New Activity but wont start till after submitting

[djsbaseball2014]

Hey everyone,

I just got a position as a Health Coach at my institution's medical school and the program starts September and runs through June. I would be advising patients with diabetes, hypertension, obesity etc about healthy lifestyle choices, accessible resources, and other things related to their health. We work in clinics around the area and I am really excited to start working with them. However, I submit my primaries before i start the actual position should i update schools via secondaries if asked or just send in an update?

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[MedicalDoge]

I put my gap year position in AMCAS even though I did not start until September (submitted June). It worked out well because some secondaries didn't ask about what I am doing during the year

 

[djsbaseball2014]

@Anonymityismyname18 Did any problems arise from it? Did you have any interviews prior to starting the opportunity?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Do you have the necessary qualifications?

 

[MedicalDoge]

@Anonymityismyname18 Did any problems arise from it? Did you have any interviews prior to starting the opportunity?

No, my first interview was late September. However, I knew enough about what I would be doing that I was comfortable writing down my duties in AMCAS, so I feel like an interview prior to me starting wouldn't have been a big deal. Odds are you won't have an interview before September.

No problems at all. In fact, I think it helped a lot since the hours were calculated on AMCAS (my gap eyar program has a minimum hour commitment, so I just put that on AMCAS).

 

[djsbaseball2014]

@LoveBeingHuman:) those being what?

 

[djsbaseball2014]

No, my first interview was late September. However, I knew enough about what I would be doing that I was comfortable writing down my duties in AMCAS, so I feel like an interview prior to me starting wouldn't have been a big deal. Odds are you won't have an interview before September.

No problems at all. In fact, I think it helped a lot since the hours were calculated on AMCAS (my gap eyar program has a minimum hour commitment, so I just put that on AMCAS).

This program has an 8 hour a week requirement so I would just list that times however many weeks I am doing it?

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

@LoveBeingHuman:) those being what?

I'd say it varies by state but on what basis do you have qualifications to give advice on diabetes management?

 

[MedicalDoge]

This program has an 8 hour a week requirement so I would just list that times however many weeks I am doing it?

Yeah that sounds fine! And if you end up doing more/less than that, you can just send the schools update letters. All schools are very receptive to updates

 

[djsbaseball2014]

I'd say it varies by state but on what basis do you have qualifications to give advice on diabetes management?

If you read my initial post its through my Universities medical school, i dont think they would offer the program if they weren't going to educate us so that giving health advice is within our scope of practice. I have to go to numerous trainings in the next few weeks to prepare for this program. I would say after that training i would have the necessary qualifications to do so. This isnt me walking around a clinic telling people to eat healthy, its a formal program put together through the medical school.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

If you read my initial post its through my Universities medical school, i dont think they would offer the program if they weren't going to educate us so that giving health advice is within our scope of practice. I have to go to numerous trainings in the next few weeks to prepare for this program. I would say after that training i would have the necessary qualifications to do so. This isnt me walking around a clinic telling people to eat healthy, it's a formal program put together through the medical school.

Gotcha. You can't list it on AMCAS unless the start date is before the amcas submit date. But you can mention it in secondaries and talk about it in interviews.

 

[djsbaseball2014]

@LoveBeingHuman:) If thats true then how did @Anonymityismyname18 list their experience on AMCAS? I'm not arguing with you I just want to get things straight

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

@LoveBeingHuman:) If thats true then how did @Anonymityismyname18 list their experience on AMCAS? I'm not arguing with you I just want to get things straight

Iirc, he used the date he submitted as the start date and then explained in the description what the actual start date was.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Iirc, he used the date he submitted as the start date and then explained in the description what the actual start date was.

^^Yes

 

[Sagebrush]

Iirc, he used the date he submitted as the start date and then explained in the description what the actual start date was.

So is doing this typically considered "kosher", assuming that you make it very clear what the actual start date is?

 

[candbgirl]

You can do it but you should realize that stuff in the future is exactly that and that’s how many ADCOMS will view it. We all have the best intentions but we all know that life happens and what you put down for future activities may or may not happen as planned. So it might not count at all or as much as you hope it will. Maybe it would be better left off the primary and you could use it for an update a couple of months after you actually start.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Yeah in my situation, I decided to put a future activity because I knew exactly how many hours I was committed to, the exact dates, and I knew exactly what activities I would be doing. If you are unsure of those three things, maybe you should leave it off. I don't think it is a big deal either way, and I didn't receive any questions about it!

 

[djsbaseball2014]

@candbgirl @Anonymityismyname18 The thing is that I am getting trained for the position prior to submitting my primary, after that it will be clear what I am doing, the minimum # of hours is 8 hours per week from September-June so I will know all three things you mentioned. I just want to include it because it is going to be great clinical experience and i feel that if anything is lacking on my app it's my clinical experience.

 

[3toedsloth]

@LoveBeingHuman:) If thats true then how did @Anonymityismyname18 list their experience on AMCAS? I'm not arguing with you I just want to get things straight

You’re not allowed to include activities that start after you have submitted your application. You sign an agreement saying that all of the information on the application is true.

Don’t lie to manipulate the situation and get credit for activities you haven’t done yet. Obviously I’m not an AdCom, but that just screams dishonest and ethically flexible.

 

[djsbaseball2014]

@3toedsloth Whats the reason for being so hostile? Who is lying? Its an activity that I am starting (via training) prior to submitting my primary but the actual program (me on my own) doesnt start until September, its really a simple question. I spoke to a lady at our school of medicine who said i can list it today, the one who interviewed me lol im just getting other opinions. Trust me my app is just fine without it dont worry, it would be nice to include on the primary though

 

[3toedsloth]

You’re starting an activity in September but will select from the drop down that it starts in June, and that’s not lying? Hmm..

 

[djsbaseball2014]

You’re starting an activity in September but will select from the drop down that it starts in June, and that’s not lying? Hmm..

So then the aforementioned poster is a liar?

 

[theKingLT]

You’re starting an activity in September but will select from the drop down that it starts in June, and that’s not lying? Hmm..

I think the idea is he would specify in the description the real start date so no I would not consider that lying I would consider that working within a computer system in a way that adcoms are not going to mind. They may not consider the activity seriously since it's not yet completed but they're not going to accuse him of lying on his app if he's clear about the real start date in the description

 

[aquaticsgirl13]

One solution to this would be to put it in the "any other information we need to know?" section on secondaries OR find a way to work it into your spiel for interviews. I did both because one internship ended at an awkward time, and I started a second one right around interview time.

 

[masnerj]

@Anonymityismyname18
I know your activity/situation might be a little different than mine, but seeing as you did include a "future" activity on your AMCAS, wanted to get your opinion on a similar situation that I might be in. I am starting a full-time clinical position early-mid June but plan on submitting my AMCAS Day 1, Hour 1 (due to certain circumstances, this has to happen and I can't wait till the official start date of my activity to submit my AMCAS). I know exactly what I will be doing, how many hours (full-time), and I will have started "training" prior to the position.

@Goro @gyngyn
As adcoms, do you have an opinion on matters like this? I know some secondaries don't have space for gap-year work and applicants might really want to include a confirmed gap-year position in some manner on the initial applications. And assuming between primary submission and any potential interviews, there could be at-least 2 months worth of full-time experience (whether it be clinical or research or whatever).

 

[MedicalDoge]

@3toedsloth Whats the reason for being so hostile? Who is lying? Its an activity that I am starting (via training) prior to submitting my primary but the actual program (me on my own) doesnt start until September, its really a simple question. I spoke to a lady at our school of medicine who said i can list it today, the one who interviewed me lol im just getting other opinions. Trust me my app is just fine without it dont worry, it would be nice to include on the primary though

So then the aforementioned poster is a liar?

Here on sdn, I have learned that you will get called names if you think outside of the box, even a little bit. I didn't utilize sdn until after I submitted everything, so I was not brainwashed into doing something other than what my instincts told me to do. Clearly, if you state the actual start date in the description, it is not lying. Clearly, adcoms (and any rational person for that matter) will know that you haven't completed the activity yet since it ends in the future and you will elucidate the circumstances in the description. Granted, when I was applying, I did not know that secondaries would ask about what you're doing during the gap year, so that played a factor in my decision.

@djsbaseball2014 , Do what you think is right, you already know what I did. I attended 8 interviews (was invited to more) and received 5 acceptances (MD), so I don't think adcoms thought I was a liar lol.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

You’re starting an activity in September but will select from the drop down that it starts in June, and that’s not lying? Hmm..

You cannot select a future date in the date field. The aforementioned poster put the actual start date in the description. His situation is unique in that his activity was something he had a commitment to and that had a set number of hours he knew in advance. It was also an important activity to his application. Let’s not insinuate someone is a liar without knowing the details.

 

[Goro]

@Anonymityismyname18
I know your activity/situation might be a little different than mine, but seeing as you did include a "future" activity on your AMCAS, wanted to get your opinion on a similar situation that I might be in. I am starting a full-time clinical position early-mid June but plan on submitting my AMCAS Day 1, Hour 1 (due to certain circumstances, this has to happen and I can't wait till the official start date of my activity to submit my AMCAS). I know exactly what I will be doing, how many hours (full-time), and I will have started "training" prior to the position.

@Goro @gyngyn
As adcoms, do you have an opinion on matters like this? I know some secondaries don't have space for gap-year work and applicants might really want to include a confirmed gap-year position in some manner on the initial applications. And assuming between primary submission and any potential interviews, there could be at-least 2 months worth of full-time experience (whether it be clinical or research or whatever).

If you haven't done it yet, you haven't done it.

 

[3toedsloth]

You cannot select a future date in the date field. The aforementioned poster put the actual start date in the description. His situation is unique in that his activity was something he had a commitment to and that had a set number of hours he knew in advance. It was also an important activity to his application. Let’s not insinuate someone is a liar without knowing the details.

It should be included in secondaries and mentioned in interviews.

If it hasn't been completed or even started, it shouldn't be included. Entering "June 2018-July 2019" and then writing "actually, I haven't done this yet but it looks good and I just don't want to leave it off the app, despite what the instructions say. I am planning to start in September," looks really bad.

Most secondaries have space for current or gap year activities.

 

[djsbaseball2014]

Just so we can end the conversation, I went in today and asked if I could start my program in June after our May training sessions and they said yes so now there is no question. I will be listing this on my primary application

 

[theKingLT]

Just so we can end the conversation, I went in today and asked if I could start my program in June after our May training sessions and they said yes so now there is no question. I will be listing this on my primary application

Haha nice! Problem solved