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

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1) If my name is listed on an abstract that was presented at a conference that I wasn't there for, should I bother listing it? I don't want to get to the interview and be asked, "So! how was that conference?" and have to say "... that wasn't me..."

2) Related to that same abstract, I have a non first-author publication that has been accepted pending minor revision (so there isnt a specific accept date I could list just yet). Should that go in a separate slot or should I put that in the activity description for the corresponding research experience? (If it matters, I also presented a poster on that research as well, but it wasn't anything major.)
1) Did you do research that contributed to the information presented on the poster/presentation? Did you help author the poster/abstract? Is your name on the abstract? If yes, then you have every right to claim this as your intellectual property, regardless of whether you went to the conference. If your role was very tiny, I wouldn't blame you for not mentioning it. But if that is not the case, then you could cite it. You would state who did present the information, giving due credit, with some indication that you were not present. However . . . (exception below that seems to apply to you)

2) One should only cite the most prestigious way in which one's data was presented to the world. Apparently, in this case, that way will be under the Publications designation, rather than Poster/Presentations (provided it's via a noncampus journal).

An Acceptance pending minor revision is considered an Acceptance for AMCAS purposes, and can be listed under Publications. The date you'd enter would be the date of notification. In the entry, you will specify the status, namely, Accepted pending minor revision. After the citation, in the same space, you may enter the information that the data was also presented at xxxConference, on xx/xx/xx date, by first author, So N So, and the same for the Poster. Cite abstract and poster enough that your place on the author lists is evident. Always give credit to others when it is due.

Hopefully, this approach will free up some space for you.
 
I have an activity that started in june and ended in july of the same year. Would you recommend listing total hours as well as weekly hours? AMCAS doesnt let you input a specific start date so what I have listed can be either last week of june and first week in july (2 weeks) or first week of june and last week of july (8 weeks)
 
I have an activity that started in june and ended in july of the same year. Would you recommend listing total hours as well as weekly hours? AMCAS doesnt let you input a specific start date so what I have listed can be either last week of june and first week in july (2 weeks) or first week of june and last week of july (8 weeks)
I think that stating exact date span as well as total hours in the description would be helpful in this situation.
 
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Thanks so much for your help! One more quick one: civilian internship at an air force base = non-military employment or military employment?
 
I have three shadowing experiences, one was during a study abroad experience, and another I was going to list as one of my most meaningful. I know that you're supposed to group the shadowing together under one entry, but I feel if I want to mark one as "most meaningful" it should have it's own space.

That being said, do I put the abroad and the other shadowing under an "other - Physician Shadowing in U.S. and Abroad" and then list my most meaningful shadowing in its own slot? If so, what kind of title should I put? "Most Meaningful Shadowing," another "Physician Shadowing," or maybe "Shadowing with Jon Doe, M.D."? I don't want to have two shadowing slots with the same titles.

Thanks in advance!
 
I have three shadowing experiences, one was during a study abroad experience, and another I was going to list as one of my most meaningful. I know that you're supposed to group the shadowing together under one entry, but I feel if I want to mark one as "most meaningful" it should have it's own space.

That being said, do I put the abroad and the other shadowing under an "other - Physician Shadowing in U.S. and Abroad" and then list my most meaningful shadowing in its own slot? If so, what kind of title should I put? "Most Meaningful Shadowing," another "Physician Shadowing," or maybe "Shadowing with Jon Doe, M.D."? I don't want to have two shadowing slots with the same titles.
I'd agree that when one shadowing experience really stood out and you have lots to say about it, it can stand alone in its own space, especially if you plan to designate it as "Most Meaningful."

Both should be listed under "Other." Maybe call one "Extra Shadowing in US and Abroad" (to indicate its lesser importance) and the more important one, "Important/Significant/Primary/Influential/Most Impactful/Most-Meaningful/Other Thesaurus-inspired word of choice (maybe list physician specity here) Physician Shadowing" to help differentialte them.
 
Several of my jobs have allowed me to interact closely with physicians and observe the day-to-day activities of their job. Descriptions of the jobs mention this, but I was wondering if I should also mention this in my shadowing section?
 
I'd agree that when one shadowing experience really stood out and you have lots to say about it, it can stand alone in its own space, especially if you plan to designate it as "Most Meaningful."

Both should be listed under "Other." Maybe call one "Extra Shadowing in US and Abroad" (to indicate its lesser importance) and the more important one, "Important/Significant/Primary/Influential/Most Impactful/Most-Meaningful/Other Thesaurus-inspired word of choice (maybe list physician specity here) Physician Shadowing" to help differentialte them.
Thank you so much!
 
So I plan on submitting around the end of the month.. will it be the end of the world of no?

Also I will have some hours of physician shadowing but I recently established a connection and will do 6hours a week until august... how should I enter that?

Also for shadowing, do I explain anything more than saying shadowed X for y hours? If I put this as most meaningful should I elaborate on what I saw?

And same with hobbies.. how in detail do I explain it?
 
Several of my jobs have allowed me to interact closely with physicians and observe the day-to-day activities of their job. Descriptions of the jobs mention this, but I was wondering if I should also mention this in my shadowing section?
You can't double list it. You could emphasize it by stating at the end of a narrative about a job that 10% of the time was spent in the presence of a physician who was interacting with patients, or somesuch. Or you can add the word "Shadowing" to the Name you gave the activity.
 
1) I will have some hours of physician shadowing but I recently established a connection and will do 6hours a week until august... how should I enter that?

2) Also for shadowing, do I explain anything more than saying shadowed X for y hours? If I put this as most meaningful should I elaborate on what I saw?

3) And same with hobbies.. how in detail do I explain it?
1) If you don't start it before you submit, most don't enter it at all (which is the wisest course). If you have started, you can give the date span of 6/2012 to present if it's in the header, in which case you'd state in the narrative that the activity ends 8/2012. If you are adding it after another shadowing experience, make clear that it is planned shadowing for 6 hours a week, and give the full intended date span along with all the contact and name /location information.

2) See my example here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=12561811&postcount=848

If you claim it as "Most Meaningful" then you would elaborate much more and give examples, along with their impact and transformative nature.

3) Many entries require no elaboration, but if you have the space, you might add some nuggets that make it more interesting, eg

Cooking-My specialty is enchiladas, etc. Taught by my grandmother, so i always make my own sauce.

Running- completed Louisville Half Marathon in XX minutes, etc.

Reading, prefer Science Fiction/Fantasy. Just completed Ender's game series.
 
Hey guys, I do some Volunteer Vet Tech work which involves participation at surgical spay/neuter clinics, working the anesthesia, prepping animal for surgery, etc. Would you list this under clinical volunteering or something other?
 
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Hey guys, I do some Volunteer Vet Tech work which involves participation at surgical spay/neuter clinics, working the anesthesia, prepping animal for surgery, etc. Would you list this under clinical volunteering or something other?
For med school application purposes, this is not considered to be Community Service/Volunteer-Medical/Clinical. You might list it under Other, or alternatively, Community Sevice/Volunteer-NOT Medical Clinical, and Name the activity Volunteer Veterinary Technician (for the former) or Veterinary AnesthesiaTechnician (for the latter). If you are demonstrating how to do this to others, Teaching could also be used.
 
Question regarding research. For the past two years, I have been a paid research fellow through an institute focused on improving healthcare in my underserved area. My research has been focused on the development of a curriculum to introduce students to Telemedicine. I have played a major role in the development of the curriculum and in the coming year I will help implement and evaluate the program. Also, I helped put together a Telemedicine Symposium at my college that gathered professionals who utilize telemedicine in their practice routinely, such as physicians and midlevels, to speak at the symposium. This symposium was open to all students and invitations were sent out to healthcare providers in my area. I'm working on two publications right now. In one I will be first author and the second I will be third author behind my professors. Almost forgot, I also gave a poster presentation at the college's research symposium, and I will be doing that again next Spring right before I apply.

My question is this: How do I best convey what I have accomplished here? Should it be listed as research, leadership, teaching, or a combination? Would it be in my best interest to make two separate listings? Also, do I HAVE to list how many hours I worked on this? Honestly, with all of the literature review and such, it would be hard for me to put a finger on a superbly accurate number.

Thanks in advance!
 
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should i include a blurb about a Society of Neuroscience abstract in which I'm included even though the conference hasn't occurred yet?
 
For med school application purposes, this is not considered to be Community Service/Volunteer-Medical/Clinical. You might list it under Other, or alternatively, Community Sevice/Volunteer-NOT Medical Clinical, and Name the activity Volunteer Veterinary Technician (for the former) or Veterinary AnesthesiaTechnician (for the latter). If you are demonstrating how to do this to others, Teaching could also be used.

Thanks alot for your assistance. I will use it as Volunteer-NON Medical/Clinical. I also have another question:

I have heard from a few people that have told me something like this: "you might think you can't fill up all 15 Extracurricular slots, but they fill up quicker than you think." For an example, I do research, but I also have had presentations at conferences/symposiums that included a poster. Can this be more than one thing? Like I use one slot for the research in general, use another for the presentations/poster? So that's like separating the research from the presentations as 2 distinct things. Also, I can separate chess club participation (which I most likely would list as leadership, due to my vice presidency) with actually being a tournament/official rated chess player for the USCF for another 2 separate things.

Is that what people normally do?
 
Thanks for the reply, Cat!
I have another question. There are 2 activities I want to put under leadership that relate to each other but they took place in different years. How do I go about putting the time they took place? Do I have to separate them? It seems kind of silly to do since they are both so related....
 
Sorry! Another one!
I was involved in an activity a few years ago in school, but the organization that hosted it closed and there is absolutely no one I can put as a contact. What should i do in this situation?
 
Question regarding research. For the past two years, I have been a paid research fellow through an institute focused on improving healthcare in my underserved area. My research has been focused on the development of a curriculum to introduce students to Telemedicine. I have played a major role in the development of the curriculum and in the coming year I will help implement and evaluate the program. Also, I helped put together a Telemedicine Symposium at my college that gathered professionals who utilize telemedicine in their practice routinely, such as physicians and midlevels, to speak at the symposium. This symposium was open to all students and invitations were sent out to healthcare providers in my area.

I'm working on two publications right now. In one I will be first author and the second I will be third author behind my professors.

Almost forgot, I also gave a poster presentation at the college's research symposium, and I will be doing that again next Spring right before I apply.

My question is this:
1) How do I best convey what I have accomplished here? Should it be listed as research, leadership, teaching, or a combination?
2) Would it be in my best interest to make two separate listings?
3) Also, do I HAVE to list how many hours I worked on this? Honestly, with all of the literature review and such, it would be hard for me to put a finger on a superbly accurate number.
1) From what you've presented here, this seems like an activity with elements of Teaching and Leadership. I don't get the impression that this research is hypothesis-driven, but rather related to a special project. Correct me if I'm wrong and give more detail.

2) If you have no other Leadership and want to highlight it, then yes. If you need more space for a good description, then yes. If you have severe space limitations, then no.

3) Listing total hours accumulated is not required. It's fine to just list the hours per week averaged out over the entire prioject.


If you have not yet completed and submitted your manuscripts for publication, don't mention them on the application. When accepted they can be mentioned in a future update letter.
 
1) I have heard from a few people that have told me something like this: "you might think you can't fill up all 15 Extracurricular slots, but they fill up quicker than you think." For an example, I do research, but I also have had presentations at conferences/symposiums that included a poster. Can this be more than one thing? Like I use one slot for the research in general, use another for the presentations/poster? So that's like separating the research from the presentations as 2 distinct things.

2) Also, I can separate chess club participation (which I most likely would list as leadership, due to my vice presidency) with actually being a tournament/official rated chess player for the USCF for another 2 separate things.

Is that what people normally do?
1) Unless the poster was presented at a campus event, you may mention it separately from the associated Research in its own space, if you have the room. If you had other presentations of the same data, it can also be mentioned in that same space, with the most prestigious way of sharing your data highlighted in the header information.

2) That is also commonly done and quite acceptable, when you have plenty to say about each component.
 
There are 2 activities I want to put under leadership that relate to each other but they took place in different years. How do I go about putting the time they took place? Do I have to separate them? It seems kind of silly to do since they are both so related....
They can be grouped in the same space, but you'll put information related only to the most recent in the header, and then provide the separate dates and description, contact, etc in the narrative for the second. Be sure the title you give the activity covers both experiences.
 
Last week I started a summer research position, should I select until present or write the expected end date because of school? Thanks.
 
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How much detail am I allowed to go in to when describing a patient I encountered in my volunteering whose condition had a big impact on me.

I won't mention his name and really just want to mention what he was suffering from. As a hospital volunteer, was I even technically allowed to know what his condition was? Should I state that a nurse told me what it was? I'm basically in the dark about what information I can mention without sounding sketchy.
 
1) From what you've presented here, this seems like an activity with elements of Teaching and Leadership. I don't get the impression that this research is hypothesis-driven, but rather related to a special project. Correct me if I'm wrong and give more detail.

2) If you have no other Leadership and want to highlight it, then yes. If you need more space for a good description, then yes. If you have severe space limitations, then no.

3) Listing total hours accumulated is not required. It's fine to just list the hours per week averaged out over the entire prioject.


If you have not yet completed and submitted your manuscripts for publication, don't mention them on the application. When accepted they can be mentioned in a future update letter.

It isn't research in a lab, but it basically boils down to, "If we teach health science students this and that, incorporate simulations into their curriculum, and provide for them clinical experiences, then they will be more efficient healthcare providers." This is being done with nursing, medical, and pharmacy students.

I have quite a bit of leadership as it is. I've been the Vice President of my major's organization and the most prestigious honor society on my campus. I've been a tutor for two years, as well.

Would the average hours over the course of an activity apply to volunteering, as well? Or is it more acceptable to just list total hours and time frame?
 
How much detail am I allowed to go in to when describing a patient I encountered in my volunteering whose condition had a big impact on me.

I won't mention his name and really just want to mention what he was suffering from. As a hospital volunteer, was I even technically allowed to know what his condition was? Should I state that a nurse told me what it was? I'm basically in the dark about what information I can mention without sounding sketchy.
I'm glad you are aware that you need to be very careful about this. You should give the patient another name, but also make clear that you did so, as in, "A patient I'll refer to as Joe, . . . ." It's probably a good idea to fictionaize other details, too, even gender, age, etc. You can know the patient's condition, as he could have told you himself, or a family member might have, or you might have needed to know via the staff for certain reasons.
 
1) It isn't research in a lab, but it basically boils down to, "If we teach health science students this and that, incorporate simulations into their curriculum, and provide for them clinical experiences, then they will be more efficient healthcare providers." This is being done with nursing, medical, and pharmacy students.

2) I have quite a bit of leadership as it is. I've been the Vice President of my major's organization and the most prestigious honor society on my campus. I've been a tutor for two years, as well.

3) Would the average hours over the course of an activity apply to volunteering, as well? Or is it more acceptable to just list total hours and time frame?
1) Research need not be in a lab, or even in the sciences. You could make this into hypothesis-driven research by measuring outcomes in a traditional-learning and study population (beises all that other scientific method stuff).

2) I'd put tutoring under Teaching, unless you are organizing other tutors.

3) You can do it either way or both ways for volunteering as well.
 
I have a question regarding listing the hours for one of my clinical volunteer experiences; I have been volunteering in a specific clinic continuously since the summer before my senior year in high school, so I have over 2000 hours in this clinic. Would it be enough to fill in the sections on average hours/week and the start and end dates, or would it sound more impressive if I mention that total number of hours (2000+ hours) in my activity description?
 
1) Research need not be in a lab, or even in the sciences. You could make this into hypothesis-driven research by measuring outcomes in a traditional-learning and study population (beises all that other scientific method stuff).

2) I'd put tutoring under Teaching, unless you are organizing other tutors.

3) You can do it either way or both ways for volunteering as well.
This next year will be focused on implementing and measuring outcomes through previously used scales and efficacy scales that we are developing ourselves. We are currently going through the IRB regarding those scales. So I should basically list everything related to this project under one activity, correct? I'm mainly worried about having enough room to briefly explain what I did and go into detail with the view of healthcare it has given me and how it has given me a passion for underserved populations.

As always, thank you for the astute insight!
 
This next year will be focused on implementing and measuring outcomes through previously used scales and efficacy scales that we are developing ourselves. We are currently going through the IRB regarding those scales.
1) So I should basically list everything related to this project under one activity, correct?
2) I'm mainly worried about having enough room to briefly explain what I did and go into detail with the view of healthcare it has given me and how it has given me a passion for underserved populations.
1) Where an activity is multifaceted, you have the choice of describing everything together, or splitting it into subcomponents. (And dividing out the hours as well.) It seems to me, that you could legitimately use Teaching, Leadership, and Research, if you want to discuss the project with its goals, which is still in the design phase and pending IRB approval.

2) Dividing the activity up gives you more space. But so would designating the activity as "Most Meaningful." You'll have to pick one of those options, put some of the reflections related to gaining a passion for underserved populations in the PS, or alternatively, you'll have to describe it very succinctly. Your choice.
 
I have a question regarding listing the hours for one of my clinical volunteer experiences; I have been volunteering in a specific clinic continuously since the summer before my senior year in high school, so I have over 2000 hours in this clinic. Would it be enough to fill in the sections on average hours/week and the start and end dates, or would it sound more impressive if I mention that total number of hours (2000+ hours) in my activity description?
It would be enough to fill in the hours per week adjusted slightly for vacations or times away. I feel it would be impactful to list the total hours at the end of the entry, in addition. But this is not required, so it's your choice.
 
It would be enough to fill in the hours per week adjusted slightly for vacations or times away. I feel it would be impactful to list the total hours at the end of the entry, in addition. But this is not required, so it's your choice.

Great, thank you! The 2000 hours is adjusted for times that I was not there.

Also, would it look bad if I select a different clinical experience (an abroad volunteer brigade in a health clinic) as one of my meaningfuls instead of this clinic even if that abroad experience has much fewer hours? I've talked about my experiences in this clinic A LOT in my PS, so I don't want to be redundant in the extra 1325 characters. I do have a lot to write about what I've learned from that abroad brigade that I can't fit in the 700 characters, so I would love to use the extra space for that. So would it cause any problems if I do not select my experiences in that clinic as one of my 3 meaningfuls, even if it is my longest clinical experience?

Thank you so much, Catalystik, for all your advice and time!
 
When listing contact information for a PhD, where is the best location to indicate these individuals have earned that degree? I ask because I think doing research under a PhD may be viewed as more impressive than under a graduate student, and the faculty deserve due respect. How should it be entered into the contact info?

For example, if it is Jane Doe, PhD, should the contact info be:

Contact's Last Name: Doe, PhD
Contact's First Name: Jane

Thanks for your insight
 
I am considering adding an activity entry for my hobbies (fitness and piano), but I am not sure about what to put down for the "Start Date." I have been playing the piano since I was in elementary school, but that is a ridiculous start date. Should I just put down a start date that coincides with when I started college, and explain in the description that I have played since I was a child? Also, when talking about several hobbies under one listing, should I just write about each one in a different paragraph in the space they give us?

Also, I am thinking of listing my brother as the contact since we did a lot of the activities together. What should I put for "Contact's Title"? Should I put his relationship to me or the position in the company where he works or what?
 
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Also, would it look bad if I select a different clinical experience (an abroad volunteer brigade in a health clinic) as one of my meaningfuls instead of this clinic even if that abroad experience has much fewer hours? I've talked about my experiences in this clinic A LOT in my PS, so I don't want to be redundant in the extra 1325 characters. I do have a lot to write about what I've learned from that abroad brigade that I can't fit in the 700 characters, so I would love to use the extra space for that. So would it cause any problems if I do not select my experiences in that clinic as one of my 3 meaningfuls, even if it is my longest clinical experience?
Your choice of "Most Meaningful" can be for strategic reasons, because you think you can read adcomm minds, for practical reasons, because you need the space, or from the heart, because it really meant a lot and had an impact on you. You have to decide this. I doubt anything you decide will "look bad" unless the entry doesn't highlight a characteristic important in a future physician.
 
When listing contact information for a PhD, where is the best location to indicate these individuals have earned that degree? I ask because I think doing research under a PhD may be viewed as more impressive than under a graduate student, and the faculty deserve due respect. How should it be entered into the contact info?

For example, if it is Jane Doe, PhD, should the contact info be:

Contact's Last Name: Doe, PhD
Contact's First Name: Jane
The contact's first name, last name and title are requested. You could enter "PhD" under Title. I believe it will appear after a comma and a space after the person's name. You can add more after that if you put in another comma, if the personal has another designation you'd like to state (like an acadmic title).

So then it would appear on the application like
Jane Doe, PhD, Assistant Professor of XXX
 
I am considering adding an activity entry for my hobbies (fitness and piano), but I am not sure about what to put down for the "Start Date." I have been playing the piano since I was in elementary school, but that is a ridiculous start date.
1) Should I just put down a start date that coincides with when I started college, and explain in the description that I have played since I was a child?

2) Also, when talking about several hobbies under one listing, should I just write about each one in a different paragraph in the space they give us?

3) Also, I am thinking of listing my brother as the contact since we did a lot of the activities together. What should I put for "Contact's Title"? Should I put his relationship to me or the position in the company where he works or what?
1) Yes. Many enter such things in just that way.

2) Yes. You don't have to say much.

3) I would say, "Family Member."
 
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Two questions: for hobbies and such I placed myself as the contact. Big no no?

And I have three meaningful experiences such as feeding the homeless, volunteering at a medical camp, and going to guatemala (which I wrote my PS about). Also big no no?

haha
 
In my "honors, distinctions, etc." entry would it be appropriate to list a special scholarship I received during my senior year of high school for college? It was through a large healthcare provider's foundation that gave scholarships to excelling students pursuing healthcare. Not sure if I should include this because technically I received it at the end of my senior year, but the scholarship was for undergraduate tuition
 
Two quick questions again (sorry!) -- my mother's a physician with her own private practice, and I volunteered as a clinical intern. This involved answering phones, dealing with patient charts/filing, manning the front desk occasionally, talking to patients, helping her nurses enter things into computers, etc.

1. Could this be clinical/medical volunteering?
2. Is it weird to list this because it is my mother who is the physician? Can I list her as the main contact? The person who heads her hiring is also my dad, so I don't know how much listing him would help...
 
1. I have an extra spot and am considering splitting up my shadowing hours so I can write more about what I saw/learned in each. I have shadowed 3 MDs and 3 DOs - is it okay to split them this way even though I am applying MD?

2. For the rest of my experiences (the non-most meaningful), should I include a line or two about what I learned and why it was meaningful? Or just leave it at explaining the place and what my responsibilities were?
 
Would it be okay to include winning competitions during/before high school in singing/piano (listed under leisuretime activities)?

How strict are they on this? I don't really know what else to put, other than how long I have been doing these activities. It seems strange to name examples of things I can sing / play.
 
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