Question about Additional Info Essay (hobby vs. why us)

[vex10]

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Is it okay to discuss a hobby of mine in all of my additional Info essays? That's what I have been doing so far, yet ppl reading my essays are sometimes split on my use of the essay as a Why Us essay rather than a place to describe any hobby-like additional info about you. I discuss writing literary fiction as a hobby and my aspiration to become a physician author/writer and expand on one of the best moments I've had when someone close to me read my story and helped me break down their culture, allowing me to accurately write about it.

Just confused rn, since I have Duke, JHU, Columbia left to write, so I was wondering what the best use of the Additional Info section would be. Duke gives us 400 words too, and I see it as a perfect ground to expand on what I love about writing.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you never brought up a hint of your writing interests in your primary plus secondary essay (i.e., you didn't mention it as a hobby on AMCAS), you could talk about it.

 

[vex10]

I didn't! lets goo thank you! @Mr.Smile12 but moreso my question is how is it looked upon? like will adcom be kinda mad that I didnt do a why that school or anything?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I didn't! lets goo thank you! @Mr.Smile12 but moreso my question is how is it looked upon? like will adcom be kinda mad that I didnt do a why that school or anything?

Well, I'm glad you like writing. The question is how you might leverage it with school list and opportunities, such as having curricular emphasis on writing:

https://www.aamc.org/media/22411/download

 

[vex10]

any thoughts on this @LizzyM too just wanted ppl's opinions again thanks @Mr.Smile12!

 

[vex10]

Well, I'm glad you like writing. The question is how you might leverage it with school list and opportunities, such as having curricular emphasis on writing:

https://www.aamc.org/media/22411/download

yup I try to talk about the literary scene at the institution or the community its centered within.

 

[LizzyM]

Any of those schools have "medical humanities" departments? I don't know off the top of my head but I do know that some do. I also know that physician-writers are certainly a thing and I don't doubt that faculty/adcoms know this and it may resonate with them. (It would with me.)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Any of those schools have "medical humanities" departments? I don't know off the top of my head but I do know that some do. I also know that physician-writers are certainly a thing and I don't doubt that faculty/adcoms know this and it may resonate with them. (It would with me.)

The three the OP listed definitely do.

Humanities in Medicine | Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine

Medicine is often the context for some of the most important experiences in human life. While much of medicine is rightly devoted to ways that science and technology can improve life and reduce suffering, the human meaning of these experiences that reach from birth to death is best captured in...

trentcenter.duke.edu

Center for Medical Humanities & Social Medicine

hopkinsmedicalhumanities.org

Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics

The Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics explores the humanities and ethics to shape and support the fundamental goals of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S)

www.mhe.cuimc.columbia.edu

Write away. 🙂

Of course, Iowa's got the writing camp... and the Short Coat podcast!

Writing and Communication | The University of Iowa

More than 40 Pulitzer Prize winners. Seven U.S. Poet Laureates. Countless award-winning playwrights, novelists, journalists, & poets. A wide-range of creative writing programs, workshops, and festivals. The University of Iowa is known worldwide as the home to the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

writinguniversity.org

Writing and Humanities Program

md.medicine.uiowa.edu

 

[vex10]

Thanks so much @LizzyM and @Mr.Smile12 this helps me so much!! Glad I saved Duke, Columbia, and Hopkins to the very end haha 😀. Hope to dazzle and write my heart out in the next week

 

[astrophage]

Reviving this thread because I am in a similar situation:

I have an interest in digital media design and production in my personal life, which was born from an interest in how art can communicate across language barriers, and I still do a lot of photography, Photoshop, InDesign. I think this is an interesting hobby and something I only briefly mentioned (photography as a hobby, unrelated to health; did not mention digital media otherwise). Would it be acceptable to include this in an Additional Info prompt and relate it to how digital and physical media can communicate across language and cultural barriers to promote health equity?

 

[Goro]

Not everything has to be about medicine! It's great to have a hobby, and yours is definitely a nice one.

The reason these prompts exist at all is so that we could see that applicants are human beings, and not merely automatons with great grades

 

[astrophage]

Not everything has to be about medicine! It's great to have a hobby, and yours is definitely a nice one.

The reason these prompts exist at all is so that we could see that applicants are human beings, and not merely automatons with great grades

Thank you, O' Wise One. This process feels cutthroat in its own ways, but it is refreshing and exciting to know that behind it all, schools want to get to know who we are, and appreciate diverse hobbies/experiences!

 

[karaya]

Thank you, O' Wise One. This process feels cutthroat in its own ways, but it is refreshing and exciting to know that behind it all, schools want to get to know who we are, and appreciate diverse hobbies/experiences!

Yes, it's important! IDK what happened to the class below mine, but school event participation plummeted. They're a bunch of straight-edge type A homebodies. We have a yearly talent show: last year there were 6 acts, this year we had 3 acts and not a single person from that class showed up, not even in the audience. If I ever get back to admissions I'm selecting for people who have a life outside studying.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yes, it's important! IDK what happened to the class below mine, but school event participation plummeted. They're a bunch of straight-edge type A homebodies. We have a yearly talent show: last year there were 6 acts, this year we had 3 acts and not a single person from that class showed up, not even in the audience. If I ever get back to admissions I'm selecting for people who have a life outside studying.

Geez, don't any of your admissions committee members or staff participate in your talent show (like CWRU's?) 🙂

Here's the video (until they pull it).

 

[vex10]

Reviving this thread because I am in a similar situation:

I have an interest in digital media design and production in my personal life, which was born from an interest in how art can communicate across language barriers, and I still do a lot of photography, Photoshop, InDesign. I think this is an interesting hobby and something I only briefly mentioned (photography as a hobby, unrelated to health; did not mention digital media otherwise). Would it be acceptable to include this in an Additional Info prompt and relate it to how digital and physical media can communicate across language and cultural barriers to promote health equity?

Definitely write about the digital media design and production hobby of yours! My cycle went really well, and I'm matriculating to a T3 this year! Dm if you have questions.

 

[HuskyMD Emeritus]

Some of the best applications I reviewed are from people with non-healthcare related hobbies and interests. Some were entrepreneurs, world class musicians and elite athletes but most were just folks with passions outside of medicine.