Schools are considering using the MSPE to get students to volunteer with vaccinations.

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IWishIWasBuff

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Just saw this on reddittoday

There's a similar spicier post on the premed sub with a name and shame.

I think getting students to volunteer is a good thing but dangling the MSPE isn't really a good look especially if the number of hours mentioned in the post are true. Wondering if university hospital systems are that desperate.

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That is too stupid. Just another example of med schools taking advantage of us. Good thing is, the MSPE isn't a big deal. If it's even looked at, it's mainly used as a screen to make sure you didn't do anything unprofessional.
 
I wouldn't say the MSPE "isn't a big deal". Each program will differ, but we look at it closely and it's one of the most important items in the application.

But would I care that you volunteered time to give COVID shots? Nope. I'd thank you for your help, but it won't change whether you get an interview or your position on the rank list.
 
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I wouldn't say the MSPE "isn't a big deal". Each program will differ, but we look at it closely and it's one of the most important items in the application.

I guess it's just program to program, because I've heard multiple times (from people reviewing apps) that it's outright ignored or just skimmed (as a screening measure).
 
Regardless of whether the MSPE being big deal, the problem I see is that schools are willing to resort to holding these types of things over students to get the students to volunteer. Although I think some incentive is good, if you look at the post, they're expecting something like 40-80 hours a month with the notation being tiered relative to the class.

I can see it being totally worthless to the eyes of some programs but something about it just feels......slimey
 
More anecdotes about what PDs and faculty say about the lack of importance of certain selection criteria. When will people learn that they should believe these comments with caution. SDN is replete with stories of PDs and faculty misleading applicants. Students have come to me with stories of programs implying they will rank the student, only for the student to discover they did not match at all. I find it difficult to believe that a program of any quality would interview or select applicant by skimming applications.
 
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