shadowing and volunteering

[803]

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Are non-traditional students expected to have the amount of hours that traditional students have?

I know many non-traditional students work full-time so finding time might be difficult.

Also how important is research for non-traditional students?

Oh yeah... and WU TANG!!!

 

[n3xa]

If you're truly not interested in research, that's fine. Just don't expect to get much love from research-heavy institutions. ERs generally have flexible hours for volunteering but ymmv.

Good luck to you.

Oh and cash rules everything around me?! 😉

 

[EdLongshanks]

Are non-traditional students expected to have the amount of hours that traditional students have?

I know many non-traditional students work full-time so finding time might be difficult.

Also how important is research for non-traditional students?

Oh yeah... and WU TANG!!!

Yes, non-traditional students have to jump through the same hoops as everyone else, maybe even plus a few. Other non-traditional students have, so you can also.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

Are non-traditional students expected to have the amount of hours that traditional students have?

I know many non-traditional students work full-time so finding time might be difficult.

Also how important is research for non-traditional students?

Oh yeah... and WU TANG!!!

Yes, we do. If you want to leverage your non-traditional experience as something extra, something beyond what the traditional applicant brings to the table, you have to make sure you check all of the same boxes that they have. You application will never be your own, personal 36 Chambers without shadowing and volunteering represented. Just jump through the hoops like a good monkey.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

I would say Ed is on the money, at least as many if not more. We're at a disadvantage, so make your application shinier, prettier, (maybe add sparkles), etc... Unless you're my coworker who has a 3.99cgpa (4sgpa) and a 41 mcat, you need something to stand out!!! 😉.

 

[RFHawks]

I would say Ed is on the money, at least as many if not more. We're at a disadvantage, so make your application shinier, prettier, (maybe add sparkles), etc... Unless you're my coworker who has a 3.99cgpa (4sgpa) and a 41 mcat, you need something to stand out!!! 😉.

Did they get accepted? I've met some applicants (nontrad and trad alike) with seemingly outstanding applications as far as numbers, and even ECs go, but fail miserably on either their PS or interview.

In another thread:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jl lin
i completely agree rf. And personally i have some leanings about what direction i want to go, but even with exposure in the field, i am keeping an open mind. One thing is sure, nothing in this whole deal and process is a sure thing.


this! This! This! This! This! This!

 

[jsp132]

how do you guys get time to shadow?

Im working ft and volunteering on the weekend

im just cringing at the thought of competing against everyone with SOO much more experience shadowing then me

then all that time trying will basically be for naught

🙁 can someone rewind time.......and place my current brain in place of my younger idiot brain

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Did they get accepted? I've met some applicants (nontrad and trad alike) with seemingly outstanding applications as far as numbers, and even ECs go, but fail miserably on either their PS or interview.


In another thread:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jl lin
i completely agree rf. And personally i have some leanings about what direction i want to go, but even with exposure in the field, i am keeping an open mind. One thing is sure, nothing in this whole deal and process is a sure thing.


this! This! This! This! This! This!

To the first comment, not yet, he applied late. He is very nice, and has a good work ethic, and is quite personable. He worked for 3 years in a clinic as a MA-type person, and he, his brother, and father all had colon cancer, he was the only one of the three to survive, sans most of his colon. Does have an interview, I am pretty sure he'll get in. For the record, the reason he did so well is because he is very smart, but he tried really really hard to get good grades so he could get in.

how do you guys get time to shadow?

Im working ft and volunteering on the weekend

im just cringing at the thought of competing against everyone with SOO much more experience shadowing then me

then all that time trying will basically be for naught

🙁 can someone rewind time.......and place my current brain in place of my younger idiot brain

I agree with you on all point especially the last one.

On the shadowing, I am using a couple of vacation days to do it during the week, I am hoping to be able to shadow at my local hospital on the weekends here/there, and thankfully I can work a Sat or Sun to make up comp time to shadow more during the week if needed.

Best of luck!

 

[EdLongshanks]

how do you guys get time to shadow?

Im working ft and volunteering on the weekend

im just cringing at the thought of competing against everyone with SOO much more experience shadowing then me

then all that time trying will basically be for naught

🙁 can someone rewind time.......and place my current brain in place of my younger idiot brain

Shadowing is a diminishing returns issue. After a certain number of hours (100, 200, 300?) , it simply doesn't matter anymore. That box is checked. "Do you know what you are getting into... Have you got over the 'I'm going to be like Gregory House' idealism."

Each admissions committee is presented with more qualified applicants than it can admit. Since they are choosing among applicants with all of the boxes checked (High GPA, Good MCAT, Clinical Experience, Community Minded Volunteering, possible research) they aren't going to spend time on someone who didn't even try to check an easy box.

Once we non-trads have checked all of the boxes, we have to then convince a committee that we are more valuable to the school than a younger version of ourselves. This is the real challenge. I obviously failed it at several places and, fortunately, succeeded at the place it mattered.

This last hurdle is the hardest. Shadowing is the easy part.

 

[pinkzebra]

Shadowing is a diminishing returns issue. After a certain number of hours (100, 200, 300?) , it simply doesn't matter anymore. That box is checked. "Do you know what you are getting into... Have you got over the 'I'm going to be like Gregory House' idealism."

Each admissions committee is presented with more qualified applicants than it can admit. Since they are choosing among applicants with all of the boxes checked (High GPA, Good MCAT, Clinical Experience, Community Minded Volunteering, possible research) they aren't going to spend time on someone who didn't even try to check an easy box.

Once we non-trads have checked all of the boxes, we have to then convince a committee that we are more valuable to the school than a younger version of ourselves. This is the real challenge. I obviously failed it at several places and, fortunately, succeeded at the place it mattered.

This last hurdle is the hardest. Shadowing is the easy part.

really great advice👍