Mentioning "oddball" interests/hobbies?

[thirdunity]

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The interests: drawing satirical comic strips (I'm planning on putting up a webcomic... personal catharsis); fantasy art; writing music; creative writing (science fiction). I am a GEEK.

I'm also getting started in "mainstream" activities like Toastmasters and various Jewish social groups, but the geeky things are my dominant "off-time" activities - wondering if anyone else is in the same boat.

Is this "good" or "bad"?

For the record, I now have a "mainstream" image (dress/look normal).

 

[rpkall]

My personal statement was entirely based on Dr. "Bones" McCoy, and why one of his quotations meant a lot to me (from an old Trek episode, "Requiem for Methuselah").

Faculty and students I met in interviews said they loved it, and that it stood out.

I don't think that it's "bad" per se to be a dork; you just really need to make an effort to show the adcoms that you can relate to people and be a personable, compassionate physician one day.

I don't know what Toastmasters is, and good luck with the Jewish stuff too (I went to Brandeis, though I'm a Goy); it might help to get some activities that are medically related--like volunteering in a hospice or shadowing in an ER or something fun.

Don't lie about who you are--if you like dorky stuff, say so with pride. Just balance it out with a healthy dose of social activities that are more mainstream, and learn to speak intelligently about all of it and what it means to you--personally and professionally.

Good luck to you!

 

[PostalWookie]

I was interviewing with a dean of admissions at some school and he asked me what kind of music I listened to. You should have seen his face when I told him I'm into punk music. Oddly enough, I got in.

 

[Hoberto]

I'm putting my weird hobbies on my app. It can only help to make my application stand out. I mean, how many people in Ohio actively look for the aurora borealis? Also those weird things we mention will be good interview fodder and much more interesting and fun to talk about than the typical interview questions.

Now do I list being a beer advocate or will they think that means I'm a drunk?

 

[PineappleGirl]

Now do I list being a beer advocate or will they think that means I'm a drunk?

Yeah, I am a huge wine enthusaist, but am reluctant to list it on my app for fear it will be interpreted as "huge wino".

 

[opinionkitten]

i talked a lot about my interest in writing "seventh heaven" slash fiction in my interviews and it didnt really help things

 

[LizzyM]

One of the shorthand ways that adcoms have of thinking about applications is to say "does the PS and EC describe someone whom I would like to meet? Does this seem like someone who would be interesting to talk with?" Stats being the same (or even a little lower but still competitive) the more interesting candidate will get the interview.

How the applicant comes across in the interview is the other half of the story.

 

[Fenrezz]

I always thought oddball hobbies were cool to put on a PS, even though I couldn't do it. I didn't know a way to incorporate my fetish for golden showers into my desire to be a physician.

 

[aragonh]

I was interviewing with a dean of admissions at some school and he asked me what kind of music I listened to. You should have seen his face when I told him I'm into punk music. Oddly enough, I got in.

I was also asked this question during interviews. I said I collected Afro-Carribean music and I talked about the history of it.

If its a part of who you are and your not ashamed of it, put it on the application!!

 

[deuist]

I mentioned on my app that I do a lot of work with Linux and LaTeX. A few interviewers asked me about them---one even knew what LaTeX is. He asked me about some of my contributions to CTAN.

 

[seethrew]

I'm putting my weird hobbies on my app. It can only help to make my application stand out. I mean, how many people in Ohio actively look for the aurora borealis? Also those weird things we mention will be good interview fodder and much more interesting and fun to talk about than the typical interview questions.

Now do I list being a beer advocate or will they think that means I'm a drunk?

hehe - i did put that i brew my own beer, and love to zydeco dance, and am an amateur fiddler. hehe. didnt come up in conversation. but did get in 😉

 

[LizzyM]

hehe - i did put that i brew my own beer, and love to zydeco dance, and am an amateur fiddler. hehe. didnt come up in conversation. but did get in 😉

See what I mean?
Seethrew sounds like an interesting person.
Seethrew gets an interview.
Seethrew gets admitted.

 

[nicholonious]

Kinda weird, but I breakdance. Theres no official documentation on this, its more like, for fun as a hobby. I'm debating whether or not to list it, as some professionals might look upon it as a joke (outdated hip hop trends to be affiliated with that damn movie you got served.) But it has been fun and interesting, doing street performances in SF, some shows, etc. Anyone have any more odd interests/hobbies? This is mad cool!

 

[Hoberto]

I always thought oddball hobbies were cool to put on a PS, even though I couldn't do it. I didn't know a way to incorporate my fetish for golden showers into my desire to be a physician.

You could have fit it in there. You just didn't try hard enough. You could've talked about how your hobby helped you find your inner self and strengthened your independence. hehehe

 

[Fenrezz]

You could have fit it in there. You just didn't try hard enough. You could've talked about how your hobby helped you find your inner self and strengthened your independence. hehehe

Not a good idea. They might start getting ideas about what I would do with foley catheters.

 

[boyz of 4d]

I put that I practice transendental meditation on My amcas and it came up in almsot all of my interviews, 2 of my interviewers actually practiced it and coincidentally i got into both school. I feel like anything that intrigues a school, or you have in common with someone who reviews your app puts you in a more favorable position.

Not a good idea. They might start getting ideas about what I would do with foley catheters.

 

[AxlxA]

You guys make me feel embarassed by my PS cause i have no oddball activities to mention.

 

[IgweEmeka]

You guys make me feel embarassed by my PS cause i have no oddball activities to mention.

well make one up like all the previous posters did.....just make sure to research your supposed hobby throughly as it may come up in an interview

 

[AxlxA]

well make one up like all the previous posters did.....just make sure to research your supposed hobby throughly as it may come up in an interview

LOL too bad i already finished my PS and it's at the brink of breaking the 5300 characters. I'm not saying i'm happy w/ my PS but it's the best i can do w/ my limited experience.

 

[nicholonious]

LOL too bad i already finished my PS and it's at the brink of breaking the 5300 characters. I'm not saying i'm happy w/ my PS but it's the best i can do w/ my limited experience.

Are you really from SF? Man that place is oozing with oddball people...

 

[Blake]

Don't forget to mention Xbox