Length of Extracurricular

[dentalhopeful10]

Hey Everyone

I am currently a sophomore and had a couple of questions about my extracurriculars. I have a couple of activities and organizations I was a part of just this year but don't plan to reapplying because of various reasons. I was a member of Peerleadership and was a Community Service leader on campus. I would like to continue doing the community service one but I don't think I will have the time. Likewise I was a tutor on campus this year but will likely not continue for the same reason as the Community service one.

Basically my question is: Does it look bad to do these activities for only a year then stop?
I feel as if they helped me grow as a person and give back to my community, but I want to get involved in organizations and groups more specific to the field I'm hoping to pursue(medicine) and the ones I was a part of required really large time commitments through the year.

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[Catalystik]

If you are asking as a PreDental student, this is the wrong forum. It would be better to ask Here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=17

Would you like to have your post moved?

 

[dentalhopeful10]

I'm sorry, I'm premed but I haven't changed it from predental. I'll get on that asap

 

[Catalystik]

Hey Everyone

I am currently a sophomore and had a couple of questions about my extracurriculars. I have a couple of activities and organizations I was a part of just this year but don't plan to reapplying because of various reasons. I was a member of Peerleadership and was a Community Service leader on campus. I would like to continue doing the community service one but I don't think I will have the time. Likewise I was a tutor on campus this year but will likely not continue for the same reason as the Community service one.

Basically my question is: Does it look bad to do these activities for only a year then stop?
I feel as if they helped me grow as a person and give back to my community, but I want to get involved in organizations and groups more specific to the field I'm hoping to pursue(medicine) and the ones I was a part of required really large time commitments through the year.

A year in the same activity is a decent degree of longevity for a premed application. And you can always go back to it, or something similar, at some point in the less-busy future. Or you can pick one nonmedical community service organization that you care about most and continue with it for 1-2 hours per week, while engaging in 3-4 hours per week of something medically oriented.

 

[dentalhopeful10]

Actually that is a good idea, there is one service site that I love and I think I will continue to do that outside of the program. I know this is a little off topic but if I apply at the end of my junior year(which I think a lot of students do), is it bad that I plan to do my research junior year, that summer, and my senior year?

 

[Catalystik]

Actually that is a good idea, there is one service site that I love and I think I will continue to do that outside of the program. I know this is a little off topic but if I apply at the end of my junior year(which I think a lot of students do), is it bad that I plan to do my research junior year, that summer, and my senior year?

The average research listed is about a year's worth, which is fine for general purposes, though if you're planning to apply to top research-oriented schools, it might be better to wait until after you get two years of experience under your belt.