Leaving commitments - viewed upon negatively?

[estradiol9]

---

Members do not see this ad.

How are the length of commitments viewed upon by adcoms? I have been involved in several clubs/organizations on campus since I was a freshman and do not plan on leaving until I graduate. I have also been working part time since I was in high school at the same location and do not plan on leaving until I matriculate into a medical school either. I have been volunteering on a first aid squad for about 1.5 years now and have accumulated approximately 1000+ hours there.

I have been considering leaving the first aid squad due to personal reasons. Would this be bad? I think that if I do decide to leave, I would probably begin volunteering somewhere else - american red cross as a cpr instructor or perhaps look for a research opportunity on campus.

 

[Donald Juan]

Leaving commitments actually is a positive. Med schools love it.

Okay, I'm kidding. You say you are leaving a volunteer position after a year and a half to take on a new volunteer position, that sounds fine. That is not leaving a commitment, unless you actually committed to serving more than a year and a half at your current situation. You'll be fine.

 

[estradiol9]

Leaving commitments actually is a positive. Med schools love it.

Okay, I'm kidding. You say you are leaving a volunteer position after a year and a half to take on a new volunteer position, that sounds fine. That is not leaving a commitment, unless you actually committed to serving more than a year and a half at your current situation. You'll be fine.

Okay, thanks. I am just worried about adcoms asking why I chose to leave the first aid squad. If I manage to find a professor I can help out with research, I feel that would be perfect because as of now, I have no research. In that case, I could tell adcoms I found an opportunity to work on research and that it was something I was interested in doing and just didn't have the time to continue with both volunteering and working in a lab. If I end up volunteering elsewhere, I'm not sure what I would say. I guess volunteering as a cpr instructor is a leadership role and I could just say I was looking to have other types of community service experiences?

Sorry if I am being anal. I would just hate if I was asked about this and had no explanation.

 

[raltima07]

Okay, thanks. I am just worried about adcoms asking why I chose to leave the first aid squad. If I manage to find a professor I can help out with research, I feel that would be perfect because as of now, I have no research. In that case, I could tell adcoms I found an opportunity to work on research and that it was something I was interested in doing and just didn't have the time to continue with both volunteering and working in a lab. If I end up volunteering elsewhere, I'm not sure what I would say. I guess volunteering as a cpr instructor is a leadership role and I could just say I was looking to have other types of community service experiences?

Sorry if I am being anal. I would just hate if I was asked about this and had no explanation.

Med schools like commitment, but its not a be all end all. You can do what you want with your life and still get iin.