Noooo!! I do NOT want to join your club! or hand out hotdogs! or be a tour guide!

[Simonster]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

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[Gimlet]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

I agree that a lot of the activities med students scramble to do are pointless (you should have seen how many people at my school applied to be the student that helps the anatomy dept. dispose of the cadavers, which includes picking up all the little schniblets in the tanks). On the other hand, I wish I had signed up to be a tour guide this year, because it sounds like a lot of fun. I usually go down and eat lunch with the applicants on interview days, because I enjoy talking to them and being able to candidly answer their questions about my school, as well as being able to put them at ease about their interviews. I think it's the same type of attitude that prompts people to post useful advice on SDN. I'm sure it also has something to do with med students liking to be big know-it-alls. Also, at my school being a tour guide is pretty much a pre-requisite for being one of the student interviewers in your 4th year.

 

[Law2Doc]

I agree that a lot of the activities med students scramble to do are pointless (you should have seen how many people at my school applied to be the student that helps the anatomy dept. dispose of the cadavers, which includes picking up all the little schniblets in the tanks). On the other hand, I wish I had signed up to be a tour guide this year, because it sounds like a lot of fun. I usually go down and eat lunch with the applicants on interview days, because I enjoy talking to them and being able to candidly answer their questions about my school, as well as being able to put them at ease about their interviews. I think it's the same type of attitude that prompts people to post useful advice on SDN. I'm sure it also has something to do with med students liking to be big know-it-alls. Also, at my school being a tour guide is pretty much a pre-requisite for being one of the student interviewers in your 4th year.

I think there is a direct correlation between whether food is being served, and how attended various clubs are, and whether people sign up for things like being a tour guide. In med school free food = free labor.

 

[njbmd]

I think there is a direct correlation between whether food is being served, and how attended various clubs are, and whether people sign up for things like being a tour guide. In med school free food = free labor.

Hi there,
The free food was nice but the greatest fringe benefit of being a tour guide for interviewee tours is that you get to know many of the underclassmen very well. When I ran for office, I was very well known by most of the school with little effort on my part.

I was also the AMA representative for my medical school (attended the medical society meetings with attending physicians and faculty physicians) which came in handy when I was on the residency interview trail. Most of the attendings knew me pretty well and I became well-known at national meetings.

My activities plus my academics = AOA (Alpha Omega Alpha) which was a huge benefit for residency and future faculty appointment.

njbmd

 

[SarahGM]

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

Some people (myself included) find relaxation in these things... hobbies, interest groups, etc. For instance... I'm a tour guide because I have a lot of pride in my school, and I really enjoy meeting people who are interviewing here. I'm the president of our outdoors club because I love to get out of the city, and it gives me a way to steer the direction of the trips that we take (I have a big hand in that!)

 

[deuist]

Maybe people just take pride in their school and want to help out whenever they can. Me, I'm the vice president of the freshman class, have volunteered at every health fair this semester, and will show the campus to any pre-med who walks in the door. People say, "Ryan, how can you give up so much of your free time to help others in need?" And I reply, "I do it because others above me helped when I was in their position."

 

[Fusion]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

You know, it's funny, I just completed my first semester of med school and have noticed and wondered the exact same things from many of my classmates. For instance, we voted several ppl in our class to be course representatives (two per course) whose job it is to receive all the challenges and complaints that we have about exams, etc. I wondered at times what could possibly motivate someone to want to do something like that, especially with a bunch of neurotic anal med students like us! I was happy enough to keep my head above water this semester, and any extra time I had (which was not much at all) I preferred to spend taking care of things outside of medical school, not delving deeper - I felt like I spent enough time in that place. But I think that our classmates jump at opportunities to become involved in activities for a variety of reasons. Sure, some of it may be to pad the resume and look a little better on paper, maybe make a few connections along the way, etc. But I think for the most part, med students are inherently motivated and driven people not just in academics, but in many aspects of their lives. I am just grateful that the admissions committees of our schools are wise enough to select applicants like you and me to balance things out a little With that said, however, I look forward to becoming involved in extracurricular activities as I settle into school a little more and learn to balance things better. They really can be a great way to get to know your professors and peers while offering a productive break from studying.

 

[mudpie]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

I know exactly what you mean! Even when it IS something I care about, I don't sign up, because I just get exhausted being around school all the time. When I have free time, I want to relax, not be around people as crazy as I am.

You know, I signed up to interview applicants, because I thought it would be a great experience, but I didn't end up liking it and have decided not to do it again. How can any one possibly get to know someone well enough to decide their future career in a half an hour?? And why did I think it would be fun to interview applicants in the first place? All it did was make me realize how glad I am to not be a part of the whole application process anymore!

 

[Antigunner]

I'm on the exam review committee for our class, but that only requires a couple hours of my time each semester. I don't think I would want a position that requires much more of my time, but that's partly because I'm married, and the little time I get with my wife is precious to me. That being said, I'll probably still find room for some intramural basketball next semester...

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

sing it OP!

if i wanted to toast hotdogs or shovel ditches i wouldn't have applied to med school. i applied to escape work ..not jump for it. duh.

 

[rpkall]

ahaha this thread is hilarious.

If you're happy with your medschool, giving tours is actually FUN. All that other garbage, though, people do just so they have an extra line on their resumes that you don't.

Personally, I think playing your guitar, cultivating deeper relationships with your family and friends, and enjoying life in the ways YOU want to most--these are just as important as cleaning up the fatty human globules scattered on the lab floor and preparing them for cremation. In fact, one could argue that keeping yourself well-rounded (not as decided by adcoms or residencies, either, but REALLY well-rounded) might do you some good as a future physician.

Maybe reading Plato, writing music, going to museums, watching good cinema (and otherwise experiencing life or hearing stories of humanity told from different perspectives) could actually help you relate better to patients than the kids who volunteered to dissect out all the branches of the facial nerve in exhaustive detail.

Shocking.

My theory: do what you like, and do it with passion. If you speak intelligently about something you really love, that's 10 times better than the kid who gives a laundry list of little dumb jobs he's had since swabbing the deck of Anatomy lab in first-year.

 

[Mman]

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees?

Tour guide? That rocks. I gave tours to HS students as an undergrad. I gave tours to undergrads as a med student. If they'd only let me give tours to med students as a resident now, I'd be all over it.

Why?
--free food
--get to meet future colleagues/classmates
--get to honestly answer any questions people have
--pay back what I was thankful for when I came on interviews: an honest opinion from a current student

 

[sweetpeamd09]

It seems like every time there's an opportunity to hand out pretzels at the next alumni function, or join a random club that's sole purpose is to decide what movie will play next sunday night, half my classmates jump.

What motivates people to do things like be a tour guide for interviewees, or be my class secretary? Is it for social opportunity? Your resume or residency directors? Pre-med insanity overflow? Wouldn't you rather let someone else show nervous interviewees the library?

So yeah, I'm starting to feel sorta guilty because because don't care about doing those things. When I'm not studying, I want to relax. I want to play my guitar, talk to my family, refresh my brain so I can do my best at all this basic science stuff, which I think is important.

(Yes - I DO care about the fundraisers for AIDS, volunteering at the local clinic...things that have obvious importance IMHO.)

I hope none of you tour guides take offense - I had a great interview experience because of some of you - but I don't understand your motivation.

Please explain.

Omg...this is so true. However, I must admit that I'm on two committees and go to mostly everything. Some of it I go to b/c I have officially run out of both clean plates and food in my apt. Some I go to b/c I actually think it will enhance my life in some way. I've had to learn to say no recently...difficult concept to hold onto~especially when everyone seems to think you'll be able to lend a hand for every single freaking thing. If you don't start saying no (if you're one of those overzealous super-involved freaks like me)...you stop having all forms of a social life outside of the four walls of school. Then... it makes you want to hang yourself~not that I'm speaking from personal experience...

 

[John Deere Gree]

I was a tour guide for a little while at my school. I did it mainly cuz I thought it'd be fun to talk to the incoming students about school, but most importantly, our school has an awesome interview day lunch..that's the highlight.

Sadly, I've grown more cynical (sp) about my school and almost let it slip out about things I absolutely can't stand. Had that happened, and it somehow got back to the admissions office I'd be in deep doo-doo.

 

[irie]

I'm starting a tequila tasting club (wednesdays) and a wine tasting club (Saturday-Tuesday). Do you want to join my club? You might have to be the shot pourer.