*~*~*~*Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips Thread 2012-2013*~*~*~*

Started by sector9
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
Status
Not open for further replies.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
When entering descriptions for activities, should I put a short little blurb as to what I might have learned from each experience, instead of just simply listing what I did and what I accomplished for each activity. For example, if I am listing an entry for a part time job, should I say something like "Worked with a diverse group of people in order to accomplish work-related tasks; gained skills in customer service" in addition to describing my duties for the job?

Also, do I need to write in complete sentences when I am describing activities or is it enough to describe activities like I might on a resume/CV?
 
Last edited:
can you submit transcripts before you submit your app? like it is open now, but i want to send my transcripts now and submit my amcas the first day possible.
 
sector9 said:
Non-medical community service

See FAQ #10
Click to expand...

Thank you!

8b. What happens if I wrote about my most meaningful activities in my personal statement?
It is best not to repeat information on your application. There are two options:
1. Pick different activities as your "Most Meaningful".
2. Rework your personal statement. You can use your Personal Statement to address a specific story, patient, or moment, then use the "Most Meaningful" box to provide a more general, big picture message from the activity.
Click to expand...

Is it a bad thing if I don't mention all (or any) of my "most meaningful" activities in my PS? I realize it helps me avoid being repetitive, but if it truly is among the "most meaningful" shouldn't it theoretically make it into the PS?
 
Last edited:
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
MedPR said:
Thank you!



Is it a bad thing if I don't mention all (or any) of my "most meaningful" activities in my PS? I realize it helps me avoid being repetitive, but if it truly is among the "most meaningful" shouldn't it theoretically make it into the PS?
Click to expand...

Bro, you are fretting way too much over things. Your app will be read and done with in <5 minutes at many places.

If they like you, they will like you. If they don't, they won't.

I PROMISE that you won't get rejected anywhere because "you did not mention all three of your 'most meaningful' activities in your PS".

All that said, I hope you see how extreme you're getting. Relax. 🙂
 
I have an activity has a lot of broad areas: medical volunteering (free clinics), non-medical volunteering (environmental cleanups and serving food). I've also established it's local collegiate chapter as a club and helped organize a walk-a-thon under the same organization's name. Should I split all of these things into their respective med/non-med volunteering, leadership, etc? Or list it under one category and describe below all the other items?
I ask this mainly because the free clinics are a main part of clinical experience that I have, so I didn't want it lost if it was under other categories.
 
is there a difference between putting "first" and "1st" or am I being super paranoid here?


I think I regret asking this already
 
Blais said:
Bro, you are fretting way too much over things. Your app will be read and done with in <5 minutes at many places.

If they like you, they will like you. If they don't, they won't.

I PROMISE that you won't get rejected anywhere because "you did not mention all three of your 'most meaningful' activities in your PS".

All that said, I hope you see how extreme you're getting. Relax. 🙂
Click to expand...

Yea I guess you're right. Thanks for that 🙂
 
Thanks for all the advice! This thread has been so helpful 🙂

Question:
I was a camp counselor (with extensive training during Spring quarter) for the summer of 2007 and again for summer 2010. Since I did not volunteer for the organization in between those two summers, how should I answer the "Average Hours/ Week" question for this extracurricular activity?

Also, being a camp counselor entails that you spend a full week with the kids... so, essentially, you are constantly "volunteering." Should I list the time commitment for the week of camp as 7 x 16 hours (16 because I subtracted 8 hours for sleep lol) = 112 hours?

Thanks so much in advance!
 
Forgot to add...

Question:

If we were to list academic honors (ex: dean's list, cum laude, college hours, etc) all in one bunch under the title "Academic Recognition," how would we calculate the average hours/ week?

Should I even clump them together like this? Is this a good idea? If not, how should I classify these activities?

Thank you again!
 
Hello everyone,

I had a quick question about the ECs on amcas. I helped to successfully file an IND for an hESC-derived motor neuron cell therapeutic for SMA type I. I am not sure how I should list this in my ECs. I wrote most of the flow diagrams for the CMC section (Chemistry, Manufacuring, and Control) for the manufacturing process and a lot of the actual CMC section as well. Would this go under other or Publications? I am not too sure how I should list this.

Thanks guys!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
daisys said:
Forgot to add...

Question:

If we were to list academic honors (ex: dean's list, cum laude, college hours, etc) all in one bunch under the title "Academic Recognition," how would we calculate the average hours/ week?

Should I even clump them together like this? Is this a good idea? If not, how should I classify these activities?

Thank you again!
Click to expand...

lol no one puts hours per week for awards...you leave it blank.
 
daisys said:
Thanks for all the advice! This thread has been so helpful 🙂

Question:
I was a camp counselor (with extensive training during Spring quarter) for the summer of 2007 and again for summer 2010. Since I did not volunteer for the organization in between those two summers, how should I answer the "Average Hours/ Week" question for this extracurricular activity?

Also, being a camp counselor entails that you spend a full week with the kids... so, essentially, you are constantly "volunteering." Should I list the time commitment for the week of camp as 7 x 16 hours (16 because I subtracted 8 hours for sleep lol) = 112 hours?

Thanks so much in advance!
Click to expand...

wait, each summer was only one week of being a camp counselor? if that is the case, then 112 hours per week doesn't seem weird at all. it's not like you left the camp. you were constantly working.
 
pfaction said:
So from 08-12/11, I have 56 hours of shadowing a doctor on one day. 08 to 12 is 20 weeks. 56/20 is 2.8 hours a week. Should I just put the total number of hours in the description or just leave it as 2.5 hours a week?
Click to expand...
For shadowing, I would not fill in the hours per week. Just list the rough date span and the total hours for each doc (eg fall semester 29 hours, or 4/2011 20 hours, or 5/2011-8/2011 20 hours). Then give a grand total at the end of the space.
 
dmf2682 said:
Without going into too much detail I've a patent in the works that I'd like to list, but it's gov't classified Secret. Is there any way I can get "credit" for this on my AMCAS since it's not verifiable?
Click to expand...
Even if you were granted a patent, if it's not publically accertainable/declarable information, it didn't happen. Submitting for a patent is like submitting a paper for publication. Until it's granted/accepted, one gets little credit anyway. Unfortunately, patents take many years, rather than many months to gain closure.

You might consider having a letter writer with verifiable credentials refer to the project in whatever vague way is permittable.
 
Last edited:
daisys said:
Question:
I was a camp counselor (with extensive training during Spring quarter) for the summer of 2007 and again for summer 2010. Since I did not volunteer for the organization in between those two summers, how should I answer the "Average Hours/ Week" question for this extracurricular activity?

Also, being a camp counselor entails that you spend a full week with the kids... so, essentially, you are constantly "volunteering." Should I list the time commitment for the week of camp as 7 x 16 hours (16 because I subtracted 8 hours for sleep lol) = 112 hours?
Click to expand...
I suggest that you not fill in the hours per week in the header, since it was for one week each, and several years apart. Instead list the date as the most recent month of involvement. In the narrative, mention the exact dates and hours/week with total hours =112. Then add that you also participated at the same camp in X/2007, also for the same number of hours. You can mention the training separately in the description.
 
syoung said:
I have an activity has a lot of broad areas: medical volunteering (free clinics), non-medical volunteering (environmental cleanups and serving food). I've also established it's local collegiate chapter as a club and helped organize a walk-a-thon under the same organization's name. Should I split all of these things into their respective med/non-med volunteering, leadership, etc? Or list it under one category and describe below all the other items?
I ask this mainly because the free clinics are a main part of clinical experience that I have, so I didn't want it lost if it was under other categories.
Click to expand...
At the least, split out the clinical experience, as this is too important to let it get overlooked. If you have enough to say , split out the Leadership and its associated hours as well, though it would be fine to leave it with the nonmedical community service and show how you moved to a leadership role within the organization. Sometimes it makes more sense to leave them together so give more context. To highlight it, you can work the leadership component into the title you pick, if you like.
 
phonyreal98 said:
1) When entering descriptions for activities, should I put a short little blurb as to what I might have learned from each experience, instead of just simply listing what I did and what I accomplished for each activity. For example, if I am listing an entry for a part time job, should I say something like "Worked with a diverse group of people in order to accomplish work-related tasks; gained skills in customer service" in addition to describing my duties for the job?

2) Also, do I need to write in complete sentences when I am describing activities or is it enough to describe activities like I might on a resume/CV?
Click to expand...
1) You may, but I'd want to know things like: diverse, how? What customer service skills; complaint resolution, problem-solving, friendly chit chat, patience? If you're going to leave it vague, don't bother.

2) You can mix and match narrative and bullet formats as seems to best get across what you'd like to convey.
 
Blais said:
I grouped all my presentations (5+), each was from a different meeting.

Same with pubs.

I don't see why it couldn't be done for abstracts.
Click to expand...

how did you do that? I cite them like I do on my CV and can only fit 2 presentations/abstracts max.


here's an example of one

Doe J, Doe J, Doe J.. “Insert long ass title here”. X Organization Annual Meeting. Electronic Poster Presentation. City, State. Month X, 20XX.
 
theclem said:
1. How frowned upon is it to list international shadowing, such as in Asia? What about shadowing dentists? (It helped me realize I DON'T want to be one, but should I include this under shadowing?)

2. I realized AMCAS automatically orders the activities in chronological order- but my earliest activity is actually my hobby (I've started it since I was 5). I don't know how adcoms will feel about me if the first thing they read is my hobby...

3. Why is the earliest to submit this year 6/5 and not 6/1?
Click to expand...
1) International shadowing isn't frowned on unless it is not complemented with US-physician shadowing of sufficient quantity. It's OK to include dental, PA, nursing, etc shadowing as well, but don't include those hours in your grand total of physician shadowing hours. You can include all physicians, though.

2) The order you see when you print a copy is not necessarily the order that adcomms see, as a school's administration can sort activities in any way they wish. If you prefer, you can list only the college dates of your hobby and include the true datespan in the narrative.
 
Catalystik said:
Presumably, you are making one hard return after the first entry? Try using two hard returns after a listing, and check the print preview in PDF format only, as that is how it appears to adcomms. If that doesn't solve the problem, report back, so that others might chime in with solutions. Sector9 has recent experience with this.
Click to expand...
I was able to gain an extra line's worth of space by doing two returns, saving, and looking at the PDF version.

The PDF version is the one you want to check. The HTML version has known issues and shouldn't be used for formatting decisions.
 
mcgarvels said:
Hello everyone,

I had a quick question about the ECs on amcas. I helped to successfully file an IND for an hESC-derived motor neuron cell therapeutic for SMA type I. I am not sure how I should list this in my ECs. I wrote most of the flow diagrams for the CMC section (Chemistry, Manufacuring, and Control) for the manufacturing process and a lot of the actual CMC section as well. Would this go under other or Publications? I am not too sure how I should list this.

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

NickNaylor said:
Can you describe this more in layman's terms? What exactly did you produce?
Click to expand...
Merging
 
mcgarvels said:
Hello everyone,

I had a quick question about the ECs on amcas. I helped to successfully file an IND for an hESC-derived motor neuron cell therapeutic for SMA type I. I am not sure how I should list this in my ECs. I wrote most of the flow diagrams for the CMC section (Chemistry, Manufacuring, and Control) for the manufacturing process and a lot of the actual CMC section as well. Would this go under other or Publications? I am not too sure how I should list this.

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
It sounds like it would go under "Research" to me
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Camy99 said:
First of all, thank you guys for answering us all in such a timely manner! 🙂 <3

Question: I took part of a minority High School outreach event 2-years in a row with 2 differnt chair positions. For about a 2 months we met 2hr/week, and then the program itself is a 2-day thing from 8am Fri to 12pm Sat. How do I do this?
In my resume I have it as volunteer but I realized this is good leadership too. So I started this Feb 2011 until it ended April 2011, and then again in 2012, and I'll most likely do it again next year. Do I say till present or April 2012 as end date, and then explain in the box?
And then as the position name can I just write Chair Member and then explain each position (Secretary in 2011, Publicity in 2012) in the box? And then again explain the outcome in the box? Can the box fit all this?! lol

This might end up being one of my most meaningful too because it involves mentoring "kids", so I may have more room. Anyways, help please 🙂
Click to expand...


My question was probably tl;dr but please help? 😕
 
Catalystik said:
Presumably, you are making one hard return after the first entry? Try using two hard returns after a listing, and check the print preview in PDF format only, as that is how it appears to adcomms. If that doesn't solve the problem, report back, so that others might chime in with solutions. Sector9 has recent experience with this.
Click to expand...

I figured it out, in the the PDF version it looks as entered but in the Print to HTML it does not the put the spaces. Thanks!
 
Camy99 said:
My question was probably tl;dr but please help? 😕
Click to expand...
See post #545, where sector9 responded to your question.
sector9 said:
If I were you, I would put it down as nonmedical community service, using the most recent time span (Feb to April 2012) and hours as the header info (bumping up the hours per week from 2 to properly account for the big commitment at the end). In the title, I would make the leadership component clear (like "Minority Outreach Community Service and Chair Member" for example). In the description, I would have a section describing the activity then another section describing your leadership of the activity. I would then have a section where you do something like
"Also:
I participated in the same activity in 2011 from February to April with a weekly commitment of 3 hours. The same contact information may be used"
and then go on to explain your leadership role in that time span

You may need to use bullet points to fit everything.

Marking it as most meaningful is a fine idea. That would give you more room to talk about the nitty-gritty "here's what I did" in the description box and the "here's what awesome stuff I learned about both leadership and mentoring" in the Most Meaningful box
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys for shadowing would it be ok to give each physician's name, specialty, location, period shadowed, and total hours.......followed by one sentence describing what you learned from each one?

If I give contact info for each one in the description it's hard for me to give a once sentence reflection on each one, so can I just pick my most recent shadow as a contact and include it in the specified slots?

Thank you in advance!
 
saveourpens said:
Hey guys for shadowing would it be ok to give each physician's name, specialty, location, period shadowed, and total hours.......followed by one sentence describing what you learned from each one?

If I give contact info for each one in the description it's hard for me to give a once sentence reflection on each one, so can I just pick my most recent shadow as a contact and include it in the specified slots?
Click to expand...
As long as the doc could be located with the info provided, you're fine, but I'd rather see the phone or email than an address, which surely would fit in the same space or less. If you don't have contact info, though, then do as you described.
 
Quick question, What did you guys talk about at the significant essay for the 3 experiences? Basically what did you do, what did you learn, ext? Or something specific?
 
If there are two publications, just list them under 1 publication category? They are published in the same lab, but different graduate students. Or give them two separate categories?

Also with reference to my above post on my club. I also was one of the representatives for the organization at Youth Assembly at the UN in 2008. We did mainly networking there, didn't present or anything, just attended the conference. Do I list that separate in the conference category?
 
syoung said:
If there are two publications, just list them under 1 publication category? They are published in the same lab, but different graduate students. Or give them two separate categories?
Click to expand...

Put the most prestigious as the 1 publication and list the other one in the description.
 
I was in an Honor's program, which had some separate courses. I listed that in it's own category. I also have a scholarship and was listed in Dean's Honors list. I don't want to take away from the scholarship's meaningfulness by combining it with Dean's honors list and if I did that, I'd have to just list them both under the title "awards/recognition". Or would you recommend listing them both separate?
 
Quick silly question: Do you recommend full sentences in the description section? I am using abbreviated language from my cv like ".Conducted research project in a neurobiology lab using histology to explore the role of immediate early gene expression in song learning in zebra finches. Acquired excellent experience in research methodology." Is this appropriate?
.
 
10. What category should I list Physician Shadowing under?
Physician shadowing is best included under the "Other" designation.

Some other recommendations when listing physician shadowing: It is not necessary to include hours/week. Group all of your shadowing together, giving a total hours for each physician and a grand total at the end. Additional relevant information such as their title ("MD" or "DO"), level of training if not an attending (resident, fellow, etc.), or other notes about the shadowing (i.e. shadowed only during office hours for a surgeon, only during image reading for a radiologist, etc.) can be included. There's no need to describe what shadowing is.
Click to expand...

If we group them all together, do we put the start date of the very first time we shadowed and the end date of the very last doctor we shadowed?

Who do we put as a contact person since we are putting several physicians in one activity? If shadowed in two different states. Should I make separate entries or just leave the city/state blank?

Also, I'm not sure of how to format the description. Is this acceptable, for example?

Cardiologist John Doe, MD. I shadowed Dr. Doe for a total of 40 hours

Rheumatologist John Doe, MD. I shadowed Dr. Doe for a total of 50 hours

Mohs Surgeon and Dermatologist John Doe, DO. I shadowed Dr. Doe for a total of 20 hours including surgeries and office visits
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
wanderedtoolong said:
Quick silly question: Do you recommend full sentences in the description section? I am using abbreviated language from my cv like ".Conducted research project in a neurobiology lab using histology to explore the role of immediate early gene expression in song learning in zebra finches. Acquired excellent experience in research methodology." Is this appropriate?
.
Click to expand...

I used CV language but modified a bit.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Possible to list as an EC?

Mentor for the last year at an online support group for a specific medical condition (one that I experienced myself)?
 
Am I allowed to use the "Most meaningful" space to have more room to group activities together? For example, I grouped all of my part-time jobs together but needed the full ~2000 characters to describe them all. I was able to talk a little bit about what I learned from the experience, but I think this is a much more logical way to present my activities.
 
In college I took three neuroscience lab courses which allowed the class to design a study and follow it through to the end. As a class we designed the study then we were individually in charge of a set number of subjects (rats, crickets, goldfish). I trained, dissected, sliced, mounted, and stained my own subjects. The class then compiled the data and we independently analyzed and wrote up individual full reports of the study.

Can these classes be described under research activities even though they are already listed under my course work?
 
I designed my own major by collaborating with professors, pursuing independent studies, researching and compiling lists of classes that are relevant, comparing syllabi with similarly established majors at other universities, etc. I'm assuming that adcoms won't look at my application and say, "Oh, hey, School X doesn't have this program so Sunflower18 must have created that major for herself!", so it'd be nice to be able to mention this. However, is it something that would qualify as an EC? Is it interesting / would anyone care? If so, how would I list it..?

Thanks for answering all of my questions!! 😀
 
amaranth said:
In college I took three neuroscience lab courses which allowed the class to design a study and follow it through to the end. As a class we designed the study then we were individually in charge of a set number of subjects (rats, crickets, goldfish). I trained, dissected, sliced, mounted, and stained my own subjects. The class then compiled the data and we independently analyzed and wrote up individual full reports of the study.

Can these classes be described under research activities even though they are already listed under my course work?
Click to expand...

I think the majority of hard science majors have at least one class like this in their curriculum...

It is not "research" as AMCAS intends, IMO.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

chilly_md
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2026-2027 *~*~*~*
Replies
30
Views
7K
TimidBoi
T
K
Guidance on work/activities - Feedback
Replies
3
Views
680
Kimie02
K
L
  • Question Question
Short-term scribing job - how to list on AMCAS work & activities list?
Replies
1
Views
753
Catalystik
Catalystik
M
  • Question Question
Include engineering internship in work/activities?
Replies
8
Views
1K
m33
M
wysdoc
  • Sticky
*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2026-2027 *~*~*~*~*
2
Replies
88
Views
12K
wysdoc
wysdoc