*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Work/Activities Tips Thread 2017-2018*~*~*~*
Started by Lucca
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I agree. It's unique and memorable, and as a landscaper wannabe myself, I can see you potentially connecting and having talking points with some adcomms.
LOLd at the evoking of inner doctor comment.
If you want to talk about general membership and leadership in one space, use Extracurricular as the tag. If you want to highlight the Leadership, you would only include your leadership dates, hours, and roles.
You'll have to decide what gives your application more benefit if you need to take out another activity to free up a space. Any candidates?
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1) Yes, or you can make one leadership space MM to get more characters for description.
2) I'd use Honors/Awards.
You could add it to a grouping of short-term community services, but don't list it alone.
So if I used the Leadership category, but also talked about my roles as a general member and included the dates/hours starting from when I joined the organization, would that be seen negatively by adcoms?
The only things I could consider removing from my work and activities is when I volunteered at a traditional animal shelter (40 hours during spring break) and when I taught STEM lessons to elementary school students and students with special needs (only during freshman year, 10-15 hours).
Thank you!
1) You could include that in the narrative as part of the back story, but not in the header.
2) You could group those two together in a Short-term Community Service space.
Could you clarify what you mean when you say "in the narrative as part of the back story" ? Like should I say "I was both a general body member and an officer" ?
Would it be bad to list both of those volunteer experiences alone?
@jkis
Since this is a single issue, depending on what it is and how it can be written up, might make it community service. I would lean this way if it was a local issue or national issue that had specific local implication that your work impacted directly. If it was an organization related in anyway with school or just campus, even if completely student run, extracurricular activities would work. But, as @Catalystik suggested, Other may be the way to go
1) You could say, "After a year of general membership involvement, I felt the club might go in a new direction/benefit from . . ., so I accepted a role as XXX. This led to. . . ."
2) They both have rather sparse hours. The space would be stronger if they're combined.
@HungryHungryHorse
Schools vary, with the more selective schools and the more selective programs within those schools (ie JD, MBA) would likely require dual application submitted together but each would have to pass the individual admissions at each program. However Public Policy/Public Admin is likely less selective and may not require admission at time of MD acceptance. However, some MD programs will require that solely for future planning purposes (ie clinical rotation). In short, you have to check with both each medical school and with each program associated with that school that you are considering
Schools vary, with the more selective schools and the more selective programs within those schools (ie JD, MBA) would likely require dual application submitted together but each would have to pass the individual admissions at each program. However Public Policy/Public Admin is likely less selective and may not require admission at time of MD acceptance. However, some MD programs will require that solely for future planning purposes (ie clinical rotation). In short, you have to check with both each medical school and with each program associated with that school that you are considering
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Interesting, so I'll follow up with the specific schools and see how they go about it. Thanks for your help!
If I have 3 short-term community service activities, do I need to put them in one space? Can I make a second space that's like "short term community service part 2" ? because even though the activities didn't have many hours, i still took away a lot of lessons from the experience and I'm worried about the word count if I combine all three activities in one space..
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1) No.
2) If you have a lot to say, that's an acceptable reason to spread out one of the activities into a second space.
@Catalystik thank you for the earlier answer
My other question has to do with the meaningful experiences one. So my personal statement uses my three most meaningful ECs as how they've shifted my perspective and motivation to pursue medicine, and a general overview explaining the EC and it's transformative nature was already given in the PS. Coming back to the work/activities section, I don't have activities other than those three that I can mark that are even close to as meaningful (that would be truthful), but if I stick to my 3 core ECs, then my extra space would be a rehash of my PS with extra details. Don't know what to do about the most meaningful. Maybe I could talk about specific experiences from those 3 ECs?
I think the OP leaves little wiggle room with either redoing the PS, or picking other meaningful stuff, esp if the other meaningful stuff isn't comparably meaningful.
My other question has to do with the meaningful experiences one. So my personal statement uses my three most meaningful ECs as how they've shifted my perspective and motivation to pursue medicine, and a general overview explaining the EC and it's transformative nature was already given in the PS. Coming back to the work/activities section, I don't have activities other than those three that I can mark that are even close to as meaningful (that would be truthful), but if I stick to my 3 core ECs, then my extra space would be a rehash of my PS with extra details. Don't know what to do about the most meaningful. Maybe I could talk about specific experiences from those 3 ECs?
I think the OP leaves little wiggle room with either redoing the PS, or picking other meaningful stuff, esp if the other meaningful stuff isn't comparably meaningful.
Quick question: I had a paid internship at a hospital one summer, so I currently have it listed under "Paid Employment - Medical"...however, this internship also consisted of me shadowing many doctors over the course of the summer. What is the best way to categorize this because I believe it equally applies to Clinical Experience and Shadowing as it was nearly a 50/50 split between these two and don't wanna deemphasize it on either part.
You can't make an assumption that the same person will read the PS and the Activities section, so I suggest you mark the same three as MM, use the narrative box for description of activity, role, techniques or certifications, lessons learned, etc, letting some of it flow over into the MM space if you like, then using different vocabulary for impact, insights, and adding new anecdotes so it looks fresh. Don't feel you must fill the MM space completely. And recall that only one MM space is required if you really, really don't want to make three.
Might you consider splitting out the physician observation hours and listing them on their own with half the hours under a Shadowing tag? Or, at least 50 of those hours?
So, would it be beneficial (in order to save a spot entirely) to just title the experience as "Hospital Name Experience" then under that topic list the time I spent shadowing and in extra details list the paid employment hours? So, for example: let's say I had 400 hours total. So I name the activity as stated above, list 250 hours as the paid employment, then below list the 150 remaining hours for shadowing + what doctors/contact info. It's one of my most meaningful experiences in total as it was a big influencing factor in why I want to go into rural health, so I would have that extra space to expand if necessary. Or do you still think it should be listed as two separate entries?
My concern is that an office staff initial screener will miss that you shadowed and not " score" you correctly if you do it the way you suggest. I've seen it happen. And most especially if you are drawn to rural health and can back it up with pertinent experiences, you want to have that fact appreciated when your application is first looked at.
Thank you so much for your advice, that definitely puts it in perspective of why separating it would serve as an additional benefit!
I'm working as a Research Assistant III (maybe Research Associate I come July) on two-and-a-half overlapping research projects with one that's most likely going to be published. Do I list this experience collectively as Research or Paid Employment? Maybe both with separate entries?
Also I was part of an internship that was in-part shadowing (e.g. observing physical exams and doctor-patient interactions) and clinical experience (e.g. getting vitals, conducting patient histories). Should I create separate entries for this even though they're under the same experience? I don't want to be scored incorrectly.
Also I was part of an internship that was in-part shadowing (e.g. observing physical exams and doctor-patient interactions) and clinical experience (e.g. getting vitals, conducting patient histories). Should I create separate entries for this even though they're under the same experience? I don't want to be scored incorrectly.
1) At least one should be listed under a Research tag. How you label the other is your choice. Keeping them together is fine, too. See how much space you need to do them justice.
2) Yes, just don't double count the hours.
I have a published second-author chapter in a medical textbook. Should I have a separate entry as "Publication" or just lump it with the "Research/Lab" activity I already have? I'm running out of entries and would have to cut out my DJ/Music Producer activity to add a separate "Publication" entry.
A co-authored science book chapter deserves its own Publication space, but if you don't have room, and ideally if it's related to your Research entry, then go ahead and add it to that space. If it's not related, might you have room to add it to your Awards/Honors or Artistic Endeavors space?
After fiddling with the character limits, I really don't have enough room in my Awards/Honors activity to fit everything in. I dropped the fluffier honors, like Dean's List and GPA-related awards, and moved one of my awards into its related activity space. The Awards/Honors activity has basically turned into a Fellowships and Scholarships activity.
Do you think it's worth squeezing in a service award I've recieved in multiple years? It's more or less given to anyone who has volunteered over a certain number of hours (>150 I think) every year. I don't know if it's worth kicking out one of the fellowships I've received if the number of hours I've volunteered is apparent (kind of like listing Dean's list with a high GPA). Thanks! 🙂
Do you think it's worth squeezing in a service award I've recieved in multiple years? It's more or less given to anyone who has volunteered over a certain number of hours (>150 I think) every year. I don't know if it's worth kicking out one of the fellowships I've received if the number of hours I've volunteered is apparent (kind of like listing Dean's list with a high GPA). Thanks! 🙂
I agree with your reasoning. Including the automatic service award adds nothing new to your application.
Hi, I have a quick question about how to list a few experiences.
1. I am a non-traditional student and have traveled pretty extensively (recreationally, not for work). I also spent part of my childhood (3 years) living in England. Is this something that should be mentioned, and if so, under what category? I am assuming travel can go under "hobbies" and I guess living in another country would be "other"?
2. I have been painting for about 10 years and have also sold some paintings along the way. Should this be "artistic endeavors" since I have sold paintings or would it go under "hobbies"?
3. I have ridden horses and competed in equestrian sports from a young age (age 5 and up). I am assuming any sports like this would go under hobbies?
Thank you for your help!
1. I am a non-traditional student and have traveled pretty extensively (recreationally, not for work). I also spent part of my childhood (3 years) living in England. Is this something that should be mentioned, and if so, under what category? I am assuming travel can go under "hobbies" and I guess living in another country would be "other"?
2. I have been painting for about 10 years and have also sold some paintings along the way. Should this be "artistic endeavors" since I have sold paintings or would it go under "hobbies"?
3. I have ridden horses and competed in equestrian sports from a young age (age 5 and up). I am assuming any sports like this would go under hobbies?
Thank you for your help!
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I was given the opportunity to sit in on a PBL-style lecture at a medical school... should I include this? Though it was a small activity, it was a great experience. The opportunity was through a pre-health society I was in, but I wasn't notably involved - so I wasn't going to otherwise include it.
When reporting hours for an activity that I will be continuing in the future up until matriculation, do I HAVE to write in the description how many hours I have up until the time of application and then how many I will be doing in the future? Or can I just put the total hours, current and future together, in the total hours box and leave it at that?
Thanks to @gonnif for referring this over:
1) Some options for sneaking in not-yet-started activities that you want schools to know about, even though they won't impact your application's strength are a) Add it to the end of the PS if it is a logical next step in your path to medicine. b) Tack it onto the end of another Clinical activity, as a next logical step. c) Use a fresh space titled Hired to Train for Scribe Position (using the date of notification you were hired), but really this would be less valuable to your application than having gained the skills of a negotiator. d) Don't mention it and save it for Secondaries and update letters, though realizing not all schools will give you these opportunities.
2) That would be fine. But it's good you left a bit of wiggle room with your phrasing, as we see all too many not get permanently hired after training or fired for other various reasons in the first four months. You might further add " . . . if I am permanently hired." It's embarrassing to have to admit this at an interview as it doesn't reflect well.
3) This would be part of any typical Update Letter, which would include other embellishments to your applications, as well as recent grades and new activities. You should do this where allowed regardless of whether you include it on the Primary application.
Hi,
Can someone answer a few questions for me about my activities and give me suggestions on how to make this better? Just going to list them here without the longer descriptions. I wrote my questions for a few of them and I'm also just looking for general thoughts on this list.
1. MCAT tutor and Campus Director, Altius Test Prep, listing as MM
2. Research - second author on a paper being prepared for submission. How should I title this? I'm unpaid so I'm not a "lab assistant", but not really sure the best title to list. Listing as MM
3. Scribe and assistant for a medical mission group for two trips, listing as MM
4. Music Associate at a church, also helping build a pipe organ
5. Choir section leader and soloist at another church
6. Freelance violinist and violin teacher
7. Nonclinical volunteering for an organization that provides food, clothing, etc. I've worked intake, in the pantry and made teddy bears and scarves for clients
8. Nursing home violinist - I play monthly for nursing home chapel services as well as play for dinners and programs
9. Outstanding Academic Undergraduate Award at the music conservatory I attended
- question here, should I include Dean's list in this category or separate it?
10. Shadowing - around 250 hours
11. Chamber music festival I attended for two summers
12. LeaderShape Institute
Is it a problem to have less than 15? I was Concertmaster for a church orchestra for the first two years of undergrad, but figured I might not list it since it was just the first two years and I have a lot of music stuff already.
Thank you in advance to anyone willing to help me out!
Can someone answer a few questions for me about my activities and give me suggestions on how to make this better? Just going to list them here without the longer descriptions. I wrote my questions for a few of them and I'm also just looking for general thoughts on this list.
1. MCAT tutor and Campus Director, Altius Test Prep, listing as MM
2. Research - second author on a paper being prepared for submission. How should I title this? I'm unpaid so I'm not a "lab assistant", but not really sure the best title to list. Listing as MM
3. Scribe and assistant for a medical mission group for two trips, listing as MM
4. Music Associate at a church, also helping build a pipe organ
5. Choir section leader and soloist at another church
6. Freelance violinist and violin teacher
7. Nonclinical volunteering for an organization that provides food, clothing, etc. I've worked intake, in the pantry and made teddy bears and scarves for clients
8. Nursing home violinist - I play monthly for nursing home chapel services as well as play for dinners and programs
9. Outstanding Academic Undergraduate Award at the music conservatory I attended
- question here, should I include Dean's list in this category or separate it?
10. Shadowing - around 250 hours
11. Chamber music festival I attended for two summers
12. LeaderShape Institute
Is it a problem to have less than 15? I was Concertmaster for a church orchestra for the first two years of undergrad, but figured I might not list it since it was just the first two years and I have a lot of music stuff already.
Thank you in advance to anyone willing to help me out!
1) You could use Other for all your Foreign Experiences, using a single space. If the childhood years were when you were very young, it may not be worth mentioning England, as the choice and adaptation reflect more on your parents than yourself, in which case Hobbies is fine for travels in your more mature years.
2) Artistic Endeavors
3) Hobbies. Consider using the Repeated feature to break down hours of involvement pre-HS, HS, and College+ years. Number of hours isn't critical in Hobbies and you won't need a Contact.
Brief mention as a part of the club activities is fine. As a Shadowing activity it's useless.
1) No.
2) You can, but it will look suspicious, as that's what folks do who have sparse hours and want it to look more substantial than it was at the time of application. If that's your case, just be up front about it, as it's reasonable to include a new-begun activity just so schools know what you'll be up to. Transparency is appreciated. Honesty is expected in a med school candidate.
You can use the Repeated feature to divide current and future hours or you can mention future plans in the narrative box with the hours you plan to add above those in the Total Hours box.
Thank you @Catalystik for the great advice!!! Based on your counsel, I have decided to work it into my PS in 5 words (so all schools will see it) and keep the pro-bono negotiator activity.
Also thank you @gonnif for your advice to my post in the wrong AMCAS thread and your referral to @Catalystik in this correct thread!!
Thank you! But how can I put it as repeated for the future hours if the start date has to be a date that's not in the future?
Thank you!!!
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I made an assumption that you had already started the activity. If that is so, you enter the current month as the start date of the future hours (for the second timespan you fill in). That would be May if you do it today or June if you wait until June 1.
If you have yet to start the activity, this advice won't work so well. In which case, see post #487 above.
I will be partaking in a clinical research program this summer. Would it be okay to list this as an activity in my AMCAS even though it is in the future? Start date would be June 2017 and End date would be August 2017. I was planning on talking about what I will be doing in this position in the description. Thank you in advance for the help!
General thoughts on a list of activities and improvement possibilities are best provided in one's WAMC thread.
Comments on the above, within the scope of this thread:
2) Without knowing your role, it's harder to suggest a title, but perhaps, Member of the Hsu Lab, Investigating Hummingbird Harmonics. At the end of the space, you can insert Manuscript in progress, soon to be submitted.
9) Isn't your academic excellence obvious from your transcript? The Concertmaster activity would be of greater benefit to your application. If you want to keep it, definitely group it with Deans List.
11) Festival attendance isn't going to help your application unless you were an organizer.
12) Not sure what that is for, but if it is meant to build your leadership skills, you'd be better off mentioning the course in the context of an activity in which you utilized the techniques learned.
-About 9-10 activities is the average for applicants. You have room to split out Freelance violinist (Artistic Endeavor) and Violin Teacher (Teaching or Employment) if the hours for each are sufficient.
- Highlight building an organ, maybe under Hobbies if you weren't paid. That's pretty interesting and memorable.
Options:
-You can state that you've been accepted to the program, using the date of the acceptance letter (try to find out how selective it was so you can mention that, as well as any provided stipend), perhaps under an Honors/Awards tag.
-You could wait to submit until after the program begins and you have more information about your role. Technically, on June 1 you can enter the starting month of June and the AMCAS program will let you save it, but you won't have anything substantial to say that will help your application.
-You can mention it at the end of another research space, if you have one.
-You could mention it as part of the PS if you can work it into being part of your path to medicine.
-You can save it for Secondaries and update letters (where allowed) so you have something fresh to say.
If I have leadership positions in multiple (3+) clubs, can I group them together to save space? Or do they need to be separate since I had different positions in each and I'll probably need to briefly describe what we did in each club and what my role was.
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I volunteer with two different organizations but they both work with hispanic communities. Can I list them both as one entry and name it "hispanic community work" since my main focus with these ECs is that they are focused on these communities or is it better to list them separately. I also have 20-40 hours spent in each of the organizations so I feel like it would be better to combine them to have more hours.
1) I have a non-clinical volunteering activity where I had a leadership position. Since I don't have any other "leadership" designated ECs but I also don't want to seem light on non-clinical volunteering hours, and because I'd like enough space to describe both elements, I was planning on doing this: one "non-clinical volunteering" entry with the full hours (~150) describing the general elements of the activity, and a second "leadership" entry describing those elements, with 0 hours. Would this be acceptable?
2) For publications/posters/thesis projects, is it alright to list them all as 0 hours, and keep the hours contained in the main "research" entries?
2) For publications/posters/thesis projects, is it alright to list them all as 0 hours, and keep the hours contained in the main "research" entries?
You can group them if what you need to say fits into the allowed space. You still need contact info, dates, and subtotals of hours, too, for each.
I agree that combining them to make a single, stronger entry makes sense.
So I was an officer of a pre-med org. I also did extensive community service (non-health related) through the org. Should I include this all under 1 (assuming leadership)? Or split this into two activities? I only have 1 other entry for community service, so I do need to mention that I did a lot of my community service through this org, just don't know whether to split or not.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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