My Predicament

The AMCAS specifically asks for ECs from college and after, unless the activity is a continuation of one from highschool. You may want to rack up a few hours, just so you can put them down on the primary.

Your highschool class could be something worth mentioning in your personal statement though.

 

I agree that you should get more clinical in college, both for the primary and to demonstrate commitment. But since the high school experienced had a great influence on you wanting to become a doctor, you should use it for your personal statement

 

I disagree. I did the same type of program and mentioned it in my application. It was a major medical experience (an opportunity to see medicine that many other applicants haven't had) and very relevant to why you are applying to medical school. My medical adviser agreed that this was a good move.

I do agree that you should also have newer clinical experiences as well.

 

I did a lot of shadowing in high school as well, and I was told by the dean of admissions at one school last year that medical schools don't really "count" high school shadowing. Their explanation was because your brain is different in high school than it is in college. I think it's because they love making people jump through hoops and quack like a duck, but my opinion doesn't count here.

You can write about your high school experience in your PS and secondary essays, but leave it off AMCAS. Get some more clinical experience now to "show" a continued interest in medicine. Don't get stuck reapplying because you didn't shadow or volunteer enough in college.

 

I disagree that you should leave it out. Yes, any relevant college experience should be included over that. But if you've only got 8 things to put in your work/activites section, by all means include it at the bottom. It's gong to be chronological anyway, so it's not like they'll be seeing it first. If anything, they'll be getting to it after seeing all of your college-level accomplishments.

Granted, it may not help you at all. I can't see it hurting, though, and I'm sure if I was an adcom and saw that you'd done 180 hours of stuff before hitting college I would be at least moderately impressed.

FYI I included a mentoring program that I was involved with in high school in my work activities. I left out other stuff like football/service groups/etc but included that one because a lot of other things built off it. If its relevant/supports your application/doesn't knock off more recent college level activities, then definitely do it.