Not an everyday question: what constitutes an "extracurricular activity"?

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

First of all, don't laugh! haha...anyway, my question is what exactly constitutes an "extracurricular activity" for med schools?

Example #1: Can I write that I have two different summer jobs?

Example #2: I've seen some people write down "Fitness training" i.e. going to the gym etc...is this satisfactory?

I'm trying to find some extracurriculars throughout my college career that may have gone "under the radar" per se...any help is appreciated fellow pre-meds!

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[CardiacIntensivist]

First of all, don't laugh! haha...anyway, my question is what exactly constitutes an "extracurricular activity" for med schools?

Example #1: Can I write that I have two different summer jobs?

Example #2: I've seen some people write down "Fitness training" i.e. going to the gym etc...is this satisfactory?

I'm trying to find some extracurriculars throughout my college career that may have gone "under the radar" per se...any help is appreciated fellow pre-meds!

1. Yes

2. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - sounds like a hobby to me

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

if you put down number two and it's not for anything at a competitive elite level you might as well list eating too.

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

if you put down number two and it's not for anything at a competitive elite level you might as well list eating too.

I found it weird that someone had fitness training as an extracurricular!

Anyway, I feel like the only hole in any app for me would be lack of extracurriculars within the hospital setting (i.e volunteering/shadowing)...my goal is to volunteer at two different hospitals at least one day a week for ~4 hrs/ week from the beginning of the semester (in a week) until end of the semester (May) and get shadowing experiences with at least 4 or 5 different types of doctors...do you think this would be satisfactory???

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

I found it weird that someone had fitness training as an extracurricular!

Anyway, I feel like the only hole in any app for me would be lack of extracurriculars within the hospital setting (i.e volunteering/shadowing)...my goal is to volunteer at two different hospitals at least one day a week for ~4 hrs/ week from the beginning of the semester (in a week) until end of the semester (May) and get shadowing experiences with at least 4 or 5 different types of doctors...do you think this would be satisfactory???

it could be. adcoms usually like to see you involved in a clinical setting for at least a year. that's the word on these SDN streets anyway.

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

ah i see...as for awards if you didn't end up paying the say $80 fee for Golden Key or any of the other honor societies does that mean you are not a member?

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

ah i see...as for awards if you didn't end up paying the say $80 fee for Golden Key or any of the other honor societies does that mean you are not a member?

you don't need that bull**** anyway. adcoms want to see that you actually DID stuff, not just signed up for some stupid club.

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

yeah i understand...see I have the research, i have the intramural sports, i have clubs/positions, jobs, other stuff etc...I just need to tackle hospital setting volunteering and shadowing this semester...I just want to make sure i'm not missing anything

 

[cliffhuxtableDO]

that all sounds good with a solid gpa and MCAT. get the clinical experience and you should be fine.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

Whatever your dedicated to that you don't need to do, whether or not you compete (if there's even such a thing as competition within that activity). Not everyone wants to compete with others in the activities that they do. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone putting fitness as an EC if their fitness routine takes up a good majority of their time and have developed and maintain a high level of physical fitness.

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

When you volunteer is it 100% necessary that you get a signiture etc every day you volunteer as a way to "sign-off" your hours volunteered for file purposes?

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

I spend about 10-15 hours a week at the gym for fitness training...significant?

 

[KPCOFGS]

When you volunteer is it 100% necessary that you get a signiture etc every day you volunteer as a way to "sign-off" your hours volunteered for file purposes?

obviously this depends on the organization. if you want the volunteer coordinator to write you a letter of rec, s/he'd better believe you did what you're saying you did. if you're not getting a letter of rec, it's not necessary at all as AMCAS will never check. you shouldn't lie (obviously) but they're not going to hire a private detective or anything.

while I'm here I may as well try the other stuff. for ECs what I did was try to fill up the 15 slots with my most 'impressive' activities... if you have slots left over afterwards, at least if I were you, I'd think about putting down fitness then, and only then. Don't replace a legitimate volunteer experience with that though.

lastly, this "not an everyday" question is quickly turning into things that have been answered before. you might consider reading up on the stickies, because they cover a lot of this stuff about AMCAS activities, etc.

 

[LizzyM]

When you volunteer is it 100% necessary that you get a signiture etc every day you volunteer as a way to "sign-off" your hours volunteered for file purposes?

No. It is an honor system with AMCAS. Your school's pre-med office may have its own rules and you might want to check that out.

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OP: The AMCAS application has a section called "Experience" so it is what we call extracurricular but can also include stuff you did for credit (e.g. research) or service learning (working for a pharmaceutical company for a semester) or even hobbies/advocations/sports/artistic activities.

 

[Global Warming]