Religious Activites

[baylormed]

I participated in a group in my Catholic church (about 2hrs/wk) during freshman year. I was wondering if I should include this in my AMCAS application. I was just afraid that it might be viewed with some bias by some adcom members.

Do not tell me to include something else instead, because I still have 2 spaces left on my AMCAS list out of the 15 and I was just wondering if I should add this also.

Thanks!!!

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[medhacker]

I participated in a group in my Catholic church (about 2hrs/wk) during freshman year. I was wondering if I should include this in my AMCAS application. I was just afraid that it might be viewed with some bias by some adcom members.

Do not tell me to include something else instead, because I still have 2 spaces left on my AMCAS list out of the 15 and I was just wondering if I should add this also.

Thanks!!!

It is part of your life, why would you leave it out?

Putting it is quite fine

Would you denounce your beliefs if doing so would give you a medical school acceptance?

 

[Oculus Sinistra]

I participated in a group in my Catholic church (about 2hrs/wk) during freshman year. I was wondering if I should include this in my AMCAS application. I was just afraid that it might be viewed with some bias by some adcom members.

I think most people who are involved with their church include it in their apps. I don't think it will hurt you but I wouldn't be surprised if questions come up in your interview about how your faith will affect your practice of medicine.

 

[NonTradMed]

I participated in a group in my Catholic church (about 2hrs/wk) during freshman year. I was wondering if I should include this in my AMCAS application. I was just afraid that it might be viewed with some bias by some adcom members.

Do not tell me to include something else instead, because I still have 2 spaces left on my AMCAS list out of the 15 and I was just wondering if I should add this also.

Thanks!!!

Did you do anything with the group? I don't put down every single activity I was in, not unless it had significance to my life. I think adcoms prefer quality over quantity when it comes to ECs. Put it down if it did something for you, don't worry about the religious thing, but dont' put it down because you feel you *have* to put every single nonacademic activity down to get fill everything up.

 

[e_phn]

Would you denounce your beliefs if doing so would give you a medical school acceptance?

haha..

i wouldn't.

 

[baylormed]

haha..

i wouldn't.

Yes, yes, I know.

I was asking because I had a bad experience during a job interview at my school (it's a baptist school, so you can imagine...). I was interviewing for the RA job in my dorm and the lady making the questions kept sniggering (is that the right word???) to all my answers about religion when she asked what it was and what its role in my life was, etc, and I told her I was Catholic . I tried to be neutral, you know, saying I was Catholic but I had learned many things from the diversity at college, both from Baptists, evangelicals, etc (which was perfectly true), and she was very obvious in her reaction, like she didn't believe me. I guess I then decided religion was a bad subject to talk about. But it is a religious school so it's a given during any job interview there.
I guess I AM very neutral, I think religion is an individual matter and should be preached silently. I don't believe in preaching loudly to others, and I hate others preaching loudly to me.

I think I have decided to leave it out, like someone said, it won't help me and it won't hurt me, so if I leave it out I apparently have the same effect than if I include it, except I avoid myself stupid questions from any unexpected biased interviewers.

 

[bugmenot]

Would you denounce your beliefs if doing so would give you a medical school acceptance?

In case you can't tell, there's a big difference between denouncing your beliefs and keeping them to yourself.

 

[jcubed]

Yes, yes, I know.

I was asking because I had a bad experience during a job interview at my school (it's a baptist school, so you can imagine...). I was interviewing for the RA job in my dorm and the lady making the questions kept sniggering (is that the right word???) to all my answers about religion when she asked what it was and what its role in my life was, etc, and I told her I was Catholic . I tried to be neutral, you know, saying I was Catholic but I had learned many things from the diversity at college, both from Baptists, evangelicals, etc (which was perfectly true), and she was very obvious in her reaction, like she didn't believe me. I guess I then decided religion was a bad subject to talk about. But it is a religious school so it's a given during any job interview there.
I guess I AM very neutral, I think religion is an individual matter and should be preached silently. I don't believe in preaching loudly to others, and I hate others preaching loudly to me.

I think I have decided to leave it out, like someone said, it won't help me and it won't hurt me, so if I leave it out I apparently have the same effect than if I include it, except I avoid myself stupid questions from any unexpected biased interviewers.

I think it depends on what the experience was. For example, I also participated in events at my church while in college, but most of it was for social justice events like food drives and volunteering. I put this on my application. I left out the faith sharing groups I was in because I think that might lead to some bias by non-religious people. If you feel that the experience shows what type of person you are, your values, or leadership skills, then you should include it. If not, then don't. Hope that helps.

 

[baylormed]

In case you can't tell, there's a big difference between denouncing your beliefs and keeping them to yourself.

Exactly

I think it depends on what the experience was. For example, I also participated in events at my church while in college, but most of it was for social justice events like food drives and volunteering. I put this on my application. I left out the faith sharing groups I was in because I think that might lead to some bias by non-religious people. If you feel that the experience shows what type of person you are, your values, or leadership skills, then you should include it. If not, then don't. Hope that helps.

That's a great comment. Thanks!
It's staying out of my application. I don't want to deal with the questions that might spring up. I'll have enough to worry about.

 

[LizzyM]

I like to think that most adcom members are open-minded and not bigots. That said, I would not doubt that among the thousands of adcom members in the US that there might be some who are anti-Catholic, or have other biases (sometimes even unconscious) based on religion, politics, sexual behavior, etc. Proceed at your own risk.

On the other hand, for every bigot there may be someone who (even unconsiously) will identify with you and think a little more highly of you because you share the same values, religion, political affiliation, etc.

Maybe this is what applicants mean when they say "it's a crap shoot".

 

[baylormed]

I like to think that most adcom members are open-minded and not bigots. That said, I would not doubt that among the thousands of adcom members in the US that there might be some who are anti-Catholic, or have other biases (sometimes even unconscious) based on religion, politics, sexual behavior, etc. Proceed at your own risk.

On the other hand, for every bigot there may be someone who (even unconsiously) will identify with you and think a little more highly of you because you share the same values, religion, political affiliation, etc.

Maybe this is what applicants mean when they say "it's a crap shoot".

I didn't mean to say that all adcoms were bigoted or anything similar, but this is a primarily non-Catholic country, and there seems to be a little bias regarding what Catholicism entails, etc, so I was doubtful.

You make a good point about having adcoms react in an opposite (positive) way to the activity.

I guess you know better. Thanks a lot!!!!!

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I didn't mean to say that all adcoms were bigoted or anything similar, but this is a primarily non-Catholic country, and there seems to be a little bias regarding what Catholicism entails, etc, so I was doubtful.

This activity was obviously important in your life, so I'd list it. But I would point out that, with just a bit of re-wording, you can discuss any church-related activity in considerable detail without specifying the particular denomination. Unless it's also important to you to specify "Catholic" (which is fine if that's what you want to do), it's really extraneous information - if you just want to convey that you were an active participant in a church or other religious organization, which is admirable and may make you look like a more well-rounded candidate.