Applied last cycle, going straight in from undergrad, was thankful to have a couple options.
Work: (gotta pay for college somehow #broke):
1-Resident Assistant (2 years) 22 hrs/week
2-Organic Chem Tutor (2 years) 6 hrs/week
3-Lab Tech (3 years) 20 hrs/week
4-Camp counselor (2 summers)
Volunteering:
ER Volunteering (4 years) 300 hours
Non-profit Org volunteering (4 years) 120 hours
Internship:
Summer intern for environmental non-profit regarding climate change policy (1 summer)
(Personal interest and because environmental politics are super important for our future...as a planet...as a species... we're already screwed... x_x )
Research:
Undergrad Research (2 years)
Clinical Research (1 year)
Shadowing: 0 hours (Had no time but this is highly recommended)
Leadership:
President of Fraternity (2 years)
President of Club (3 years)
Major Hobbies: Baking, Writing
Most Energy consuming: Girlfriend (2.5 years)
I don't recommend anyone killing themselves like I did in undergrad. Consistently running on 3-4 hours of sleep made me look like a dying challupa and I really can't tell you how much my ECs influenced me making it in (I'm just grateful). Med school admissions definitely has a component of luck to it. By my senior year I realized that I needed to start prioritizing my health and sanity so I started to really cut down on my activities. I had to pay for college on my own so working like a maniac was a must, but if I could give anyone advice...just follow your passion, explore your interests, and get involved in the community. Commit to your activities and don't ever do something because you think it'll look good on an app. If you truly want to pursue medicine for the right reasons, your ECs will align, will most likely be clinically related, and it'll all fall in place the way it should. Go make a difference in the world and spread seeds of love and kindness.
