Matching in EM with a blank CV

[nightshift]

Hey elders,

M1 here with a quick question about the importance of extracurriculars when match time comes around. Assuming grades/step score are up to par, would it be a problem if I have absolutely nothing on my CV since undergrad? No volunteering, no club memberships, no research, nada...

I've been enjoying just doing my own thing when not studying and currently feel no intrinsic motivation to "get involved" if it won't adversely affect residency options. I wonder though, am I in need of an attitude readjustment?

Thanks for your 2 cents!

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[LadyWolverine]

How do you do absolutely NO extracurricular activities during 4 years of medical school? Don't you have any interests outside of studying or watching TV all day?

Besides, you need something to talk about during residency interviews.

 

[nightshift]

How do you do absolutely NO extracurricular activities during 4 years of medical school? Don't you have any interests outside of studying or watching TV all day?

Hahaha Sure I have interests: spending time with my significant other, having a social life, playing music, working out, reading (non-medical literature), etc...in short, nothing that I can really put on a resume but plenty that makes me a modestly well-rounded, happy person.

But that's why I'm posting. Because I'm only an M1 and there's still time to do more med school related activities if it's really important. And that was my question. Thanks for not answering it.

 

[qwerty1234]

You will need to have something to talk about during your interviews. That being said, most of what people consider extracurricular aren't exactly conversation starters (treasurer of interest group - worked at free clinic). I would try to find something you really like and can be a leader at. It doesn't necessarily have to involve medicine, but it should demonstrate an interest in your community (coach a sports team, big brothers), learning about people who aren't like you (homeless or international med), analytical skills (research), or administration (curriculum committee).

It completely understandable to not want to invest time in a meaningless position or to spend more time doing things just to build your CV. But if you can find something you like, and you will actually be making some kind of difference that would likely help.

 

[deleted77919]

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[med2UCC]

I would advise getting involved in something for many of the reasons suggested above, that it will give you something to talk about on your interviews and will also help with your Dean's letter. Through a fluke I was able to see my Dean's letter and LoR's and the Dean's letter spoke enthusiastically about my involvement in the curriculum committee (after I had been to the 1st meeting I never minded going again as it was the best free entertainment in town, and gave much of the stuff I paid to see stiff competition. It was periodocally very funny) and my activities on behalf of my fellow students (I was an older med student and spoke out when I thought something was stupid and/or pointless, in a constructive fashion). My Irish LoR's also covered some of this. I wouldn't kill myself doing it, but it will help. I'm not saying that you won't match without it, but in retrospect I believe my research project and committee involvement in med school made matching easier for me. Good luck,
M

 

[jbar]

I'm sure you like hanging with your friends, but are you seriously saying that there is no group at your school that you'd be interested in getting involved with? Not an IM sports team? A med school music group? An interest group for some cool specialty? Or you could start your own group.

If I was a residency director and saw a blank CV I would think "here is someone who isn't going to want to work on research with faculty, write an article, teach med students, be involved in the national organization for our field etc. This is someone who is going to show up for work, and then go right home and do their own thing."

Now I don't think that makes you a bad person or that you would be a bad doctor. But if I was a residency director I can't imagine taking that person over someone else who was saying "hey, here is something that I really love doing, that makes me an interesting addition to the resident class rather than just a worker bee."

Now is when you have the time to find something you like doing and to get involved. It's going to be really hard to pick up something when you're in the middle of your rotations third year.

 

[IgM]

I'll let you know how it goes next match day nightshift..... I felt (and feel) exactly like you do now, and I haven't done much "med school" stuff during med school, preferring instead to spend time on relationship/family/learning to ski/living my life. However I will tell you now that I am really sweating it, and wish I did some silly stuff like become the head of an interest group so I could send out periodic spam to the class, thus allowing my CV to say SOMETHING. I'm still not sure if I would take it back, as my life has gotten pretty awesome these last 3 years. But I might change my mind come interview/match day, so it's certainly something to think about.

 

[coldweatherblue]

Hi, I'm a second-year who is interested in Emergency Medicine. I have similar concerns as the original poster, so rather than create a new thread I'll just add on to this one.

Regarding suitable EC's to list on your medical school CV, do program directors mainly care about activities involved with your med school that happened during the time you were at the school, or are activities before school also okay to list?

So far in med school I've done 8 weeks of GI research (great experience), played music (guitar and cello) for 3 pretty significant med school events, played soccer and flag football intramurals, and was part of the Anesthesia interest group first year. Out of these though I'd really only feel comfortable listing the research on my CV, as the others are fluff. I plan on being an officer in the EMIG at our school (which currently does pretty much nothing so I'll have to organize the group to do this). I'll also go on a mission trip elective fourth-year, but that won't be on my ERAS. Ok so I'm thinking this is kind of weak and maybe I should find other stuff to do.

but before med school I had a lot of experiences that I love talking about that are more substantial and I feel totally confident coming across as an interesting person with unique experiences, (interview strategies etc... 🙄 ) I feel comfortable talking with almost anyone.. but if I'm on the interview trail fourth year and the PD looks at my app (with only research and EMIG) and asks, "Why weren't you more involved in EC activity?" there'd be an awkward moment and I'd like to avoid that... so would you advise seeking other EC's (like tutoring, free clinic, working with kids.. I'd enjoy any of these) or are EMIG + research standard EC's that should suffice? Basically I'm admitting that EC's won't be a stunning part of my app at the moment (and I'm okay with that) but I'd really like to avoid them being a minus. I'm okay with neutrality, not negativity. Thank you for the response!

 

[tegs15]

So far in my limited experience (M4), interviewers have seemed the most interested in leadership outside of medicine i.e Church, service organizations or business/jobs and volunteer/service work both medical and non-med related. Many programs view themselves as "THE" advocate for the patient in the health system, thus they want to see that you have put some effort in working for others. I believe one of the SAEM or ACEP goals of 2008 was advocacy? And many programs even have advocacy tracks, such as Indiana.😀

 

[J ROD]

I plan on working some as a pharmacist while in med school and do and plan to be involved in some activities. I already volunteer at our free med clinic and actually can help alot more as a pharmacist since they never have anyone that can check the meds to get them dispensed.

How would my working look? with some med activities....

 

[edgesofsanity]

I agree with the previous comments - you need to do something tangible to put down on your CV for interviewers to talk to you about. However, it doesn't have to be the standard free clinic/EM interest group/research that everyone does (though all of the above will definitely help your CV).

Find an activity you like and find a way to work that in. If you like travel, work in an international rotation into your medical school curriculum. If you like politics, join your state's ACEP organization and get involved - most of these are full of established doctors, and they are always looking for fresh blood. Or do something completely different. I love to sing, and so in med school we started up an acapella group of all med students and performed a couple of concerts each year. You can bet I was asked about that at every interview I went on.

If you play music - start up a band; if you like to read - join/start a book club. While I can't speak for all, my medical school had a fairly easy process to register a new club and get a slice of the extracurricular money.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it allows you to show what excites you during your interview. Emergency medicine attracts dynamic personalities, and to echo jbar: residency directors if given the choice of an individual whose passion inspires them to take on additional work versus an individual who doesn't... well, you can guess which they'll desire more.

 

[MossPoh]

I don't really have much on mine so far. IT/Library chair...no clue what I do really. I'm part of the weightlifting club. I think a pretty large percentage of the population is in the same boat.