Marathon runner and published app developer - worth putting on AMCAS?

[TomW]

I'm a non-traditional applicant that will be applying for the first time this year. I've accrued the standard array of experiences most might have, including shadowing, volunteer work, clinical experience (2000+ hours as ER scribe), and research with a publication (smaller journal, not Nature or anything).

Over the last few months, however, I've accomplished a few different things and I'm not sure whether these would be worthy of being included on an AMCAS application. The first is that I ran my first ever marathon. It wasn't in record time or anything (3 hours and 48 minutes), but it was definitely something I had to work for over a long period of time. Although I'm not sure if this is even worth mentioning on an application.

The other is an app I recently published to the App Store and Google Play store for smartphones. I've coded in my free time over the years, and after taking Neurophysiology I had an idea for an app that would perform a few simple calculations for those who work in Neuro labs. It's calculates the flow of various ions across a neuronal membrane based on a variety of factors such as length and diameter of the axon. During my neurphysiology class we learned about how these calculations are regularly performed in labs, so I decided to create an app that kind of automates a lot of the process. It has a full user interface, and users can input the variables they have and immediately generate the data they're looking for.

Do either one of these activities belong on an AMCAS application? I've always been kind of terrible at assessing the quality of a given activity, and how much an admissions board would value it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

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[SouthernGent]

yes.

 

[deleted927529]

Put both. The running as a hobby and app developing as artistic endeavor. I tend to think that creating something and putting it out there for the world to see should fall under the latter

 

[ChymeofPassion]

I put half-ironman triathlete and talked about it with a student interviewer who also did half-ironmen. Couldnt hurt

 

[Isoval]

Absolutely.

 

[CoitusInterruptus]

I'm a non-traditional applicant that will be applying for the first time this year. I've accrued the standard array of experiences most might have, including shadowing, volunteer work, clinical experience (2000+ hours as ER scribe), and research with a publication (smaller journal, not Nature or anything).

Over the last few months, however, I've accomplished a few different things and I'm not sure whether these would be worthy of being included on an AMCAS application. The first is that I ran my first ever marathon. It wasn't in record time or anything (3 hours and 48 minutes), but it was definitely something I had to work for over a long period of time. Although I'm not sure if this is even worth mentioning on an application.

The other is an app I recently published to the App Store and Google Play store for smartphones. I've coded in my free time over the years, and after taking Neurophysiology I had an idea for an app that would perform a few simple calculations for those who work in Neuro labs. It's calculates the flow of various ions across a neuronal membrane based on a variety of factors such as length and diameter of the axon. During my neurphysiology class we learned about how these calculations are regularly performed in labs, so I decided to create an app that kind of automates a lot of the process. It has a full user interface, and users can input the variables they have and immediately generate the data they're looking for.

Do either one of these activities belong on an AMCAS application? I've always been kind of terrible at assessing the quality of a given activity, and how much an admissions board would value it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

100% put the app at the very least. My interviewers have loved asking me about my app and I enjoy talking about it nonstop so it'll be great for interviews!

 

[thespitfire]

I ran a marathon as well and put it in my app - interviewers discussed it with me. The app you developed sounds cool. I would include both. Good luck! You sound like a great applicant

 

[Cornfed101]

Just please don’t relate running a marathon to a preparing for medicine in your PS

 

[LizzyM]

Running can be listed as a hobby and the marathon mentioned.... you certainly put in many hours training for that event. You may even be interviewed by a fellow marathon runner.

Coding for an app would be "other", not "artistic endeavor" unless I'm totally misunderstanding what coding an app for neurophysiologists has to do with art. It is one of those unusual activities that will distinguish your application from many others that will otherwise be similar.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Put both. But as someone mentioned, please don’t try to relate running to being a physician. Not every experience in your app needs to be related to medicine. It’s cool that you do long distance running. Keep it about that.