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

[BABSstudent]

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Catalystik,

Thank you so much for helping me and everyone else on this post! I know you've heard this before, but we're so grateful that you're doing this!

I have a question regarding shadowing experiences. I am a junior, and I have volunteered in an outpatient clinic since senior year of high school, which has given me the chance to shadow a physician and her team of nurses in addition to helping them by taking patients' medications, scheduling labs and scans, etc. I have over 2000 hours shadowing and volunteering for them. My other shadowing experience was in an abroad 1-week brigade, where I was able to shadow and translate for 2 internal medicine physicians. I have written about both of these experiences in my PS/work-activities descriptions.

I'm a little concerned that I have only shadowed one physician (who practices a specific speciality) and her team for a long time. Does this seem concerning? I'm not sure if it looks better when students have shadowed one person for a long period of time (which has given me the chance to follow-up with hundreds of patients throughout their care) or when they have shadowed multiple patients, each for a shorter period of time. I'm worried that in my interviews, someone will tell me that I don't have broad shadowing experiences. Would you suggest that I shadow a different physician, maybe an internal medicine doctor, for some time? Or do my shadowing experiences seem enough?

Well, if you have only shadowed one doctor (or even one specialty) then they may see it as a negative. Have you really seen what it is like to be a doctor in a different area?

From my view, if I was looking at your application, I would think you would want to go into that field. If I asked you in an interview, what specialty do you think you want to go into, then I would expect to hear the one you shadowed. If our school specialized in primary care, then I would tend to accept more primary care doctors. If you shadowed only a plastic surgeon, then you may be at a disadvantage at my school. If I asked you what field you want to go into and you said something different than plastic surgery, I would immediately ask you why you didn't shadow in that field. If you said primary care, thinking it would be a positive thing to say, I would think you are lying to get into our school. That would earn an automatic rejection from me (and that happened to three people I know, all of who are now medical students despite rejections).

Even if you said the specialty, I would still ask why you didn't shadow another field.

And 2,000 hours is a huge amount! How active were you involved in that? Were you following the doctor for all of it, or were you at like the front desk? I understand you were with the doctors and the nurses, but how much with each? Did you just observe, or did you talk with the doctor and learn about diagnosing?

For example, when I shadowed a cardiologist, he taught me to read an ECG. After that, he had me look at them first, offer a diagnosis and then he would either tell me I was wrong or if he agreed. That went on for thousands of patients (and I wish I was exaggerating). Similar thing happened when I was with a family practice doctor. He would give me the test results and tell me that I needed to come up with a diagnosis or talk with him to come up with something together. If he decided we needed to do something, he would ask me how we should do it. He had me walk him through removing a toenail (he had me read about it during our lunch since he knew we would do it later in the day).

That was way different than when I was in the ER, where I was much more passive in following the doctors, acting like a fly on the wall. There I was more involved with the patients, taking vital, talking, and relaying information to the doctors/nurses. Sure I followed the doctors, but I wouldn't put that as shadowing since that was only like 25% of the time. It was mostly clinical experience, which is different than shadowing.

 

[09ine]

Would being part of a paid YouTube channel be under employment or hobbies? Also this might have been asked before, but should all entries have the same format (e.g. all descriptions in bullet or paragraph form) or can they be mixed among the different entries?

 

[Catalystik]

I've got two research lab experiences and have some questions about them.

1- 1st lab experience: Primarily more of a shadowing role (my title was "intern"). I went into the lab once a week for 2 months (about 25 hours total) and shadowed different post-docs. I observed the different work (e.g. MS analysis; chemical synthesis) that each post-doc was doing to contribute to the development of a new drug. I sat in on meetings and read research papers on the drug and on latest discoveries.

My 2nd lab experience: Is more of a "real" experience, which I am still currently involved in. I've been a member of the lab for more than a year (150+ hours) and do actual lab work.

My question is whether I should include the 1st research experience in my application. Although it is not as significant and involved as the 2nd, it does relate to it in regard to the domain of research. I know that admission members like to see continuity and connection between activities, so I was considering included it. It obviously wasn't anything major, but I did put time towards it, and it relates to a field of interest. So do I include it?

2- A lot of the things I read on SDN about lab experiences include things like "designing the experiment," "formulating a hypothesis," etc. In the lab that I currently work in, I am just a piece of the puzzle in the current projects. I accumulate and analyze data based on micrographs. I've been included as an author in an already-submitted paper that should be published shortly (so I guess the work that I've done was of some value, however I don't have any major role in the experiment).

So, I'm wondering whether my smaller lab role (relative to the lab experiences of others pre-meds) will have any impression on adcoms (or if they're more interested in/impressed with pre-meds who designed experiments/had major roles in the research). In other words, will any of the research experience/publication described above contribute to helping me get into med schools or is it inadequate to have a significant impact?

1) If you have the space, you might consider listing the first experience under Other, titling it something like, "Post-Doc Shadowing/Internship." It sounds like it gave you an overview of multiple labs. It was only 25 hours, so I can't say it will be hugely impactful for an adcomm, but perhaps it was based on this experience that you chose the lab where you currently spend your time. If there is a link like this, and you have the space, you could list it if you wish. (It sounds like the same thing we do with our new grad students who aren't yet sure which project they want to work with, but they spend more time with each lab.]

2) From what you describe, it sounds like you were not a Researcher, who had creative control, but more of a Research Assistant, who had a responsible position. This is a higher level experience than that of an Aide, who mainly cleans rat cages, orders supplies, or calibrates a machine. What you did represents an important piece of the pie. How positively it influences adcomms may depend however on your grasp of the overall project. If asked (or within your activity description), you need to be able to explain how your piece fits in. If you plan to apply to top research institutions, perhaps they'd prefer applicants who designed their own projects from scratch. But for general purposes, the taste you've gotten of a research experience is enough for many schools.

Also appreciate that the number of applicants who publish in noncampus journals is very small. That you will do so eventually, adds some luster. So be sure to include the fact in a future update letter. A submitted paper can be mentioned at the end of a Research description (but should not be listed in the Publication space until after an acceptance letter is received).

 

[altitude]

1) If you have the space, you might consider listing the first experience under Other, titling it something like, "Post-Doc Shadowing/Internship." It sounds like it gave you an overview of multiple labs. It was only 25 hours, so I can't say it will be hugely impactful for an adcomm, but perhaps it was based on this experience that you chose the lab where you currently spend your time. If there is a link like this, and you have the space, you could list it if you wish. (It sounds like the same thing we do with our new grad students who aren't yet sure which project they want to work with, but they spend more time with each lab.]

2) From what you describe, it sounds like you were not a Researcher, who had creative control, but more of a Research Assistant, who had a responsible position. This is a higher level experience than that of an Aide, who mainly cleans rat cages, orders supplies, or calibrates a machine. What you did represents an important piece of the pie. How positively it influences adcomms may depend however on your grasp of the overall project. If asked (or within your activity description), you need to be able to explain how your piece fits in. If you plan to apply to top research institutions, perhaps they'd prefer applicants who designed their own projects from scratch. But for general purposes, the taste you've gotten of a research experience is enough for many schools.

Also appreciate that the number of applicants who publish in noncampus journals is very small. That you will do so eventually, adds some luster. So be sure to include the fact in a future update letter. A submitted paper can be mentioned at the end of a Research description (but should not be listed in the Publication space until after an acceptance letter is received).

Thank you for this helpful info!

 

[BABSstudent]

Would being part of a paid YouTube channel be under employment or hobbies? Also this might have been asked before, but should all entries have the same format (e.g. all descriptions in bullet or paragraph form) or can they be mixed among the different entries?

Well, how much do you make?

I put down aquascaping as one of my hobbies. I included in the description that I also have my own aquarium plant business and have made a good amount of money from it, but is a job? I don't think so because I couldn't live on $--- per month. It is just an extension of my hobby.

I have complete sentences for mine. Why would you have bullets? I mean, which sounds better?

Aquarium plants
Aquascaping
Hobby for 3 years
Business for 1 year (business name X)
Profit $---

or

While I was always interested in keeping fish as pets, I began to do aquascaping as a hobby my sophomore year in college. Aquscaping is the process of selecting, growing and maintaining plants in an aquarium in an artistic way. Currently I have two fully aquascaped aquariums. As I progressed in the hobby, I soon started to have too many plants for my own tank. I gave away plants to my friends but they soon did not have room for my excess. In DATE, I started an ebay business where I sell the excess plants. I primarily grow Riccia fluitans to sell but I am working to expand my selection of plants that I can sell. The business name is X and has earned $--- total.

 

[An MD Hopeful]

Well, if you have only shadowed one doctor (or even one specialty) then they may see it as a negative. Have you really seen what it is like to be a doctor in a different area?

From my view, if I was looking at your application, I would think you would want to go into that field. If I asked you in an interview, what specialty do you think you want to go into, then I would expect to hear the one you shadowed. If our school specialized in primary care, then I would tend to accept more primary care doctors. If you shadowed only a plastic surgeon, then you may be at a disadvantage at my school. If I asked you what field you want to go into and you said something different than plastic surgery, I would immediately ask you why you didn't shadow in that field. If you said primary care, thinking it would be a positive thing to say, I would think you are lying to get into our school. That would earn an automatic rejection from me (and that happened to three people I know, all of who are now medical students despite rejections).

Even if you said the specialty, I would still ask why you didn't shadow another field.

And 2,000 hours is a huge amount! How active were you involved in that? Were you following the doctor for all of it, or were you at like the front desk? I understand you were with the doctors and the nurses, but how much with each? Did you just observe, or did you talk with the doctor and learn about diagnosing?

For example, when I shadowed a cardiologist, he taught me to read an ECG. After that, he had me look at them first, offer a diagnosis and then he would either tell me I was wrong or if he agreed. That went on for thousands of patients (and I wish I was exaggerating). Similar thing happened when I was with a family practice doctor. He would give me the test results and tell me that I needed to come up with a diagnosis or talk with him to come up with something together. If he decided we needed to do something, he would ask me how we should do it. He had me walk him through removing a toenail (he had me read about it during our lunch since he knew we would do it later in the day).

That was way different than when I was in the ER, where I was much more passive in following the doctors, acting like a fly on the wall. There I was more involved with the patients, taking vital, talking, and relaying information to the doctors/nurses. Sure I followed the doctors, but I wouldn't put that as shadowing since that was only like 25% of the time. It was mostly clinical experience, which is different than shadowing.

I have been very active in the clinic, and I interact with this physician A LOT (in fact, I work for her for several clinical studies). When her nurses are not there, she lets me go into the examination rooms before her to ask the patients how they are doing and to take down their medications. I shadow her more than I shadow the nurses. Before we go in to see each patient, while she is dictating, I pull up the labs/scans of the patients and go over them with her before we go in to see the patients. For patients who require wound care, I often help with bandaging. For new patients, I go over the chart with her and we talk about possible treatment options. I ask her questions all the time, and she teaches me a lot about treatments/scans/palliative care/etc.

BABSstudent, thanks for your views on this. At this point, I do want to go into this specialty since I have done research in this field as well. But I know that I might change my mind in med school if I find another specialty that interests me more, and I don't want my interviewers to think that I am close-minded. Catalystik, do you have any opinions on this, or on whether I should get some shadowing experience in IM or another specialty?

 

[Catalystik]

I'm a little concerned that I have only shadowed one physician (who practices a specific speciality) and her team for a long time. Does this seem concerning? I'm not sure if it looks better when students have shadowed one person for a long period of time . . . or when they have shadowed multiple patients, each for a shorter period of time. I'm worried that in my interviews, someone will tell me that I don't have broad shadowing experiences. Would you suggest that I shadow a different physician, maybe an internal medicine doctor, for some time? Or do my shadowing experiences seem enough?

The specialty is oncology. The 2 brigade IM doctors are from the US, and I shadowed/volunteered for them for about 25 hours.

I think you'll be more than fine, considering that the average hours listed for shadowing is about 50 and that you have experience of the longitudinal relationship that a doc can have with patients.

Since the oncology shadowing is embedded in the volunteer experience, be sure to call attention to it if you are keeping the two together, perhaps by adding the word "Shadowing" to the name you give the experience, and by estimating within the description the percent time of the experience that was spent in the oncologist's presence (and again using the word "Shadowing").

 

[BABSstudent]

BABSstudent, thanks for your views on this. At this point, I do want to go into this specialty since I have done research in this field as well. But I know that I might change my mind in med school if I find another specialty that interests me more, and I don't want my interviewers to think that I am close-minded. Catalystik, do you have any opinions on this, or on whether I should get some shadowing experience in IM or another specialty?

I still think exploring another specialty will be beneficial for you. In my mind, I think going into medical school with a specialty picked out would be scary. I want to keep an open mind about it until I have more experience. However, you definitely have a LOT of experience in that field. You have seen the different aspects and believe that is where you belong.

In the end, I still suggest shadowing something else. That way, if you get the question, "Well, why not emergency medicine or pediatrics?" during an interview you can answer it based on experience and not speculation.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Would being part of a paid YouTube channel be under employment or hobbies?

2) Also this might have been asked before, but should all entries have the same format (e.g. all descriptions in bullet or paragraph form) or can they be mixed among the different entries?

1) It would depend on your role, how long you were employed, and why you were chosen.

2) No, you can mix and match styles as seems best suited to what you wish to convey.

 

[Catalystik]

I know that I might change my mind in med school if I find another specialty that interests me more, and I don't want my interviewers to think that I am close-minded. Catalystik, do you have any opinions on this, or on whether I should get some shadowing experience in IM or another specialty?

It is better to seem open minded than to appear set on a given specialty at the time you apply to med school.

I would not delay sending the primary application to get more shadowing experience. My general recommendation is to shadow 2-3 specialties, of which one is primary care, for at least 50 hours, and you've done that. You'll have the opportunity to experience many other specialties in med school. You are not expected to have experience of every one of them before you matriculate.

 

[An MD Hopeful]

-

 

[An MD Hopeful]

It is better to seem open minded than to appear set on a given specialty at the time you apply to med school.

I would not delay sending the primary application to get more shadowing experience. My general recommendation is to shadow 2-3 speciaties, of which one is primary care, for at least 50 hours, and you've done that. You'll have the opportunity to experience many other specialties in med school. You are not expected to have experience of every one of them before you matriculate.

Ok, thanks, Catalystik! If asked in an interview, would it be okay if I say that I find oncology fulfilling but am still open-minded to other specialties?

 

[Catalystik]

Also, do you agree with BABSstudent (his advice is quoted below) that it would look bad in an interview if I stated that I am interested in oncology if I have not explored other specialties? I do believe being an oncologist would be very fulfilling for me, but I am open-minded to other specialities as well. If in an interview someone asked what specialty I am interested in, how would you suggest that I approach that question?

Thanks for you advice and help!

See post #1418 which slipped in right before yours.

It would look bad at an interview if you stated, "I'm going to be an oncologist. That is my calling. Nothing else could fulfill me in the same way."

It would sound better if you say, "I love the closeness of the bonds between physician and patient that I witnessed during the longitudinal care of cancer patients. I could see myself being happy with that specialty, but I know I have many other practice types and physician styles to experience, and I look forward to comparing them." You could further explain the specific characteristics that you admired in the oncologist, and that these are traits you'd hope to emulate in your future practice.

 

[Hulk Smash]

I know my activities section shouldn't kill them with words BUT:

I am torn between selling everything or being short and sweet. For example, last time I split most organizations and experiences up and sold every one of them, 700 characters strong. This time I think I might compact all the organization, shadow experiences, etc. but I feel like I'm losing a lot of details.

ex:

1.) AMSA: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned

2,) KON: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned

etc.


VS


1.) Student organizations

AMSA-time involved, average hours, one sentence description
KON- time involved, average hours, one sentence description
etc.

 

[09ine]

Well, how much do you make?

I put down aquascaping as one of my hobbies. I included in the description that I also have my own aquarium plant business and have made a good amount of money from it, but is a job? I don't think so because I couldn't live on $--- per month. It is just an extension of my hobby.

I have complete sentences for mine. Why would you have bullets? I mean, which sounds better?

Btw thanks Cat! I'm the director and editor for it so I put in alot of hours into each video. Yeah I'll put it down under hobbies because it's not quite fully sustainable...yet. I can't disclose the amount of money I make off of it but maybe I'll put in the number of video views.

Also this has probably been asked before (I'm currently at page 10 of this thread now) but does working in a hospital with tasks such as managing patient records count as clinical or non-clinical?

 

[An MD Hopeful]

See post #1418 which slipped in right before yours.

It would look bad at an interview if you stated, "I'm going to be an oncologist. That is my calling. Nothing else could fulfill me in the same way."

It would sound better if you say, "I love the closeness of the bonds between physician and patient that I witnessed during the longitudinal care of cancer patients. I could see myself being happy with that specialty, but I know I have many other practice types and physician styles to experience, and I look forward to comparing them." You could further explain the specific characteristics that you admired in the oncologist, and that these are traits you'd hope to emulate in your future practice.

Sounds great! Thank you so much, Catalystik!

 

[Catalystik]

I know my activities section shouldn't kill them with words BUT:

I am torn between selling everything or being short and sweet. For example, last time I split most organizations and experiences up and sold every one of them, 700 characters strong. This time I think I might compact all the organization, shadow experiences, etc. but I feel like I'm losing a lot of details.

ex:

1.) AMSA: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned
2,) KON: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned

etc.

VS

1.) Student organizations
AMSA-time involved, average hours, one sentence description
KON- time involved, average hours, one sentence description
etc.

I am a fan of succinctness and don't feel that every activity needs to be reflected on, but even so, I realize that applicants need to express what they took away from some of their activities, or they may appear as if incapable of introspection. I'm more likely to "care" about an activity with more description if I haven't already been bogged down and bored by excessive verbiage in all the others. So choose what you want to tell more about carefully, for maximal impact. JMO, and not necessarily universally true.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I'm the director and editor for it so I put in alot of hours into each video. Yeah I'll put it down under hobbies because it's not quite fully sustainable...yet. I can't disclose the amount of money I make off of it but maybe I'll put in the number of video views.

2) Also this has probably been asked before (I'm currently at page 10 of this thread now) but does working in a hospital with tasks such as managing patient records count as clinical or non-clinical?

1) You could also consider using Artistic Endeavor as your category. And I'd be more impressed by number of views than by amount earned.

2) Thank you for reading through the old posts.

Managing patient records is nonclinical.

 

[BABSstudent]

I know my activities section shouldn't kill them with words BUT:

I am torn between selling everything or being short and sweet. For example, last time I split most organizations and experiences up and sold every one of them, 700 characters strong. This time I think I might compact all the organization, shadow experiences, etc. but I feel like I'm losing a lot of details.

ex:

1.) AMSA: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned

2,) KON: Paragraph on experience, what I did, what I learned

etc.


VS


1.) Student organizations

AMSA-time involved, average hours, one sentence description
KON- time involved, average hours, one sentence description
etc.

Write them both out and decide which one you like more. Personally, I feel like putting everything (and I mean all 15 activities) as just a title and then adding everything below could seem a little overpowering. Are you just adding fluff to make your application seem better? It seems like a way to put 30 experiences down instead of the 15 they ask for. I mean, would you include a kickboxing club that you went to for a semester on the student organizations area? Or where would you draw the line? The reason why there is a limit is to not challenge you to add 15 experiences, but to limit you to your best 15 to put down.

Don't get me wrong, go ahead and list for some things; like research papers and presentations. You may also have to put Shadowing and then listing the three doctors in one, with contact information for each. Other times you may want to expand on each individually, so each would get their own spot and character limits. It all depends on what other things you listed.

Also, don't forget to do one thing that many students forget to do. Don't leave out what you learned or showcasing a trait that was revealed by doing the activity in the second example. Cool, you participated in AMSA and KON, but what does that mean? Why did you do it? Were you voted in as something? What responsibilities did you have? Were there special projects involved with it? That could mean the difference between an interview and no interview.

 

[merde]

I participated in a few activities on campus that only had events or meetings a few times a semester. I was planning on lumping them together as just general campus involvement if it wasn't a weekly thing (ie: campus medical response-only worked big school functions, a few random clubs-mostly showed up if there was free food, student mentor for freshman-meet with them before classes started and followed up on them throughout their 1st year, modeling-lots of fashion design major friends= lots of tied up weekends but it was fun). In all honestly, the reason why I did a lot of random stuff was to help out friends and really has nothing to do with going to medical school but if you add it all together, it is sort of time consuming. Its not a big deal for me to leave out if it looks like dumb fluff, just wondering what y'all think! Of course, I'll make it all sound nicer than I just did 😛.

Also, I'm sure this was asked a billion times already but for shadowing is it fine to format it like Dr X: Specialty, # of hrs and then maybe write a little bit about their practice/what I saw or is a description not really necessary? Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

1) I participated in a few activities on campus that only had events or meetings a few times a semester. I was planning on lumping them together as just general campus involvement if it wasn't a weekly thing (ie: campus medical response-only worked big school functions, a few random clubs-mostly showed up if there was free food, student mentor for freshman-meet with them before classes started and followed up on them throughout their 1st year, modeling-lots of fashion design major friends= lots of tied up weekends but it was fun). In all honestly, the reason why I did a lot of random stuff was to help out friends and really has nothing to do with going to medical school but if you add it all together, it is sort of time consuming. Its not a big deal for me to leave out if it looks like dumb fluff, just wondering what y'all think! Of course, I'll make it all sound nicer than I just did 😛.

2) for shadowing is it fine to format it like Dr X: Specialty, # of hrs and then maybe write a little bit about their practice/what I saw or is a description not really necessary? Thanks!

1) I think that a grouped entry for Miscellaneous Campus Events would be fine, as I see some interesting nuggets in there. [Even these days my choices are still driven by the "free food" thing, so I completely understand.]

2) For shadowing format, sector9 gave an example in post #2 and here is mine: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=12561811&postcount=848 . You can do something different if you prefer.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

How are people handling the 700 character limit for activities? Especially when I am putting multiple activities in one slot, such as 'Community Service', I end up putting several in one category and it seems impossible to elaborate on how it impacted me and how I reflect upon the experiences. Anyone else running into this problem?

I'm also running close to the 15 slot maximum, so I'm wary of spreading them out.

 

[brokeninnosense]

I'm using a tutoring job that i had a few years ago. However, the place closed down and the company shut down nation-wide. How do I enter the company information? I still have the phone number, but it obviously doesn't work anymore. Should I still list that number? Or leave it blank?

 

[Tanquinho]

I h

 

[Catalystik]

How are people handling the 700 character limit for activities? Especially when I am putting multiple activities in one slot, such as 'Community Service', I end up putting several in one category and it seems impossible to elaborate on how it impacted me and how I reflect upon the experiences. Anyone else running into this problem?

I'm also running close to the 15 slot maximum, so I'm wary of spreading them out.

Sometimes merciless pruning is necessary. All activities don't lend themselves to introspection, but community service usually evokes some commentary, unless an elaboration was made in another space devoted to humanistic endeavors.

 

[Catalystik]

I'm using a tutoring job that i had a few years ago. However, the place closed down and the company shut down nation-wide. How do I enter the company information? I still have the phone number, but it obviously doesn't work anymore. Should I still list that number? Or leave it blank?

You are obliged to put some type of contact information, so enter that phone number. For the person's name consider entering "Business" and "Closed." In the description say that the company no longer exists, including all offices outside the area.

 

[Catalystik]

I have three main shadowing experiences: 1 semester shadowing an internist, shadowing ER and trauma docs during clinical research, and shadowing family practice and peds in a free clinic. Should I create a separate shadowing entry to group these experiences or should I briefly mention them in the experiences I discussed (clin research, free clinic)?

Currently, I have the internist shadowing as a separate entry while I just mention the other shadowing experiences in other entries.

If you want to be sure the shadowing won't be overlooked, if possible create another entry named Extra Shadowing, and group the shadowing there. But don't double count the hours spent. I suggest not filling in the hours per week in the header. In the narrative give an idea of total hours and state that those hours were included as part of other entries.

Alternatively, if your extra shadowing hours were too entertwined to separate easily, keep them with the original activity, and at the end of the entry estimate the % time spent in the physician's presence or the estimated total hours. Also consider adding the word "Shadowing" to the name of the activity, unless it was a very minor component of what you did.

As another alternative, you could mention at the end of the IM shadowing, that you also shadowed XX hours with (name of each speciaty) as part of your research and free clinic activites, specified elsewhere.

So there's lots of ways to do it, just don't inflate your hours by counting time twice without saying you did so.

 

[ezhik]

Several questions about hours/week:

1. I have been working on a translation project over the past year, throughout two consecutive courses (listed on my transcript). I mention when/how I began the project, but I don't have space to say it was continued through a second course. I'm now working on it outside of class. Do I need to enter "hours/week" since it was initially academic work, and the hours I spend on it now are variable?

2. For activities with variable hours, as long as hours are explained in the description, is it OK to omit "hours/week" in the header?

3. For artistic endeavors/hobbies like photography, is it necessary to give hours/week? What kind of a date span can I use? 2003 is when I began and I do it intermittently... I have had photos displayed/published, so I'm thinking that makes it an artistic endeavor, or would a hobby look more reasonable?

Also,
4. Would it be better to have comprehensive experience names (ex: "Tutor with X program" or "Volunteer at Y hospital") or avoid duplicating information since the organization (X program & Y hospital) would be listed below anyway?

5. I'm a clinical research assistant at the Emergency Dept. I haven't shadowed much per se, but I do ask physicians about patients (takes a few minutes out of every few hours), read their notes (takes much longer), etc. I'm having a hard time quantifying it with a "% time spent in the presence of a physician." How would I go about doing that?

Apologies if these questions have been answered and I missed it! Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Catalino21]

Who do you list as a contact for my generic all in one awards/honors/recognitions entry? My mom? The front of my refrigerator?

 

[RiceOwl85]

Is it necessary/appropriate to list if I was the solo recipient for an academic award from my university? These aren't national awards, just stuff my department handed out each year primarily based on grades/professor recommendations.

 

[qiyjia]

ok so I did a research internship at a lab two summers ago, and then stopped once school started, and now that summer's here and I have the time again, I'm doing another research internship in the same lab, but on another project. how would I write that in AMCAS? I assume I should write that in one entry and specify in description, but how do I indicate the dates?

my apologies if a question like this has been posted and answered, would someone direct me to an answer if that's case?

 

[justvinsane]

This past semester, I was selected to participate in a few programs that I'd like to put on my app: a peer mentor program and a kind of service immersion trip for incoming freshman. They're both pretty much leadership positions but the thing is is that they don't start until September. How should I list them (if I do so at all?)

 

[eefen]

So after I submitted my supposedly double-, triple-, and quadruply-checked application, I realized something that went unnoticed until too late....

I was employed for about a year and a half as a patient transporter, but at the beginning of the last school year I started working as a scribe. I was going to quit my job as a transporter, but my boss suggested essentially going on a "leave of absence" so I could get some extra hours over summers and holidays without working during the school year... so I did. So, while technically employed at both places, I really only worked as a scribe, or at least did not work more than 3-4 eight hours shifts per week at both places combined during the school year--usually 2-3 shifts/week total. However, a few months ago I finally did quit my job as a patient transporter.

So on my AMCAS, I listed my job as a scribe with its start date, indicated that the job continued until the present, and basically listed that I worked 16 hours, or two shifts a week, during the school year. Which is true, and probably an underestimation if anything.

With regards to my patient transportation job, I listed the start date a few years ago and the end date as the date that I quit a couple months ago, like I would on a resume. Hours worked were similar--about 2-3 shifts a week, but I listed 16 hours/week to be safe.

So here's the clincher....judging purely from my application, if anyone is paying close attention to the dates, it seems like, not only was I employed at two jobs during the past school year (which I was), I was was working about 32 hours a week (which I wasn't, at least normally--usually it was more like 16-24).

Maybe I'm just being neurotic. Maybe I'm not. Is that something I should aggressively attempt to correct (i.e. send letters out to schools?) or just wait and see if it comes up (i.e. during an interview, secondaries, etc..). I am leaning towards to latter, but just wanted to get some input.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Catalystik]

1. I have been working on a translation project over the past year, throughout two consecutive courses (listed on my transcript). I mention when/how I began the project, but I don't have space to say it was continued through a second course. I'm now working on it outside of class. Do I need to enter "hours/week" since it was initially academic work, and the hours I spend on it now are variable?

2. For activities with variable hours, as long as hours are explained in the description, is it OK to omit "hours/week" in the header?

3. For artistic endeavors/hobbies like photography, is it necessary to give hours/week? What kind of a date span can I use? 2003 is when I began and I do it intermittently... I have had photos displayed/published, so I'm thinking that makes it an artistic endeavor, or would a hobby look more reasonable?

Also,
4. Would it be better to have comprehensive experience names (ex: "Tutor with X program" or "Volunteer at Y hospital") or avoid duplicating information since the organization (X program & Y hospital) would be listed below anyway?

5. I'm a clinical research assistant at the Emergency Dept. I haven't shadowed much per se, but I do ask physicians about patients (takes a few minutes out of every few hours), read their notes (takes much longer), etc. I'm having a hard time quantifying it with a "% time spent in the presence of a physician." How would I go about doing that?

Apologies if these questions have been answered and I missed it! Thanks so much for the help!

1) it is not obligatory to enter hours per week in the header. Some explanation in the narrative would be nice, though.

2) Yes.

3) No.
You can use the full, true date span, or you can list the college years only and explain when your interest began in the description. Your choice.
I thinkl Artistic Endeavor is a good idea.

4) No reason to duplicate information. In this case, I'd rather see a title like, "Tutor for High School Biology" or "Summer Emergency Room and ICU Volunteer."

5) Maybe it would work to add, "During this experience, I averaged about 10 minutes per week shadowing ER physicians." Or if it's less than that, maybe "On rare occasions Ii was able to shadow the ER physician."

 

[Catalystik]

Who do you list as a contact for my generic all in one awards/honors/recognitions entry? My mom? The front of my refrigerator?

Your college Registrar has a record of all your school Awards, Scholarships, and Honors.

 

[Catalystik]

Is it necessary/appropriate to list if I was the solo recipient for an academic award from my university? These aren't national awards, just stuff my department handed out each year primarily based on grades/professor recommendations.

It sounds appropriate. As long as you explain the criteria for the award, it's fine to list it.

 

[Catalystik]

ok so I did a research internship at a lab two summers ago, and then stopped once school started, and now that summer's here and I have the time again, I'm doing another research internship in the same lab, but on another project. how would I write that in AMCAS? I assume I should write that in one entry and specify in description, but how do I indicate the dates?

Since you only just started again, I would probably list the dates of the activity from two years ago in the header, describe Project #1, then in the narrative indicate that you resumed research in the same lab for XX hours per week, planned date span, discussion of new project #2 and your role. You could title the activity "Summer Research Assistantships" or somesuch, to indicate there are more than one.

 

[Catalystik]

This past semester, I was selected to participate in a few programs that I'd like to put on my app: a peer mentor program and a kind of service immersion trip for incoming freshman. They're both pretty much leadership positions but the thing is is that they don't start until September. How should I list them (if I do so at all?)

Listing future activities won't work as future dates can't be entered in the AMCAS application. A way to fit it in would be to piggyback it into the space for another Leadership entry or a Teaching entry, where you can attest that you have been chosen (since that has actually already happened). Or, if you personally engaged in another service emersion trip, you could add that future plan in that same space.

 

[Catalystik]

So after I submitted my supposedly double-, triple-, and quadruply-checked application, I realized something that went unnoticed until too late....

I was employed for about a year and a half as a patient transporter, but at the beginning of the last school year I started working as a scribe. I was going to quit my job as a transporter, but my boss suggested essentially going on a "leave of absence" so I could get some extra hours over summers and holidays without working during the school year... so I did. So, while technically employed at both places, I really only worked as a scribe, or at least did not work more than 3-4 eight hours shifts per week at both places combined during the school year--usually 2-3 shifts/week total. However, a few months ago I finally did quit my job as a patient transporter.

So on my AMCAS, I listed my job as a scribe with its start date, indicated that the job continued until the present, and basically listed that I worked 16 hours, or two shifts a week, during the school year. Which is true, and probably an underestimation if anything.

With regards to my patient transportation job, I listed the start date a few years ago and the end date as the date that I quit a couple months ago, like I would on a resume. Hours worked were similar--about 2-3 shifts a week, but I listed 16 hours/week to be safe.

So here's the clincher....judging purely from my application, if anyone is paying close attention to the dates, it seems like, not only was I employed at two jobs during the past school year (which I was), I was was working about 32 hours a week (which I wasn't, at least normally--usually it was more like 16-24).

Maybe I'm just being neurotic. Maybe I'm not. Is that something I should aggressively attempt to correct (i.e. send letters out to schools?) or just wait and see if it comes up (i.e. during an interview, secondaries, etc..). I am leaning towards to latter, but just wanted to get some input.

This issue falls outside of the scope of this thread. I suggest you post a new thread in the main PreMedAllo thread and get the benefit of past experiences with similar problems.

 

[eefen]

This issue falls outside of the scope of this thread. I suggest you post a new thread in the main PreMedAllo thread and get the benefit of past experiences with similar problems.

Will do...thanks.

 

[ddtdoc]

I have one publication from the summer between my hs and college freshman year. I was the 4th author on that publication. The research is published on a well known journal. But i didn't continue my research at that lab because it was too far from my college. I didn't even put that research as one of the 15 activities. should i still put it on my app? lol it is the only publication i have...

 

[Catalystik]

I have one publication from the summer between my hs and college freshman year. I was the 4th author on that publication. The research is published on a well known journal. But i didn't continue my research at that lab because it was too far from my college. I didn't even put that research as one of the 15 activities. should i still put it on my app? lol it is the only publication i have...

Since the activity occured after HS graduation, it's considered to have been part of "the college years." However, if you list the Publication, adcomms will look for the associated Research entry. You might add the Research entry and cite the Publication toward the end in the same space. Or, though I haven't seen it done, you could be adventuresome and enter the Publication only, cite it, then explain the research in that same space.

 

[eggs13]

I will be auditioning to be a Kaplan MCAT tutor on Friday (which if I get will be my work for my gap year)

Is it worth waiting to see if I get this job so that I can include it on my application, or should i send it in tomorrow (it is done)'

My parents dont seem to think that whether i tutor for a year with kaplan or not will be a make or break factor, but neither of them are med school app experts/adcoms, so i was lookin for someone elses opinion!!

any advice would be great!!!

(quick stats: cGPA 3.74, sGPA 3.7, MCAT 35Q (14/10/11))

 

[Member 8095721]

I just had a question about Artistic Endeavors...if i have an art endeavor that is displayed nationally, would it be helpful to list some sort of reference to it in the work/activities section?

I searched the threads and thought I saw something about listing a YouTube link (this was for performing arts though). Would it be helpful (if the art project is images) to list an ISBN number or have a web link to the images? Or is this overkill and the art project (graphic novel) should stand on its own?

Thank you!

 

[ddtdoc]

Since the activity occured after HS graduation, it's considered to have been part of "the college years." However, if you list the Publication, adcomms will look for the associated Research entry. You might add the Research entry and cite the Publication toward the end in the same space. Or, though I haven't seen it done, you could be adventuresome and enter the Publication only, cite it, then explain the research in that same space.

Thanks for the info! I want to ask you how important a pub like this to an application. Because it has been 4 years since my work there and I can't possibly remember everything I did back then. And also I haven't kept in touch with the supervisor in the past 4 years. If I were to include it on app, I would be expected to answer questions about it during the interview. For me, I felt like it would be risky to include it if I can't handle it well during the interview.

 

[Catalystik]

I will be auditioning to be a Kaplan MCAT tutor on Friday (which if I get will be my work for my gap year)

Is it worth waiting to see if I get this job so that I can include it on my application, or should i send it in tomorrow (it is done)'

My parents dont seem to think that whether i tutor for a year with kaplan or not will be a make or break factor, but neither of them are med school app experts/adcoms, so i was lookin for someone elses opinion!!

any advice would be great!!!

(quick stats: cGPA 3.74, sGPA 3.7, MCAT 35Q (14/10/11))

Send in the application and let schools know bout the teaching gig after you've done it for a few months.

 

[Catalystik]

I just had a question about Artistic Endeavors...if i have an art endeavor that is displayed nationally, would it be helpful to list some sort of reference to it in the work/activities section?

I searched the threads and thought I saw something about listing a YouTube link (this was for performing arts though). Would it be helpful (if the art project is images) to list an ISBN number or have a web link to the images? Or is this overkill and the art project (graphic novel) should stand on its own?

Thank you!

A weblink to the pages would be fine, but that may take up a huge number of characters. I'd rather read more description of the development of your Art and what it means to you.

 

[Catalystik]

Thanks for the info! I want to ask you how important a pub like this to an application. Because it has been 4 years since my work there and I can't possibly remember everything I did back then. And also I haven't kept in touch with the supervisor in the past 4 years. If I were to include it on app, I would be expected to answer questions about it during the interview. For me, I felt like it would be risky to include it if I can't handle it well during the interview.

If you've been engaging in research through colllege and plan to apply to research-oriented schools, I think it may be helpful. But I'd also expect you to be able to explain it. You could always reread the paper.

 

[Member 8095721]

A weblink to the pages would be fine, but that may take up a huge number of characters. I'd rather read more description of the development of your Art and what it means to you.

Thank you for your advice!

 

[DeMoNdOgDFM]

Hey, I just have a general question: I see there is not a red asterisk next to "Average Hours Per Week" on the AMCAS form; does this mean you do not have to put the amount of hours you did for a certain experience? Or can you skip out on the "Average hours per week" and just put the amount of hours in the character description?

EDIT: I'd rather not divide total hours by # of weeks because it was a bit disproportional, so can you leave "average hours per week" blank?