with the class and the solutions to those problems and any homework problems. If this is the case, then you are just presenting information. You will help students get through rough patches, but that isnt any different from what a tutor does, and they aren't really "leading" in that role. I know that my lab TAs in particular did next to nothing; they were just babysitters and spent that time working on their homework

As far as your particular potential TA gig, will you get to make any decisions? I guess the answer to that question will help you decide if it's leadership.

in my experience, lab TAs give instruction (break down what the lab will be about beforehand), give hints, answer questions, in addition to help setting/cleaning up, running help sessions, grading etc.

section TAs for lectures have more autonomy, as they can teach or do w/e they want with the class. ive seen some just lead/start discussions (philosophy course), some have had to teach the entire course because the professor was terrible (calc), run reviews, go over homework, w/e. lecture and lab TAs are almost all grad students at my uni though.. so i'll just have to stick to tutoring/mentoring.. which apparently isnt leadership lol. i only argued that it was leadership because the mentoring program run through the school advertises the positions as leadership (but maybe thats soley due to the non-mentoring aspects of the gig like organizing events for example).

 

[redlight]

Being the social chair or treasurer is a leadership position. You are leading the social events planning or having responsibility for club debits & credits.

TA'ing is "teaching/tutoring" rather than leadership, IMO.

oh yes, if i had to choose between labeling them (ta/mentor/tutor) as leadership vs teaching/mentoring it would be an easy choice. i wasn't looking at it from an amcas application point of view; i was just thinking in general.

 

[WhizoMD]

Math TA's at my school:

TA: Here's your worksheet, when you finish you can leave.

Student: "random question"

TA: Were you sleeping during lecture this week?

 

[BlueElmo]

Math TA's at my school:

TA: Here's your worksheet, when you finish you can leave.

Student: "random question"

TA: Were you sleeping during lecture this week?

.
Is leadership looked at very carefully by adcoms? I mean, it's not important as clinical experience, research, volunteering, etc. Right?

 

[redlight]

i think some of the topish school definitely look for it

someone sent me a link to the stanford thread which had a link to some online program screenshots of the point system stanford uses to allot interviews and then acceptances and what not.. leadership was its own category. a friend of mine told me about it too. said something to the effect of founding a club/org gets highest mark, the next tic is being president or something.. etc. im sure all schools want it thou cuz docs are leaders w/o a doubt

 

[slowbutsteady]

oh yes, if i had to choose between labeling them (ta/mentor/tutor) as leadership vs teaching/mentoring it would be an easy choice. i wasn't looking at it from an amcas application point of view; i was just thinking in general.

"Leadership" involves taking charge of others in order to perform a specific task or function. Any role that involves a group of people that you are "helping" or "teaching," rather than directing is not leadership.

 

[PainKiller69]

cement shoe

 

[redlight]

"Leadership" involves taking charge of others in order to perform a specific task or function. Any role that involves a group of people that you are "helping" or "teaching," rather than directing is not leadership.

yes, i believe we've already established that i was horribly wrong haha. however, i have seen the err in my logic, and i know what to categorize these activities as on amcas. thanks

 

[jaguarms]

I'm concerned with the concept of whether or not doing a certain activity is "enough leadership." I don't believe any premed should feel compelled to participate in an activity in order to do just "enough." As if there were some basic minimum quantity for entry into medical school.

Listen, if you are participating in an activity on the assumption that you need to get it out of the way to put on your resume--then you should really reconsider what you are doing. If you are a tutor and are happy with it--then stick with the organization. Don't feel compelled to seek more responsibility for the pure sake of responsibility. If you are making a difference already, then you should be satisfied with that.

Is this a sincere commitment to help people? Medical schools are going to see through that really quickly during an interview. If you aren't passionate about something, then don't do it. You will not excel. And you will not stand out as an applicant.

 

[WhizoMD]

Is this a sincere commitment to help people? Medical schools are going to see through that really quickly during an interview. If you aren't passionate about something, then don't do it. You will not excel. And you will not stand out as an applicant.

That sounds nice and all, but I think few people actually set out to do grunt work in a hospital or teach a bunch of people that don"t want to learn because they are passionate about it. We may grow to become passionate about it, but I think most (including me) get into this stuff because it's a necessary means to an end.

 

[PainKiller69]

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[8744]

It has been my experience that most medical students and residents are not very good leaders so it would not be stretch to point out that most of their pre-med leadership experience was more of the "hobby" variety and pro forma at best. One has only to contemplate the distressingly common malignant resident or attending who is such a poor leader that he would have his ass kicked in any other environment but medical training where his subordinates are conditioned to be almost sheep-like in their docility.

I feel bad for all of you applying to medical school that "leadership" experience has become a de facto requirement. The opportunities for serious pre-med students (those who have a full course-load I mean) to exercise real leadership are scarce. With this in mind, your best bet, and I mean this seriously, is to plan your extracurriculars in such a way that you can plausibly claim you were a leader even if you were not. It's just a hurdle anyway.

The leadership thing, I mean. It's not even as if your medical school really wants you to be a leader. What they want are conformabots who will not rock the boat in any fundamental way. The same goes for residency where your programs do not, repeat do not, want you to exercise any free will or lead anybody in any direction but that of the entrenched medical orthodoxy. What your medical school means by "leadership" is your willingness to accept the status quo, dissipating your energy in various sanitized social endeavors like "diversity" or patronizing the Holy Underserved.

 

[236116]

The leadership thing, I mean. It's not even as if your medical school really wants you to be a leader. What they want are conformabots who will not rock the boat in any fundamental way. The same goes for residency where your programs do not, repeat do not, want you to exercise any free will or lead anybody in any direction but that of the entrenched medical orthodoxy. What your medical school means by "leadership" is your willingness to accept the status quo, dissipating your energy in various sanitized social endeavors like "diversity" or patronizing the Holy Underserved.

Well, I'm ****ed.

 

[Excelsius]

It has been my experience that most medical students and residents are not very good leaders so it would not be stretch to point out that most of their pre-med leadership experience was more of the "hobby" variety and pro forma at best. One has only to contemplate the distressingly common malignant resident or attending who is such a poor leader that he would have his ass kicked in any other environment but medical training where his subordinates are conditioned to be almost sheep-like in their docility.

I feel bad for all of you applying to medical school that "leadership" experience has become a de facto requirement. The opportunities for serious pre-med students (those who have a full course-load I mean) to exercise real leadership are scarce. With this in mind, your best bet, and I mean this seriously, is to plan your extracurriculars in such a way that you can plausibly claim you were a leader even if you were not. It's just a hurdle anyway.

The leadership thing, I mean. It's not even as if your medical school really wants you to be a leader. What they want are conformabots who will not rock the boat in any fundamental way. The same goes for residency where your programs do not, repeat do not, want you to exercise any free will or lead anybody in any direction but that of the entrenched medical orthodoxy. What your medical school means by "leadership" is your willingness to accept the status quo, dissipating your energy in various sanitized social endeavors like "diversity" or patronizing the Holy Underserved.

I hope you are being sarcastic, very sarcastic. And if you're not, perhaps your point of view is just your own perspective on this (or maybe this applies only to n=1 medical school). Some of the most powerful leaders in various fields have gone against everything the establishment has stood for. For medical school to value leadership yet require "followers" doesn't make sense and is an oxymoron. Your observation may apply to residencies; that's because residents are too docile and malleable indeed (the third person is a euphemism in this case). Beyond the idiosyncrasies of some specific administrators in some specific med schools, I'd find it hard to believe that med schools are not actually seeking leaders.

 

[scarletgirl777]

I hope you are being sarcastic, very sarcastic. And if you're not, perhaps your point of view is just your own perspective on this (or maybe this applies only to n=1 medical school). Some of the most powerful leaders in various fields have gone against everything the establishment has stood for. For medical school to value leadership yet require "followers" doesn't make sense and is an oxymoron. Your observation may apply to residencies; that's because residents are too docile and malleable indeed (the third person is a euphemism in this case). Beyond the idiosyncrasies of some specific administrators in some specific med schools, I'd find it hard to believe that med schools are not actually seeking leaders.

Medical schools want their graduates to make them look good. Yeah, residency is some elaborate brutal hazing ritual. But after that, having people who discover new things or push the boundaries and turn out to be right are what is going to make them look good. I think this is just PandaBear's usual bitterness talking.

 

[redlight]

Being a TA is different then tutoring. Why?? Tutoring is usually one on one but not leading a whole group of students. If you are teaching like 10 or more students at once then its more leadership in my opinion.

Another example of more subtle leadership is being team captain in your sports team, being team captain in your dance team, being the lead singer in a band, and then the not so subtle organization leadership positions. Those are my ideas of what I see as leadership. The op described volunteerism but no real leadership.

actually, tutoring through my ugrad academic advising involves sessions where you are responsible for groups of students

 

[I am the Stig]

The entire concept is lame. Lizzy M suggested that you need to have individuals freely choose to follow your orders in order for it to be considered leadership. I'll use Pre-Med AMSA as my example.

The pr1cks who are in "leadership roles" acting as committee heads and similar roles, did not receive their position from the consent of the hundreds of individuals who are chapter members. So this idea that people freely choose to follow a person in a "leadership" role is quite an inaccurate portrayal of the reality of such positions. These leaders have their own assignments just as the rest of the members do. Rarely is the case that leadership positions are achieved on the basis of ability. It seems as though (at least at my university) the positions are given to those most willing to waste their time on trivial activities in attempt to satisfy their own self-interests.

In a health care setting is it a physician's primary function goal to cooperate with colleagues and peers or is it his/her goal to subordinate others?
There are countless other forms of life-experience that would aid an individual into being a better physician than these so-called leadership positions.

OP,
I would not worry about it.

Cheers.

 

[LizzyM]

The entire concept is lame. Lizzy M suggested that you need to have individuals freely choose to follow your orders in order for it to be considered leadership. I'll use Pre-Med AMSA as my example.

The pr1cks who are in "leadership roles" acting as committee heads and similar roles, did not receive their position from the consent of the hundreds of individuals who are chapter members. So this idea that people freely choose to follow a person in a "leadership" role is quite an inaccurate portrayal of the reality of such positions. These leaders have their own assignments just as the rest of the members do. Rarely is the case that leadership positions are achieved on the basis of ability. It seems as though (at least at my university) the positions are given to those most willing to waste their time on trivial activities in attempt to satisfy their own self-interests.

In a health care setting is it a physician's primary function goal to cooperate with colleagues and peers or is it his/her goal to subordinate others?
There are countless other forms of life-experience that would aid an individual into being a better physician than these so-called leadership positions.

OP,
I would not worry about it.

Cheers.

If it is any consolation, "leadership" roles in school-based clubs are the bottom of the food chain of leadership positions. Athletic team captain, military (ROTC or service academy) leadership role (often described in a LOR), even fraternity leadership requires acting on behalf of others, in service to others, and, ideally, with the respect of those who are being led are what we are looking for.

The question becomes, will this person be a leader in school? A future chief resident, a future department chair, a future Dean, a future practice group leader, a future residency director? Many schools hope to train the next generation of academic leaders and those schools may put more emphasis on leadership skills.

 

[medstudent11]

As a second-year medical student, my med school class is filled with leaders and volunteers AND leaders who create volunteer activities that other classmates attend.

So, in undergrad you can volunteer at a place and do meaningful work helping others, but you'll soon realize in med school that experiences like that fall under the volunteer category rather than leadership.

Granted, I've heard lectures on physicians serving as leaders on a personal level by leading the patient in the proper direction, but many of my classmates who I see as leaders, including myself, have coordinated activities, formed/led student organizations, etc.

Until you maybe organize an event at a charity or create a group or move up the leadership positions and play an active role in an already established organization that does volunteer work in such a way that you can describe legitimately when asked about your role, I think a med school would see that as volunteer work rather than leadership in my opinion.

~medstudent11
http://themedstudentexperience.blogspot.com

 

[redlight]

If it is any consolation, "leadership" roles in school-based clubs are the bottom of the food chain of leadership positions. Athletic team captain, military (ROTC or service academy) leadership role (often described in a LOR), even fraternity leadership requires acting on behalf of others, in service to others, and, ideally, with the respect of those who are being led are what we are looking for.

The question becomes, will this person be a leader in school? A future chief resident, a future department chair, a future Dean, a future practice group leader, a future residency director? Many schools hope to train the next generation of academic leaders and those schools may put more emphasis on leadership skills.

so student body/class president wouldn't be as highly regarded as captain of the D1 baseball team? ok, i can understand that, assuming the D1 team is competitive.

i can see why military would get priority, but i'm not sold on athletics (in all cases at least) and frats as more legitimate than serious clubs/orgs.. but my opinion means nothing i guess.

 

[scarletgirl777]

so student body/class president wouldn't be as highly regarded as captain of the D1 baseball team? ok, i can understand that, assuming the D1 team is competitive.

i can see why military would get priority, but i'm not sold on athletics (in all cases at least) and frats as more legitimate than serious clubs/orgs.. but my opinion means nothing i guess.

I'm also puzzled by the athletics and frats comment, since many times the team captain is just the best player. Also, many student clubs do have elected leadership at least at my undergrad 😕 But like you said, our opinions don't matter.

 

[redlight]

I'm also puzzled by the athletics and frats comment, since many times the team captain is just the best player. Also, many student clubs do have elected leadership at least at my undergrad 😕 But like you said, our opinions don't matter.

haha, note to self: create a med school, become the dean, and MAKE people care about my opinions. 😀

edit: and yea i think the captain is often just the most social/talented person in the bunch. also, this person doesnt necessarily get picked by the athletes.

 

[medstudent11]

I completely disagree with the comment that placed fraternity, team captain, or ROTC/Army leadership roles above academic organization leadership.

Every academic organization is different, just as every fraternity is different. True, there are academic organizations that students can just become a member of by paying dues and not actually doing anything. Those don't count and certainly are far down on the list, but others involve student elections, frequent meeting planning, service project organization, and comraderie, too.

They may be more likely ranked as equal on a scale if a student is an active leader in an academic organization versus ROTC/frat/team captain, but definitely not with ROTC/frat/team captain above academic.

Fraternities have service requirements, yes, but so do many college academic student organizations, minus the party requirements. I also have many military classmates who may be great leaders at their posts when they do basic training, etc, but they haven't done a single thing in terms of creating organizations at med school or leading the rest of the class like some of the other student leaders in my class who were former academic organization elected officers in undergrad.

~medstudent11
http://themedstudentexperience.blogspot.com

 

[8744]

Medical schools want their graduates to make them look good. Yeah, residency is some elaborate brutal hazing ritual. But after that, having people who discover new things or push the boundaries and turn out to be right are what is going to make them look good. I think this is just PandaBear's usual bitterness talking.

No. Medical schools and academic medical centers are large, self-serving bureaucracies that would prefer, as I said, for you to keep your head down and follow the path prescribed for you with a minimum of deviation or original thinking. You can have "micro" leadership such as when you are, for example, the ICU senior resident and are in charge of a bunch of junior residents (an activity for which the faux leadership of pre-med extracurriculars does nothing to prepare you) but you may not, repeat not, ever lead enough to buck the established order, to do so being an activity that will instantaneously bring down the full might of The Man.

And the practice of medicine, just to mention another shocker, is all about the money and very little else.

 

[BlueElmo]

No. Medical schools and academic medical centers are large, self-serving bureaucracies that would prefer, as I said, for you to keep your head down and follow the path prescribed for you with a minimum of deviation or original thinking. You can have "micro" leadership such as when you are, for example, the ICU senior resident and are in charge of a bunch of junior residents (an activity for which the faux leadership of pre-med extracurriculars does nothing to prepare you) but you may not, repeat not, ever lead enough to buck the established order, to do so being an activity that will instantaneously bring down the full might of The Man.

And the practice of medicine, just to mention another shocker, is all about the money and very little else.

Love your bleak outlook on life. Reading your posts keeps me entertained.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

It has been my experience that most medical students and residents are not very good leaders so it would not be stretch to point out that most of their pre-med leadership experience was more of the "hobby" variety and pro forma at best. One has only to contemplate the distressingly common malignant resident or attending who is such a poor leader that he would have his ass kicked in any other environment but medical training where his subordinates are conditioned to be almost sheep-like in their docility.

I feel bad for all of you applying to medical school that "leadership" experience has become a de facto requirement. The opportunities for serious pre-med students (those who have a full course-load I mean) to exercise real leadership are scarce. With this in mind, your best bet, and I mean this seriously, is to plan your extracurriculars in such a way that you can plausibly claim you were a leader even if you were not. It's just a hurdle anyway.

The leadership thing, I mean. It's not even as if your medical school really wants you to be a leader. What they want are conformabots who will not rock the boat in any fundamental way. The same goes for residency where your programs do not, repeat do not, want you to exercise any free will or lead anybody in any direction but that of the entrenched medical orthodoxy. What your medical school means by "leadership" is your willingness to accept the status quo, dissipating your energy in various sanitized social endeavors like "diversity" or patronizing the Holy Underserved.

From what I've personally seen and dealt with, I'd have to say these comments are devastatingly (and sadly) true. Most doctors I've dealt with are the blandest hyperconformists I've ever seen - they adhere to the "pack mentality" like nothing else. (If any particular doctor tries to "step out of line" and argue for something different than the status quo, watch how quickly s/he gets silenced.) Genuine, innovative leadership seems to be an utterly foreign notion to most of them. Aside from the "sanitized social endeavors" you mention, I think most physicians would be absolutely lost in any situation that demanded serious leadership ability. While there are a few doctors that go on to be strong leaders later on, I suspect these people are truly an anomaly. The "system" certainly does not select for that trait.

Consequently, I find it absolutely absurd that medical schools would demand "leadership" from their applicants - unless they're aware of the fact that most undergrad "leadership" endeavors are just as BS as the sort of "leadership" they want their actual medical students to engage in.

 

[Med Addict]

you could write it as leadership just to beef up that section, better than leaving it blank IMO. then clarify it in the interview if it comes up.