Should I not list this activity?

[Wahed]

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When I was 19 years old (I’m 28 now) I worked in a clinic that combined psychiatric services and counseling with treatment of HIV/AIDS as part of a study. This experience taught me a lot. However, I was reading back on some old emails I sent when I was working there, and MAN WAS I DUMB. I just sound like an ass in all of them. Also, I had been trying to get a paid position there, and when I finally landed an interview…I bombed it. I was completely unprepared.

So, while this experience looks good on paper, if they tried to contact the person overseeing the clinic (who I interviewed with and sent dumb emails to), my application might be really damaged. I’ve read that schools don’t often contact people from the activities section (especially ones from so long ago), but because this person is still associated with the medical school, I’m worried that I could be risking harm to my application.

Does anyone have any insight into this dilemma? My EC’s look pretty decent without it, but I’ll take all the help I can get due to low GPA (c: 3.43, s: 3.68, Post-bacc: 3.88) although I think I did fairly well on my MCAT (projected 510-515, we’ll see on June 19th)

 

[Catalystik]

When I was 19 years old (I’m 28 now) I worked in a clinic that combined psychiatric services and counseling with treatment of HIV/AIDS as part of a study. This experience taught me a lot. However, I was reading back on some old emails I sent when I was working there, and MAN WAS I DUMB. I just sound like an ass in all of them. Also, I had been trying to get a paid position there, and when I finally landed an interview…I bombed it. I was completely unprepared.

So, while this experience looks good on paper, if they tried to contact the person overseeing the clinic (who I interviewed with and sent dumb emails to), my application might be really damaged. I’ve read that schools don’t often contact people from the activities section (especially ones from so long ago), but because this person is still associated with the medical school, I’m worried that I could be risking harm to my application.

Does anyone have any insight into this dilemma? My EC’s look pretty decent without it, but I’ll take all the help I can get due to low GPA (c: 3.43, s: 3.68, Post-bacc: 3.88) although I think I did fairly well on my MCAT (projected 510-515, we’ll see on June 19th)

It sounds risky, especially in light of your recent interaction with this individual. Is there anyone else on site you could use for a Contact (eg, payroll office)? You don't need a reference, just someone to attest to your timeframe and hours.

If not, the experience was so long ago, I'd expect you to have many more recent activities to fill the expected categories. You could consider, since you are a nontrad, using one space to list all collegiate activities of note, and using yourself as a Contact (under the Other category). Or, only referring to the experience in your PS.

 

[Wahed]

It sounds risky, especially in light of your recent interaction with this individual. Is there anyone else on site you could use for a Contact (eg, payroll office)? You don't need a reference, just someone to attest to your timeframe and hours.

If not, the experience was so long ago, I'd expect you to have many more recent activities to fill the expected categories. You could consider, since you are a nontrad, using one space to list all collegiate activities of note, and using yourself as a Contact (under the Other category). Or, only referring to the experience in your PS.

So I haven't interacted with anyone from this experience since ~2009. In all likelihood everyone I interacted with has completely forgotten about me, but if the head of the clinic was contacted, and did happen to remember me, I'd be in trouble because any memory they have of me would more than likely be unfavorable.

BUT, my mom was a Nurse Practitioner at the clinic, and I could use her as a contact. We have different last names so it could fly under the radar, but she is listed as my mother elsewhere on the application :/

 

[Catalystik]

So I haven't interacted with anyone from this experience since ~2009. In all likelihood everyone I interacted with has completely forgotten about me, but if the head of the clinic was contacted, and did happen to remember me, I'd be in trouble because any memory they have of me would more than likely be unfavorable.

BUT, my mom was a Nurse Practitioner at the clinic, and I could use her as a contact. We have different last names so it could fly under the radar, but she is listed as my mother elsewhere on the application :/

Using a mom is permitted, but be sure to include her professional degree (NP), and her former title of that time, like, "Former Family Practice Clinician at XXX."