*~*~*~* Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips Thread 2019-2020 *~*~*~*

[Catalystik]

I had two very different roles and different titles associated within a single organization.

Should I list them as separate activities?

You aren't giving much to go on here. You may split them up if the total hours for each is strong enough to stand on its own, or if you need extra space for description, and you should split them up if they are in different categories, like clinical vs nonclinical.

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[Catalystik]

Also should I list leadership positions that were very difficult to attain but that I dropped out of quickly due to lack of interest?

Pro: Cool leadership title
Con: Being asked why I left said organization

No.

 

[Catalystik]

Should working at an office that coordinates nursing homes be considered medical paid work?

Medically related roles:
1. Talking to the nursing home residents when they visit the office

2. Joining the nurses to help jot down health related notes notes

Non-Medical related roles:
1. Doing office clerk work
2. Making paychecks

1) What percent of the working day did you interact with the residents? Were they residents, clients, or patients?
Are these nursing homes considered skilled-level nursing homes, independent-living facilities, or assisted-living centers?

2) From whom did you collect the health-related information? Did you jot it into a chart, EHR, or what?

 

[ballerina15]

Readers looking for research productivity won't look for it in Awards/Honors. Would you be able to fit an abbreviated article title, maybe the journal, and the PubMed ID# in the Research entry? You aren't obliged to give a full, formal citation.

I was able to just that I published a manuscript in "Journal of _____" but nothing else - do you think i should squeeze in more? I am a first author on it but there are other authors I didnt mention because of space - should I try to write them in as well?

 

[Catalystik]

1) How should I list my TA positions for PE classes? Just wondering how I should talk about it since Im afraid they might look down on PE. Have about 80 hrs total between cycling, ultimate frisbee, and rock climbing

2) Also should I list I was on the Deans list for a quarter even thought I do not have other academic awards to follow it up with

1) We discussed that in post #395. If you are concerned about a negative perception of helping other students increase their physical activity through fun sports (which if you read through the lines is me saying you have nothing to worry about), you could always not mention the specific sports you assisted with, and just refer to working as a TA in the Physical Education Department. But you'd be missing out on an opportunity to be memorable.

2) No. You'd be calling attention to the fact that you weren't recognized for the other quarters. If you have read through this thread much, you saw that I discourage applicants from wasting space on Deans List much of the time.

 

[Catalystik]

I was able to just that I published a manuscript in "Journal of _____" but nothing else - do you think i should squeeze in more? I am a first author on it but there are other authors I didnt mention because of space - should I try to write them in as well?

You really need to fit this in, even if you have to trim down on the impact statement in the MM space. You need not list any of the other authors. Say "I first-authored a Nature publication PMID#XXXXXXXXXX."

Do you have another space that has other publications listed in it?

 

[btttbgfr34]

Is there a work/activities editing help thread?

 

[2019App]

Wrapping things up here and there are one or two more activities I could include but they are sorta minor and in categories I already have solid entries in (Leadership and Clinical Volunteering). The Leadership is ~80 hours (already have 300) and the CV ~40 hours (already have over 300 in 2 entries). So, I'm thinking I'll save these for possible mention in secondaries. If so, I'll end up with 12 entries. About how many entries do most applicants have? I've seen different advice on whether you want to use all 15 or not.

 

[Catalystik]

Is there a work/activities editing help thread?

Sorry, but I haven't seen one.

 

[Catalystik]

Wrapping things up here and there are one or two more activities I could include but they are sorta minor and in categories I already have solid entries in (Leadership and Clinical Volunteering). The Leadership is ~80 hours (already have 300) and the CV ~40 hours (already have over 300 in 2 entries). So, I'm thinking I'll save these for possible mention in secondaries. If so, I'll end up with 12 entries. About how many entries do most applicants have? I've seen different advice on whether you want to use all 15 or not.

9-10 entries are the average submittd by AMCAS applicants.

 

[deleted804295]

1) What percent of the working day did you interact with the residents? Were they residents, clients, or patients?
Are these nursing homes considered skilled-level nursing homes, independent-living facilities, or assisted-living centers?

2) From whom did you collect the health-related information? Did you jot it into a chart, EHR, or what?

2. The company has charts where health notes are jotted down on- not EHR.

1. Im typically at the office where the clients who have health needs visit. During this office time I'd say about 5% of the time is spent directly working with the clients. Health checkups at their homes are about once every month or so with one of the company's nurses. They were clients at independent living facilities.

 

[waybackwhen]

I spent 8 years in the military with multiple jobs and promotions. Should I list each of these or focus on the overarching themes and responsibilities?

 

[Catalystik]

Should working at an office that coordinates nursing homes be considered medical paid work?

Im typically at the office where the clients who have health needs visit. During this office time I'd say about 5% of the time is spent directly working with the clients. Health checkups at their homes are about once every month or so with one of the company's nurses. They were clients at independent living facilities.

I'd suggest labeling it Employment-Not Medical/Clinical.

 

[Catalystik]

I spent 8 years in the military with multiple jobs and promotions. Should I list each of these or focus on the overarching themes and responsibilities?

Welcome to SDN!

I'd suggest breaking it down into Military (specific jobs & promotions not as important as categories & responsibilities), Leadership, significant Awards/Honors, and maybe Teaching and Employment -Medical/Clinical, if relevant. Don't double count hours.

 

[Catalystik]

Can I count my required job training hours in the Work/Activities section? It's a teaching job and we have to come in for training classes on teaching.

If you list it as Employment, then include that time from the date the training begins. If you list it under the Teaching category, then make the start date when you begin to work with students. AMCAS has both labels in the pull-down menu for categorizing activities.

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

Do I have to describe the clinics and the population they serve in my description?

 

[mdtobe0817]

When inputting a "Publications" activity, what should be put down for hours? Should I put down the hours I worked on the publications, or should I list those hours under research?

 

[Catalystik]

How to enter extracurriculars into AMCAS application?

If anyone could insert an example of what they used that would be extremely helpful since I am a reapplicant and want to get it right this time,

Some Activity description examples for you, with thanks to member Nick Naylor:

Scroll down to activities. Then click each activity name to see the expanded narrative.
http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=19291

 

[Catalystik]

Do I have to describe the clinics and the population they serve in my description?

You can do whatever you like that helps give the flavor of the activity, or not.

 

[rajp98]

@Catalystik Sorry if this has been asked before, but how do I include and fit multiple pubs into 1 entry without listing out every author's name since this takes too much space? Some of the pubs, I am 1st author and others, I am 5th. Is there a specified format you recommend to list these out and not consume too much space?

 

[Catalystik]

When inputting a "Publications" activity, what should be put down for hours? Should I put down the hours I worked on the publications, or should I list those hours under research?

Entering a zero is traditional. The manuscript prep time is included under the affiliated Research tab hours.

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik Sorry if this has been asked before, but how do I include and fit multiple pubs into 1 entry without listing out every author's name since this takes too much space? Some of the pubs, I am 1st author and others, I am 5th. Is there a specified format you recommend to list these out and not consume too much space?

See post #183 of this thread for a model of a super-condensed format. Direct link: *~*~*~* Official AMCAS "Work/Activities" Tips Thread 2019-2020 *~*~*~*

 

[rajp98]

@Catalystik Who should I use as the contact person in the shadowing EC box if I have shadowed multiple physicians?

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik Who should I use as the contact person in the shadowing EC box if I have shadowed multiple physicians?

You could use the individual contact information for each doc, with only the first being in the header's Contact space and the rest in the narrative.
You could use the program coordinator if someone else set up the opportunities for you.
You could use an office manager, nurse manager, or receptionist from each doc's office.
If you have many, many shadowees, you could just list contact info for the three with the highest number of hours and summarize the rest without mentioning names, just specialties.

See the example in post 2, item #10 of this thread.

 

[deleted843384]

I feel like I have a ton of things smashed together in catagories that are the same, but the actual things I am doing aren't at all (for example, I had to stick being media manager of an advocacy group and being historian of a social group in the same "leadership" section). Is anyone else having this issue or am I doing things wrong? I feel like I have some many squished down into 15.

 

[Catalystik]

I feel like I have a ton of things smashed together in catagories that are the same, but the actual things I am doing aren't at all (for example, I had to stick being media manager of an advocacy group and being historian of a social group in the same "leadership" section). Is anyone else having this issue or am I doing things wrong? I feel like I have some many squished down into 15.

I'm curious to know what you had to say about a Historian position that made it sound like you exerted leadership skills.

Remember you aren't expected to include every possible activity, only the ones that make you a more appealing med school candidate.

 

[btttbgfr34]

Some Activity description examples for you, with thanks to member Nick Naylor:

Scroll down to activities. Then click each activity name to see the expanded narrative.
http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=19291

Great, Thank you for sharing! Would you know if there are other Application Samples Like NickNaylors ? If so how can I find them on sdn? Thanks again

 

[Catalystik]

Great, Thank you for sharing! Would you know if there are other Application Samples Like NickNaylors ? If so how can I find them on sdn? Thanks again

You can look through profiles on mdapplicant.com and see if other applicants like Nick Naylor have included similar details. BTW, this applicant got into a Top-10 school with that application.

 

[rajp98]

In my Publications Experience Type, what should I write for the 'Experience Name' if the actual publications are both med case reports and 1 actual lab science research paper. @Catalystik

 

[Catalystik]

In my Publications Experience Type, what should I write for the 'Experience Name' if the actual publications are both med case reports and 1 actual lab science research paper. @Catalystik

Maybe Journal Articles: Scholarly Paper on [xxx} & Case Reports

 

[Catalystik]

For publications, what should be the experience title? The actual article title does not fit, so should it be something like "second author publication" or "Study of chemicalX on DNA"

Try not to re-use words within an entry, eg don't use Publication in the title since that's the tag you picked for the space. Examples might be: Accepted Second-Author Manuscript on [XXX Topic] or Co-Authored Paper on Biochemistry of DNA in Peer-Reviewed Journal. Or Scholarly Journal Article on [XXX Topic] or Peer-Reviewed Paper Available On-Line Ahead of Print, or somesuch.

 

[dwarfplanet]

For Awards/Honors, use the Registrar of your college. Hobbies don't require a Contact.

What would you then put for a contact first and last name for Awards/Honors?

Also, wondering if I should keep 0 hours for university hours or try to calculate all the time spent in honors courses, volunteering, writing papers, etc.

 

[danielsgirl0403]

is it okay to use the symbol '&' instead of typing out 'and' and other abbreviations like OR for operating room?

Didn't realize 700 characters was gonna be like literally 5 words lol

 

[deleted965528]

1.) If I'm thinking about grouping 3-4 hobbies together, should I just put "Hobbies" under Experience Name? Or would it be better to name it Hobby 1, 2, 3, 4.

2.) What should be the start/end/hours if they're hobbies started from different points in life?

3.) On top of your head, are there any common hobbies you would advise not to mention?

4.) If I am grouping two mentoring position under two organizations at different times, should I include the contact for the other at the bottom of the description? Any other information I should include to let schools know they're two different orgs grouped into one?

 

[Catalystik]

1) What would you then put for a contact first and last name for Awards/Honors?

2) Also, wondering if I should keep 0 hours for university hours or try to calculate all the time spent in honors courses, volunteering, writing papers, etc.

1)
There is a designated person at your school who holds the title of Registrar, whom you can mention by name or not, as you wish. If you don't want to look that person up, you can still list the office as a Contact like this:

First name: Registrars
Last name: Office
Title: [name of your school (University of Arizona, eg)]
On the application it will print off as Contact Name & Title: Registrars Office, University of Arizona
You will still need to look up a phone number for the office.

2) A zero if a good choice.

 

[Catalystik]

is it okay to use the symbol '&' instead of typing out 'and' and other abbreviations like OR for operating room?

Didn't realize 700 characters was gonna be like literally 5 words lol

Formal writing means minimal abbreviations. I'd try to reserve "&" for the title space, but check to see that this special character prints out correctly before you submit the application (from the Main Menu>Print Application). Edit: I checked and it does print out the "&" properly.

As far as acronyms/abbreviations like OR, most of the time you should define them before using them again, but some are universally understood. If your elderly relative knows what the abbreviation means, there's a good chance that it will be acceptable to Admissions Office staff.

 

[Catalystik]

1.) If I'm thinking about grouping 3-4 hobbies together, should I just put "Hobbies" under Experience Name? Or would it be better to name it Hobby 1, 2, 3, 4.

2.) What should be the start/end/hours if they're hobbies started from different points in life?

3.) On top of your head, are there any common hobbies you would advise not to mention?

4a.) If I am grouping two mentoring position under two organizations at different times, should I include the contact for the other at the bottom of the description?
4b.) Any other information I should include to let schools know they're two different orgs grouped into one?

1) You can number them or list them in narrative form, as you wish.

2) It really doesn't matter. You could enter a zero if you like, or a 999, or 9999 as code for an unknowable number.

3) Sky diving or anything else that suggests you're an extreme risk taker. Older conservative adcomms will not find these appealing.

4a) Yes.
4b) Separate Organization name, Contact, subtotal of hours, inclusive dates if not the same as the header dates.

 

[Ferrous]

What are your thoughts on writing a single anecdote for the most meaningful section? Is that something adcoms find annoying?

 

[Catalystik]

What are your thoughts on writing a single anecdote for the most meaningful section? Is that something adcoms find annoying?

Anecdotes that illustrate an important characteristic or explain a particular area of impact in a med school candidate are welcome, whether one or more.

Or, did you mean using the entire space to relate a single story? Probably you don't want to do that.

 

[deleted843384]

I'm curious to know what you had to say about a Historian position that made it sound like you exerted leadership skills.

Remember you aren't expected to include every possible activity, only the ones that make you a more appealing med school candidate.

Haven’t done it yet, so I’ll take that as I should remove it from my app? I can’t seem to fit it anywhere else and I have two clinical experiences smashed together right now that I’d love to separate.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Haven’t done it yet, so I’ll take that as I should remove it from my app? I can’t seem to fit it anywhere else and
2) I have two clinical experiences smashed together right now that I’d love to separate.

1) Yes. Save it for Secondaries, where you can say you were elected and will assume office x/xx/xxxx.

2) This will benefit your application far more. : )

 

[Catalystik]

About 2 years ago, I joined a recreational club on campus and I had a great time playing for about two semesters. I want to put it down on AMCAS as one of my activities because I can speak pretty well about how it helped improve me as a future physician by making me more resilient when I wanted to quit and helping me learn to communicate better in high-stress environments. The problem is the club was a fairly huge organization, so I don't think the coach could remember me/vouch for having done the hours that I did (I also don't know his contact info at all), so I was wondering if it would be okay to put down a friend who mentored me on the team as my contact? This isn't one of my clinical activities and there was no service involved at all, it was purely just for fun.

Yes, this is perfectly fine. Be sure to give your friend the title "Team Mentor" or somesuch. Alternatively, if you can't get the required Contact information, list it under Hobbies, which doesn't require a Contact.

 

[deleted843384]

I really appreciate all your help! So far what I have is this:

1. Big non-clinical service that I spent 2 years leading-----non-clinical service
2. Big full-time research position
3. Main clinical volunteering
4. Shadowing
5. 3 research labs from undergrad
6. non-profit non-clinical service with ~100 hours-----leadership (media manager/tech)
7. EMT and a small-scale clinical assistant job (about 300 and 70 hours, respectively)---this is the one I want to separate but don't know what to cut
8. 2 non-sciency work experiences not related to medicine (total maybe 1500 hours)
9. 2 non-related smaller scale service orgs I worked with (total maybe 150-200 hours)
10. club sport that I held leadership with (~200 hours)
11. Hobbies?
12. Publication (I have one, is it worth it to just have it separate if the lab it was published in was in number 5?)
13. honors
14. Conferences and presentations (a few)
15. teaching (TA, tutoring)

 

[Catalystik]

I really appreciate all your help! So far what I have is this:

1. Big non-clinical service that I spent 2 years leading-----non-clinical service
2. Big full-time research position
3. Main clinical volunteering
4. Shadowing
5. 3 research labs from undergrad
6. non-profit non-clinical service with ~100 hours-----leadership (media manager/tech)
7. EMT and a small-scale clinical assistant job (about 300 and 70 hours, respectively)---this is the one I want to separate but don't know what to cut
8. 2 non-sciency work experiences not related to medicine (total maybe 1500 hours)
9. 2 non-related smaller scale service orgs I worked with (total maybe 150-200 hours)
10. club sport that I held leadership with (~200 hours)
11. Hobbies?
12. Publication (I have one, is it worth it to just have it separate if the lab it was published in was in number 5?)
13. honors
14. Conferences and presentations (a few)
15. teaching (TA, tutoring)

Possible changes: Consider putting #10 &11 together. Keep the publication space. Could omit Honors/Awards if it's just Deans list, etc. Don't use a Conferences Attended space unless you were an organizer, instead use a Presentations/Posters space (unless they all occurred on campus, in which case put them in the affiliated Research space). Read post 2, item #20 of this thread for other comments on Research-related listings.

 

[Catalystik]

1) How many hours do classes usually count for?
2) I spent literally most waking moments outside of class on individual clubs, but may have to reduce the hours to not appear as inflating them.

1) Which class and how many credit hours?

2) I agree you should make it believable, and be sure your Contact agrees with your numbers.

 

[dwarfplanet]

I know your activities should show commitment but some of mine were one-time things that couldn't be done over time. For example, I volunteered as a kids camp rec staff, and that was just a weeklong commitment -- however, they were 12 hour days and I ended up doing nearly 60 hours worth of work. Additionally, I feel like this activity reflects my interests, since most of my other volunteer work was done with kids and so was this. Considering all this, would it be a bad idea to list this as an activity?

 

[Catalystik]

like say if I took 12 credits a semester, and 16 credits a semester (probably 1 science/math, 1 psych/soc, 1 general requirement, 1 research) how many hours would be devoted to classes? Just want to build off from that number, the rest of my numbers to ensure it doesn't look like I overlooked class for extracurriculars (which I did ).

Class would be hour for hour you sit in front of the teacher or sit in a lab, plus (they say) 1-2 hours of prep work/study outside of class for each hour in an academic class.

 

[Catalystik]

I know your activities should show commitment but some of mine were one-time things that couldn't be done over time. For example, I volunteered as a kids camp rec staff, and that was just a weeklong commitment -- however, they were 12 hour days and I ended up doing nearly 60 hours worth of work. Additionally, I feel like this activity reflects my interests, since most of my other volunteer work was done with kids and so was this. Considering all this, would it be a bad idea to list this as an activity?

Every activity you list need not demonstrate significant longevity. I think it's fine to list briefer, impactful, significant activities, an example being a 40 hour Alternative Spring Break experience. So list the Kids Camp!

 

[deleted688779]

1) Do you think it would be worth creating a separate entry for a university-level research "fellowship", or bundle it up with the research entry the award went towards? It's $1000-4000 in research funding, a poster, and a fancier spot at the campus research conference. Went through an application process and I would say ~50 are selected each year out of >20k undergrads, unsure of the applied to awarded ratio though.

2) Could that be bundled with merit scholarships for tuition? Earned during college, not for high-school merit.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Do you think it would be worth creating a separate entry for a university-level research "fellowship", or bundle it up with the research entry the award went towards? It's $1000-4000 in research funding, a poster, and a fancier spot at the campus research conference. Went through an application process and I would say ~50 are selected each year out of >20k undergrads, unsure of the applied to awarded ratio though.

2) Could that be bundled with merit scholarships for tuition? Earned during college, not for high-school merit.

1) Bundle it.

2) It could, but I think keeping it with the related research maintains the context I'd want to see.