Peace Corps in Work and Activites

[TryingToDoc]

I saw an older thread about this but there weren't any solid answers. I wonder how I should list my Peace Corps service in the work and activities section. It is paid, technically, but it's only a living stipend they determine by the cost of living in your city. My main job was as a teacher trainer at a government run pedagogical institute. I also taught English at a local secondary school. I was also required to run English language clubs outside of school. We also had PEPFAR training and gave health education presentations that usually focused on AIDS awareness and prevention. We would also give some that included random topics like sexual education, dental hygiene, etc.

How should I list this on my work and activities section? Should I break up the teaching and the health related topics into two different groups?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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[To be MD]

You don't have to worry too much about this. You can, as someone who was a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) define your work as volunteering. Even if you didn't 'classify' it correctly, adcoms know what the Peace Corps is.

I'd list it all as one experience (and choose 'most meaningful' to explain what you did exactly).

PCVs are great, though. A lot of med schools try getting at least one every year. Nice .

 

[TMC07]

I would put it under "Volunteering - nonclinical" because you are technically NOT an employee of the US government and you were not employed by any of the places where you served. So although you did get a stipend/living allowance, you were not anyone's employee.

I'm curious where you served. I have a good friend who is also applying this year and she is serving in the Pacific.

 

[TryingToDoc]

I would put it under "Volunteering - nonclinical" because you are technically NOT an employee of the US government and you were not employed by any of the places where you served. So although you did get a stipend/living allowance, you were not anyone's employee.

Just curious: where did you serve? I have a good friend who is also applying this year and she is serving in the Pacific.

I was in Central Asia.

 

[TMC07]

Cool. I wish I had the guts to have done Peace Corps! Good luck to you!

 

[Karabo]

Hey! I'm an RPCV applying right now too. When I asked in the work and activities thread, I was told to put it as paid employment- non medical, but adcoms will still consider it a form of volunteering. You could also probably list it as other. I broke a few of my components up because I had projects in different areas as well, and had some leadership roles within PC. Good luck with this application cycle!

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[TryingToDoc]

Hey! I'm an RPCV applying right now too. When I asked in the work and activities thread, I was told to put it as paid employment- non medical, but adcoms will still consider it a form of volunteering. You could also probably list it as other. I broke a few of my components up because I had projects in different areas as well, and had some leadership roles within PC. Good luck with this application cycle!

I may break that part up.

 

[numbersloth]

Quick question: Do you think it would have been remotely possible to apply while in the peace corps, or is that logistically impossible?

 

[TryingToDoc]

Quick question: Do you think it would have been remotely possible to apply while in the peace corps, or is that logistically impossible?

Not to do AMCAS, as long as you had internet and access to all the info I don't see why it would not be possible. Interviewing and things, I have no idea as to those. Are you thinking of applying, or have you already been assigned a country?

 

[TMC07]

Quick question: Do you think it would have been remotely possible to apply while in the peace corps, or is that logistically impossible?

With enough planning, it is possible to apply while in-service. Probably not to a ridiculous number of schools, but definitely do-able. It is just difficult.

 

[numbersloth]

Not to do AMCAS, as long as you had internet and access to all the info I don't see why it would not be possible. Interviewing and things, I have no idea as to those. Are you thinking of applying, or have you already been assigned a country?

Thanks! I'm thinking of applying, specifically to do some kind of health/sex ed/mental health work in a French speaking African country. Still on the fence though as I've heard really mixed reviews on people's experiences.

 

[TryingToDoc]

Thanks! I'm thinking of applying, specifically to do some kind of health/sex ed/mental health work in a French speaking African country. Still on the fence though as I've heard really mixed reviews on people's experiences.

Peace Corps is what you make it. If you're going to look good or change the world you're most likely going to flame out. The former because it gets lonely and rough and the second because it's not really possible. If you scale your expectations you can have a once in a lifetime experience.

 

[@Hazel-rah]

@Karabo , @TryingToDoc : can you please add any advice about how to relate your PC experience in your medical school application and interviews??
Also are there any particular schools you found to be more interested in your PC experience? I just found out some schools give in state tuition to RPCVs. Do you know of any other advantages I should know about?

Did you find any blogs or websites helpful in guiding you, as an RPCV, through the application process?

Thanks!

 

[Karabo]

@Karabo , @TryingToDoc : can you please add any advice about how to relate your PC experience in your medical school application and interviews??
Also are there any particular schools you found to be more interested in your PC experience? I just found out some schools give in state tuition to RPCVs. Do you know of any other advantages I should know about?

Did you find any blogs or websites helpful in guiding you, as an RPCV, through the application process?

Thanks!

Hey, sorry for the delayed response. I talked about my PC experiences a lot in my application as it was a significant experience to me. For the work and activities section, I listed PC as one of my most meaningful experience, highlighting what it taught me about community involvement/grassroots work. I also listed one of my health related PC experiences as a separate work and activities entry. I would like to go into global health, so this experience obviously taught me a lot that could be used in my future health work. I would estimate that in about 70% of my secondary essays, I talked about PC experiences. These experiences were perfect for talking about challenges, failures, achievements, etc. Feel free to PM me more specific questions, or essay help!

I did not know that some in-state school give in-state tuition to RPCVs- that's awesome!

Rochester definitely values PC (they specifically ask about Americorps and Peace Corps on secondary). I've heard Tulane also likes RPCVs. Most schools honestly seemed pretty interested in my PC experiences! I think the only interview where I didn't talk about PC was at Hopkins, and I think that was more my interviewer than the school (overall just a really weird interview).

I didn't look at any blogs specific to PC and med school, so I'm not much help there!