lack of leadership experience

[jiggahova]

A lot of the secondaries I am filling out ask about leadership experiences. I can't think of anything to put down. Is there anyone else who has had a similar problem? Are there any suggestion on how to get around this? Its so bad that I can't even come up with any BS to put down

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[Disinence2]

The best way to get around this is to participate in some sort of leadership activity.

Your going to have to fill this space up with something so try thinking about one of your best activities you have. If you at any point did anything during that activity that may be considered leadership or showed initiative in some way then use it as a transition to talking about how awesome that experience/activity was.

 

[apumic]

you've practically *got* to have something! Just think.. places you've shown initiative? Ever been a manager or shift leader or student intern? Ever babysat? Ever asked someone to do something (ok... Thats a bit of a reach if it was simply your mom to send you a care package but if it was a task that you were delegating, thats leadership!) I'm sure you have something. If not, find a volunteer leadership position...

 

[red10]

if you ever mentored someone (aka you have a friend who is younger than you and goes to the same school and you helped them pick classes) or led a group project or trained someone at your job, that counts as leadership.

 

[TexasFight]

Would being an intramural team captain count? I have a feeling that would be the only thing I did that could count as leadership.

 

[red10]

Would being an intramural team captain count? I have a feeling that would be the only thing I did that could count as leadership.

duh! yes!

 

[plsletmein]

Would being an intramural team captain count? I have a feeling that would be the only thing I did that could count as leadership.

 

[TexasFight]

my bad, I mean be enough.

I know it's leadership... it's just that there have been threads on SDN that laugh at intramural sports for whatever reason. Is it okay to have just one thing to put down on your leadership section?

 

[red10]

my bad, I mean be enough.

I know it's leadership... it's just that there have been threads on SDN that laugh at intramural sports for whatever reason. Is it okay to have just one thing to put down on your leadership section?

if that's all you have then that's all you have. if you can get more obviously more is better but you work with whatcha got

 

[SirGecko]

my bad, I mean be enough.

I know it's leadership... it's just that there have been threads on SDN that laugh at intramural sports for whatever reason. Is it okay to have just one thing to put down on your leadership section?

It won't be the highlight of your application but you can only put down what you have so there really isn't a point in fretting about it.

 

[ChenMary]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

all hail this chief

 

[maeday]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

*rolls eyes*

 

[red10]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

I haven't seen a school yet that has a mission statement that says "we aim to educate future followers in medicine". If they did I think we all would have found our "safety school"

 

[SirGecko]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

If true that just screams resume padding to me. (I would like to think you are joking but who knows)

 

[TexasFight]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

you're so much better than us

 

[vishnupatel]

You can always put a spin on stuff - being 'a follower' means you're great at taking direction. Actually most leaders I come across are just following the rules and being followers anyways.

 

[Pills Of Soap]

theres lot of ways to be a leader among your peers. you just need to think about what you have done in college. questions like this can be hard at first glance, but you really have to take time to reflect on yourself.

have u tutored? lead any study groups? been involved in any campus activities (events or clubs)? fraternity or sorority positions?

it may seem hard as first, but you need to think about everything you've done up till now. undoubtedly adcoms will ask you how you've become a leader in the past, so if you cannot come up with something now, it will only get harder down the road.

if you really dont have anything, try doing something now. craigslist some events/education gigs in your area and try to find something u can do.

 

[Pills Of Soap]

also, if all else fails advise your peers on SDN

 

[TopSecret]

Would being an intramural team captain count? I have a feeling that would be the only thing I did that could count as leadership.

Yes, it would if it included organizing practices and schedules.

Listing athletic activities would also tell the admissions committee that you're physically fit.

 

[TopSecret]

A lot of the secondaries I am filling out ask about leadership experiences. I can't think of anything to put down. Is there anyone else who has had a similar problem? Are there any suggestion on how to get around this? Its so bad that I can't even come up with any BS to put down

It is easy to get leadership experiences down on an application. Just mention a bake sale or something that you had organized or helped put together.

You can also go on Facebook and host an event to clean up the beach, throw a fundraising party for a charitable cause or something along those lines. It doesn't have to be an elected position for an organization.

 

[Kong Bu]

What else counts as leadership? Any more insight?

 

[TopSecret]

What else counts as leadership? Any more insight?

Anything that involves teamwork.

Sports, military, healthcare, business, fundraisers, etc. What is important isn't leadership per se but the ability to work as a team. Nobody wants someone who is pushy and snobby. It's all about teamwork.

I like the sports idea because it gives the admissions committee a clue to the physical health of the applicant. The committees tend to subconsciously prefer the physically fit over those who are not.

 

[Ilovewater]

I was the captain for my high school tennis team, and organized practice schedule when our coach wasn't there. Would this count since it's been a couple of years? Or do they want something more recent?

 

[Narmerguy]

I was the captain for my high school tennis team, and organized practice schedule when our coach wasn't there. Would this count since it's been a couple of years? Or do they want something more recent?

Generally, experiences that you've had from pre-college are not relevant to your med school applications. So yes, you'll need something more recent.

 

[TexasFight]

Anything that involves teamwork.

Sports, military, healthcare, business, fundraisers, etc. What is important isn't leadership per se but the ability to work as a team. Nobody wants someone who is pushy and snobby. It's all about teamwork.

I like the sports idea because it gives the admissions committee a clue to the physical health of the applicant. The committees tend to subconsciously prefer the physically fit over those who are not.

Do you think they like to see you taking PE classes as well?

This is, of course, on top of a 16 hour course load and not a filler.

 

[Dannyw]

theres lot of ways to be a leader among your peers. you just need to think about what you have done in college. questions like this can be hard at first glance, but you really have to take time to reflect on yourself.

have u tutored? lead any study groups? been involved in any campus activities (events or clubs)? fraternity or sorority positions?

it may seem hard as first, but you need to think about everything you've done up till now. undoubtedly adcoms will ask you how you've become a leader in the past, so if you cannot come up with something now, it will only get harder down the road.

if you really dont have anything, try doing something now. craigslist some events/education gigs in your area and try to find something u can do.

I work as a tutor at my school with set hours and people come in if they need help. Is something like that considered leadership, or is a client-based tutoring job looked at as leadership?

 

[camo]

I work as a tutor at my school with set hours and people come in if they need help. Is something like that considered leadership, or is a client-based tutoring job looked at as leadership?

bump.

I have the same question.

 

[buffywannabe]

OP if you really have none of these I would talk about a time during group work that you took the leadership role. Better than leaving it blank

 

[Narmerguy]

I work as a tutor at my school with set hours and people come in if they need help. Is something like that considered leadership, or is a client-based tutoring job looked at as leadership?

Generally tutoring jobs are not considered as leadership.

 

[chicubsfan]

Can you put an activity down that you didn't list on your AMCAS? I served as a mentor in college but didn't write it on my primary... can I use this in secondaries?

 

[YeOldeMan]

Its OK not everyone is a leader. I have founded like 3 clubs, and am the active leader of all of them. I could not do it without my followers! Point being the world needs leaders AND followers and not to just overvalue one.

LMAO. this had me laughing for a while.