Med School Extracurriculars?

[muffinman23]

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Hi everyone! Just a pre-med here, with a quick question: Do students in med school usually pursue extracurricular activities, like volunteer work, hospital stuff, research, etc? Is there any time? Or do most students just focus on their studies and work for the betterment of mankind after they graduate?

Much thanks in advance🙂

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I did a lot during my first year. I worked in an ER for a few years before I started med school, and I kind of missed it, so I started volunteering at Grady. Through the connections I made there, I landed a research gig over the summer (which will continue on into 2nd year, until we get finished, because I made that commitment), and I still volunteer too.

Some of my classmates did medical mission trips.

There are also a lot of community service opportunities. Nothing too huge, but its nice to get out and do something for a change.

Just don't try to convince yourself that residency programs care about this ****. If you do it, do it because you like it.

 

[ChinaDoll]

I dont think they even have time for themselves...EC? probably not..just my thought..

 

[dw2158]

I dont think they even have time for themselves...EC? probably not..just my thought..

this is not what i've heard (/seen from my friends) about year 1 and year 2.

 

[shiftingmirage]

Most have something outside the classroom. Be it volunteering (providing medical care to those who can't afford it), being a committee for one of the student run organizations, research, or something else not related to the school (some are in bands). You need something else besides school to keep you sane.

 

[kikiu]

Okay, somewhere in the next four years, you may want to do ECs that are lumped into these categories...

-Volunteer-Clinical (volunteering in a medical setting, like at a hospital, nursing home, etc, any experience in the health field)
-Volunteer-Non-Clinical (volunteering in some area not necessarily health related... it shows your altruistic side!)
-Research (not to be worried about your freshman year, although some SDN overachievers probably started freshman year...but the vast majority dont)
-Work Experience (if you need to, if not, skip this)
-Extracirriculars (things that interest YOU! and that you will naturally ENJOY! Any clubs? Intramural sports? Artistic endeavors?)

Also, during a summer or a break, you want to shadow doctors to get an idea of what the profression is about.

I hope it kind of helped!

 

[txprodigal]

Okay, somewhere in the next four years, you may want to do ECs that are lumped into these categories...

-Volunteer-Clinical (volunteering in a medical setting, like at a hospital, nursing home, etc, any experience in the health field)
-Volunteer-Non-Clinical (volunteering in some area not necessarily health related... it shows your altruistic side!)
-Research (not to be worried about your freshman year, although some SDN overachievers probably started freshman year...but the vast majority dont)
-Work Experience (if you need to, if not, skip this)
-Extracirriculars (things that interest YOU! and that you will naturally ENJOY! Any clubs? Intramural sports? Artistic endeavors?)

Also, during a summer or a break, you want to shadow doctors to get an idea of what the profression is about.

I hope it kind of helped!

i think the OP meant during medical school, not during college...

 

[Pinkertinkle]

research is where its at if you want a leg up for residency, the other stuff is meehhh

 

[dw2158]

i think the OP meant during medical school, not during college...

yeah he definitely did.

 

[Law2Doc]

research is where its at if you want a leg up for residency, the other stuff is meehhh

yeah, research is the only EC residencies are going to care about, so you'll see the majority limit their time to this.

 

[TexasFight]

yeah, research is the only EC residencies are going to care about, so you'll see the majority limit their time to this.

I've read on SDN that some students do research during M1 and M2 and get published in order to get into certain specialties. How often do med students actually get published? In med school are you working on projects that have a higher likelihood of doing so? I ask because its hard enough to get published after 2 years of work in college - but I have a lot more time in college relative to what I would in med school. I can't see it being worth it if you don't get published.

Man I've said published too much in one day.

 

[muffinman23]

thanks for the feeback 🙂

sooo once you get into med school, do residencies care about what ECs you do during med school?
. . .
or do they only care about USMLE and academic scores? and research?
i guess what i'm asking is- what do students need to do post-getting into med school to get into a good residency?

 

[adeline]

thanks for the feeback 🙂

sooo once you get into med school, do residencies care about what ECs you do during med school?
. . .
or do they only care about USMLE and academic scores? and research?
i guess what i'm asking is- what do students need to do post-getting into med school to get into a good residency?

kill on their grades
kill the step
research as necessary
don't be a douche

 

[Depakote]

Plenty of people do other stuff, but research is the only thing that really will make a difference residency-wise.

That doesn't mean that you should stop volunteering if you enjoyed it... just make sure to keep your grades up.

 

[premed101]

Do publications in undergrad help residency applications??? Or only research done in med school?