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

[premedpower8484848]

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@Catalystik I am part of several large volunteer organizations and each one has a general email address that I could list as a contact on AMCAS. However, the email address is for the whole volunteer staff so anybody could respond if hours need to be verified. In this case, who would I list at the name for the contact?

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik I am part of several large volunteer organizations and each one has a general email address that I could list as a contact on AMCAS. However, the email address is for the whole volunteer staff so anybody could respond if hours need to be verified. In this case, who would I list at the name for the contact?

First name: Volunteer Staff
Last name: Office
Title: [name of organization (like Humane Society of Podunk County)]
On the application it will print off as Contact Name & Title: Volunteer Staff Office, Humane Society of Podunk County

 

[premedpower8484848]

Thanks

First name: Volunteer Staff
Last name: Office
Title: [name of organization (like Humane Society of Podunk County)]
On the application it will print off as Contact Name & Title: Volunteer Staff Office, Humane Society of Podunk County

Thanks!

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

.

 

[Catalystik]

So to saved space for a activity, In the experience title I wrote Peer Advisor (PA) and then in the description, wrote
PA (8/2018-5/2019), 50Hrs, Contacts (So and So)
I blah blah blah.

Is that okay?

I'm confused and having trouble visualizing the entire space. Is there more to the title? Is Peer Advisor the second part? What's first, then? Can you lay it out for me better?

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

..

 

[Catalystik]

1) So I am a recruitment coordinator for my admissions office and I am a peer mentor. I listed these both under paid employment.
In experience title, I have "Recruitment Coordinator (RC) /Peer Advisor (PA)

I did that so in the description I could save like ~10 characters and put

RC 6/2016-5/2019 (300 Hrs)
I did this and that and this and that.

PA 8/2018-5/2019 (54Hrs) (John Smith, [email protected])
I advised students, did this, did that, did this.

Does that makes sense?

2) Also my follow up question: is it bad if I chose this as a MME, but only talked about one of them for the MME part?

1) OK, I get it. If you number them in the title, you'd save more characters, like "1. Recruitment Coordinator & 2. Peer Advisor" and I think you might have enough characters left to add who you are recruiting (Freshman or Frosh?).

2) I'm sure it's just me, but I'm a purist and don't like mixed messages like that. That doesn't mean you can't do it, of course. Can't you generalize some of your comments to apply to both and then get more specific?

 

[Listle]

I have a question regarding paid experiences and whether mine is clinical vs. non clinical. During my gap year so far I have been working in a lab, my official title is "Clinical Lab Associate", I work directly with patient samples, but do not have contact with patients. I know the LizzyM advice of "so close you can smell them" is prevailing wisdom for volunteering, but am not sure about paid employment. If I can get their blood on me, even if they aren't around, is it still clinical/medical?

 

[Catalystik]

I have a question regarding paid experiences and whether mine is clinical vs. non clinical. During my gap year so far I have been working in a lab, my official title is "Clinical Lab Associate", I work directly with patient samples, but do not have contact with patients. I know the LizzyM advice of "so close you can smell them" is prevailing wisdom for volunteering, but am not sure about paid employment. If I can get their blood on me, even if they aren't around, is it still clinical/medical?

Sorry, this job would not be Medical/Clinical for AMCAS purposes. You need active patient interaction to qualify, not just contact with their body fluids. That's not to say that this position isn't of great value to your application regardless, considering the familiarity you've gained with HIPAA, OSHA, blood-borne pathogen education, & maybe even ethics and sexual harassment prevention training, due to being in a clinical environment.

 

[Listle]

Sorry, this job would not be Medical/Clinical for AMCAS purposes. You need active patient interaction to qualify, not just contact with their body fluids. That's not to say that this position isn't of great value to your application regardless, considering the familiarity you've gained with HIPAA, OSHA, blood-borne pathogen education, & maybe even ethics and sexual harassment prevention training, due to being in a clinical environment.

Ok, thanks for the advice! I figured it might not be but I wanted to be certain I classified it properly.
If you don't mind another question or two I would really appreciate some additional advice. I am really into board games/DnD/competetive video gaming (in high school I was nationally ranked but sadly no time for that commitment nowadays), but am worried the adcoms might view this hobby as something that doesn't contribute to personal development (though I feel that is has) - is it worth mentioning?

And what about political clubs in college? I was a member of a few political (think right wing/ left wing) clubs but I also worry if I have the wrong reader they might view me negatively just for including it.

Both of these things contribute to a lot of my weekly time so I worry it looks like there's some gap in which I am presumably spending time with friends and having an enjoyable life (not allowed! 😉)

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

.

 

[Catalystik]

Ok, thanks for the advice! I figured it might not be but I wanted to be certain I classified it properly.
If you don't mind another question or two I would really appreciate some additional advice.

1) I am really into board games/DnD/competetive video gaming (in high school I was nationally ranked but sadly no time for that commitment nowadays), but am worried the adcoms might view this hobby as something that doesn't contribute to personal development (though I feel that is has) - is it worth mentioning?

2) And what about political clubs in college? I was a member of a few political (think right wing/ left wing) clubs but I also worry if I have the wrong reader they might view me negatively just for including it.

Both of these things contribute to a lot of my weekly time so I worry it looks like there's some gap in which I am presumably spending time with friends and having an enjoyable life (not allowed! 😉)

1) I think there is significant bias against video gaming activities among most adcomms, especially as they do not involve face-to-face socialization. I'm an ex-gamer myself, so I share your pain. Leave it off. You could mention the (in-person) board games generically under Hobbies, if you like.

2) The problem with political clubs is that half your readers won't share all your views. If you could bring up issues that are universally agreed to be worth working on (across the aisle, so to speak) and not the polarizing ones, then it could work out. If you've done related advocacy work, all to the better. You just have to spin it to a neutral position.

 

[Catalystik]

Hm, I always thought that when trying to combine experiences, I should try to make it seem like they go together, but I feel the whole 1. and 2. really highlights me trying to squeeze two activties into one slot... is that bad?

And I agree, I may try to do a better job at combining the two then. Thanks!

I agree it's best if they are related when they're in the same space, but that's not always possible when you're squeezing things in. What about "Freshman Recruitment Coordinator and Advisor?" Or are Frosh maybe not the main target group for each?

 

[premedpower8484848]

@Catalystik I had a quick question for you. I have a publication and asked my post-doc what authorship I should list on my application. She told me that she is the first-author and after that everyone is a co-author. I am a little confused on what I should list on my activity section. Should I just put "Co-Author in XYZ" for my activity name then?

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik I had a quick question for you. I have a publication and asked my post-doc what authorship I should list on my application. She told me that she is the first-author and after that everyone is a co-author. I am a little confused on what I should list on my activity section. Should I just put "Co-Author in XYZ" for my activity name then?

Congratulations on your manuscript's acceptance. Co-author works fine. Sometimes other authors aren't listed in order of significant contributions, but rather alphabetically, so any specific authorship placement is meaningless.

Be sure to cite the paper as best you can, including the words [in press] in the citation and some indication of when it will appear in print (if you know). The date space should be the day of acceptance.

 

[premedpower8484848]

Congratulations on your manuscript's acceptance. Co-author works fine. Sometimes other authors aren't listed in order of significant contributions, but rather alphabetically, so any specific authorship placement is meaningless.

Be sure to cite the paper as best you can, including the words [in press] in the citation and some indication of when it will appear in print (if you know). The date space should be the day of acceptance.

@Catalystik Thanks for your help once again!

 

[Catalystik]

@Catalystik Thanks for your help once again!

You're welcome.

 

[scorpion2020]

What would adcoms think of a most meaningful if its only 30-40 hours? Once a month and was not able to go every month.

 

[deleted688779]

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

May I use "repeated" feature to enter the dates/hours with the other organization but include its name+contact in the description? Running low on characters in the description box, though I can try to play with character count if this isn't an acceptable use of repeated.

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

I agree it's best if they are related when they're in the same space, but that's not always possible when you're squeezing things in. What about "Freshman Recruitment Coordinator and Advisor?" Or are Frosh maybe not the main target group for each?

I think your suggestion works!

also, when I'm combining activities, I'm not sure how to format the contact when i'm putting the second one in the description for the other activity.

The way I have it now is
5/2017-6/2017, 50Hrs, John Smith ([email protected])
In this activity blah blah blah.

But is there a preferred way to do this? Do I have to include the contact's title (director, lead TA, etc.)? If I'm tight on characters, do I even need to spell out the full name ... in other words, could I leave the "John Smith" out and just keep the email?

 

[Lawyer101]

Sorry if this has been asked before but what should I actually write in the Publication section? Should I just write down the full title and PMID and give a little detail about what I did? Or do I describe what I did at all? This doesn't have to be in paragraph form right?

 

[SinglePayerNow]

Is it frowned upon to say that I cleaned glassware as part of my duties in my freshman year research lab?

 

[Catalystik]

What would adcoms think of a most meaningful if its only 30-40 hours? Once a month and was not able to go every month.

A longer duration of an activity isn't required for it to have had significant impact.

 

[Catalystik]

May I use "repeated" feature to enter the dates/hours with the other organization but include its name+contact in the description? Running low on characters in the description box, though I can try to play with character count if this isn't an acceptable use of repeated.

Please don't. Try to make it fit.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I think your suggestion works!

2) also, when I'm combining activities, I'm not sure how to format the contact when i'm putting the second one in the description for the other activity.

The way I have it now is
5/2017-6/2017, 50Hrs, John Smith ([email protected])
In this activity blah blah blah.

But is there a preferred way to do this? Do I have to include the contact's title (director, lead TA, etc.)? If I'm tight on characters, do I even need to spell out the full name ... in other words, could I leave the "John Smith" out and just keep the email?

1) great!

2) You could maybe shorten the name to J Smith, otherwise leave it the same. If you got an email addressed to Dear jsmith1231, wouldn't you move it to the trash without reading it?

 

[Catalystik]

Sorry if this has been asked before but what should I actually write in the Publication section? Should I just write down the full title and PMID and give a little detail about what I did? Or do I describe what I did at all? This doesn't have to be in paragraph form right?

List only the full formal citation (or an abbreviated one if there are many pubs in the space). No explanation or discussion is needed. Rarely some overflow commentary is included that belongs in the affiliated Research space, but this isn't desirable. Total Hours is zero.

 

[Catalystik]

Is it frowned upon to say that I cleaned glassware as part of my duties in my freshman year research lab?

Will this enhance your candidacy chances? Unless that was your only role, it's OK to leave it out.

 

[ipressurexd]

Sorry if this has been asked, but I am required to put an End Date for an activity I plan to continue until matriculation. How can I properly express this? Thank you 😀

 

[Catalystik]

I am required to put an End Date for an activity I plan to continue until matriculation. How can I properly express this?

Use the Repeated feature, with the first date span for completed hours, ending in May 2019, and the second for future hours starting in May 2019, and going until August 2020. Both will appear in the header.

If you aren't sure of completing those hours, just use the first datespan mentioned and add your vaguer future plan to the end of the narrative space.

 

[1realway]

I have around 45 hours of clinical volunteer experience at ED and I don't have much to say about it since the hospital was very strict about what I could do and could not (which is usual). All I did was making beds, and stocking supplies. I have like 2 sentences to write about this experience, which is like nothing compared to other experience. Would you recommend just not including this one at all, if I have other extensive clinical experience? (over 1000 hours of paid clinical work experience in hospital) I don't think this experience adds anything to my app. What do you think?

 

[Catalystik]

I have around 45 hours of clinical volunteer experience at ED and I don't have much to say about it since the hospital was very strict about what I could do and could not (which is usual). All I did was making beds, and stocking supplies. I have like 2 sentences to write about this experience, which is like nothing compared to other experience. Would you recommend just not including this one at all, if I have other extensive clinical experience? (over 1000 hours of paid clinical work experience in hospital) I don't think this experience adds anything to my app. What do you think?

If all you did was make beds and stock supplies, maybe you'd want to categorize it as nonclinical volunteering, if you are light in that category. OTOH, if that's a non-issue, you need not include it on your application if you don't feel it adds to your candidacy and that the hours are weak.

 

[sandiego3456]

1) I worked at a dental clinic as a receptionist/seated patients. Is this considered clinical or nonclinical employment?

2) I received a chemistry student of the year award at my college. should this have its own slot outside of some other awards I have (dean's list, departmental honors, merit scholarships)? or should i just lump it in

3) is clinical volunteering something useful to add if I have lots of clinical paid experience and nonclinical volunteering? I just started the clinical volunteering activity recently and I'm not sure if I should give it its own space if I only have ~20 hr accumulated right now

 

[Catalystik]

1) I worked at a dental clinic as a receptionist/seated patients. Is this considered clinical or nonclinical employment?

2) I received a chemistry student of the year award at my college. should this have its own slot outside of some other awards I have (dean's list, departmental honors, merit scholarships)? or should i just lump it in

3) is clinical volunteering something useful to add if I have lots of clinical paid experience and nonclinical volunteering? I just started the clinical volunteering activity recently and I'm not sure if I should give it its own space if I only have ~20 hr accumulated right now

1) What percent of the clinic's clients came for routine checkups, vs dental pain, illness, serious conditions, or injury?

2) Lump it.

3) Clinical volunteering is important to some schools, but for the vast majority, paid clinical experience is sufficient.

You can list the 20 hours as a signal of your intentions for the application year, or you can save it for Secondaries and update letters.

 

[deleted843384]

If I talk about two hobbies under one entry, can I just write "Hobby 1/Hobby 2" on experience name? Or how else should I write it?

 

[Catalystik]

If I talk about two hobbies under one entry, can I just write "Hobby 1/Hobby 2" on experience name? Or how else should I write it?

Leisuretime Activities?
Culinary Arts and Ultimate Frisbee Involvement?

 

[deleted843384]

Leisuretime Activities?
Culinary Arts and Ultimate Frisbee Involvement?

You know, I think I'm going to copy exactly the second one and just pick up Ultimate Frisbee. Thanks!

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

1. For my MME,
I'm going with the whole resume style responsibilities for the 700 char and then more anecdotal for the 1325 slot, but I was wondering if it looks bad if I don't fill the complete 700 char (bc I was able to concisely state my duties in say ~500) before moving onto the 1325 slot?

2. Just to reaffirm, it's OK if I don't have a description for any of my shadowing activities right? I just wrote all the specialities and their contact and that basically took up the space.

 

[deleted951785]

2 questions....

1. Should I include scholarships used for college that I received right after high school? e.g. Graduated high school in mid June, got scholarship end of June, started college in August. I'm not sure if these scholarships fall under the high school category and thus irrelevant or if I should list them since the funds were used for college.

2. Should I include events that I did for 1 day and for about 4 hours? These are not activities that changed my outlook but more so like just usual volunteering stuff like setting up a booth at a health fair, picking up trash, etc.

 

[Catalystik]

You know, I think I'm going to copy exactly the second one and just pick up Ultimate Frisbee. Thanks!

I actually see A LOT of injuries from ultimate frisbee, so maybe rethink that one.

 

[Catalystik]

1. For my MME,
I'm going with the whole resume style responsibilities for the 700 char and then more anecdotal for the 1325 slot, but I was wondering if it looks bad if I don't fill the complete 700 char (bc I was able to concisely state my duties in say ~500) before moving onto the 1325 slot?

2. Just to reaffirm, it's OK if I don't have a description for any of my shadowing activities right? I just wrote all the specialities and their contact and that basically took up the space.

1) Definitely don't fluff up the space just to use up the characters. Be succinct. Adcomms appreciate it when their reading experience is leavened by briefer entries. Ditto with the MM area.

2) Correct.

 

[Catalystik]

1. Should I include scholarships used for college that I received right after high school? e.g. Graduated high school in mid June, got scholarship end of June, started college in August. I'm not sure if these scholarships fall under the high school category and thus irrelevant or if I should list them since the funds were used for college.

2. Should I include events that I did for 1 day and for about 4 hours? These are not activities that changed my outlook but more so like just usual volunteering stuff like setting up a booth at a health fair, picking up trash, etc.

1) If the scholarship was based on HS merit or achievements, leave it out. If it required certain benchmarks to be met while in college to continue receiving it, like GPA or service involvement, then include it.

2) I wouldn't include it unless you are grouping multiple "Short-Term Service Opportunities" in one space and the overall hourly total is decent.

 

[FatherTime-PhD]

You are seriously bringing so much comfort in this high stress time of completing this application lol...

Another Q: in your opinion, when doing the description for an activity, do you think it’s better to just say things like “here I gained practical skills necessary to complete so and so job” or “here I gained practical skills necessary to complete so and so job which I believe will translate in my ability to do so and so as a physician”? I feel like the former let’s the adcom just see the skills you developed and then they can connect it to how you will be a better physician bc of it but the latter is more explicit but seems kind of forced? Like the latter makes me feel like I’m trying to fluff my way.

 

[Catalystik]

You are seriously bringing so much comfort in this high stress time of completing this application lol...

Another Q: in your opinion, when doing the description for an activity, do you think it’s better to just say things like “here I gained practical skills necessary to complete so and so job” or “here I gained practical skills necessary to complete so and so job which I believe will translate in my ability to do so and so as a physician”? I feel like the former let’s the adcom just see the skills you developed and then they can connect it to how you will be a better physician bc of it but the latter is more explicit but seems kind of forced? Like the latter makes me feel like I’m trying to fluff my way.

Go with the former and let adcomms connect the dots themselves.

 

[907914]

I already submitted so meh, but on my hobbies I just put something like 5000 hours between 2010 and now but I did not subdivide the hours across hobbies in the description. Will that matter?

 

[appropriatepeanut]

Hi thank you so much for taking the time to help me!
1. I have a question in regards to planned/future course work for AMCAS. I added the classes I will be taking for Fall 2019 since I have already registered for them (but I marked that they were future courses) do I need to add classes all the way up to my graduation date (May 2020)? Or can I not put any classes for my future Spring 2020 semester since I am not sure what I will be taking yet?
2. For shadowing I shadowed a neurologist (36 hrs), ID physician (8 hrs), and a PCP (8 hrs). Since there are limited slots in AMCAS should I just list them under one shadowing experience with the total number of hours and subdivide them in the description part? Or should they be listed as their own entries?

 

[trashacct01]

For the most meaningful, 1300 character portion, is better to use specific events and/or specific interactions with people to illustrate the impact or will writing more generally about events and describing the impact serve the same purpose for this section?

For example: In my personal statement, I use a couple actual patient interactions to "show, don't tell" my qualities, so should I be doing the same in the most meaningful section too? Should I tell a story that "show, don't tell" my transformation and/or impact this activity had?

 

[babykarat]

Two unrelated questions:

1) I DJ an FM radio station show that features foreign rock music. I also write commentary to explain shared themes etc. I can't decide if this is an artistic endeavor or not: I analyze the music and share my thoughts with a larger audience, but I don't make the music myself. Thoughts?

2) For shadowing multiple doctors, can I use the repeat function to indicate hours for each doctor? i.e. header would list Dr. A contact info, but hours for Dr A and Dr B. The text would include the Dr. B shadowing experience description

 

[Catalystik]

I already submitted so meh, but on my hobbies I just put something like 5000 hours between 2010 and now but I did not subdivide the hours across hobbies in the description. Will that matter?

Hours for hobbies are not relevant. You could have put a zero and it wouldn't matter.

 

[Catalystik]

1. I have a question in regards to planned/future course work for AMCAS. I added the classes I will be taking for Fall 2019 since I have already registered for them (but I marked that they were future courses) do I need to add classes all the way up to my graduation date (May 2020)? Or can I not put any classes for my future Spring 2020 semester since I am not sure what I will be taking yet?
2. For shadowing I shadowed a neurologist (36 hrs), ID physician (8 hrs), and a PCP (8 hrs). Since there are limited slots in AMCAS should I just list them under one shadowing experience with the total number of hours and subdivide them in the description part? Or should they be listed as their own entries?

1) This is the Activities Tips thread. For general AMCAS advice and transcript issues, ask here: *~*~*~* Official AMCAS Questions Thread 2019-2020 *~*~*~*

2) It's preferred that you group them. See an example of how to do it in post 2, item #10 of this thread.

 

[Catalystik]

For the most meaningful, 1300 character portion, is better to use specific events and/or specific interactions with people to illustrate the impact or will writing more generally about events and describing the impact serve the same purpose for this section?

For example: In my personal statement, I use a couple actual patient interactions to "show, don't tell" my qualities, so should I be doing the same in the most meaningful section too? Should I tell a story that "show, don't tell" my transformation and/or impact this activity had?

Anecdotes are appropriate for the MM section. So are the inspiration for engaging in the activity, impact/transformation statements, and possibly future direction (because I learned/felt/saw this, I engaged in [another activity] where I could . . . "). Don't feel obliged to connect the dots as to how that will make you a good physician, as adcomms can do that for themselves.